Pennsylvania RN license renewal requirements

What 49 Pa. Code § 21.131 requires registered nurses to complete for license renewal — total hours, the topics that are specifically mandated, and how often each one comes due.

Independently verifiedagainst 49 Pa. Code § 21.131’s published requirements. The exact date and primary source are free with an account.About the source ↗

Total required

30 contact hours

every 2 years, at renewal

Applies to

Registered Nurses licensed in Pennsylvania

Renewal cycle

2 years

Mandated topics

3 mandated subjects

Renewal at a glance

How to renew your Pennsylvania RN license

Confirm your renewal date
Check the expiration date on your Pennsylvania RN license and begin before the board deadline.
Complete the required education
Complete 30 contact hours every 2 years, including any mandated subjects listed below.
Keep your completion records
Save course certificates and supporting documents in case the board requests proof or selects your renewal for audit.
Renew through the official board
Submit your renewal through 49 Pa. Code § 21.131 and confirm that your renewed license is active.

The direct link to the official Pennsylvania source is free with an account.

Mandated topics

The full breakdown is free with an account

Pennsylvania mandates 3 specific subjects. A free account shows which subjects they are, the hours earmarked for each, and how often each comes due — including the ones due only every second or third renewal, which are exactly what gets missed.

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Quick answers

Pennsylvania RN renewal questions

How many CE hours are required for Pennsylvania RN renewal?

Pennsylvania requires 30 contact hours every 2 years for this license.

How often does a Pennsylvania RN license renew?

The published renewal cycle is 2 years. Confirm your individual expiration date with 49 Pa. Code § 21.131.

Where should I verify the requirements before renewing?

Use the official source from 49 Pa. Code § 21.131. A free Currendo account shows the exact source link and the date these figures were last checked, below.

Source & verification

Where this comes from

Issuing board

49 Pa. Code § 21.131

Primary source

The board’s own published document, linked in full — free with an account.

Last verified

Every figure on this page carries the date it was last checked — shown free with an account.

Re-checked

Every 90 days, and whenever the board posts a rule change. A page that falls behind says so at the top rather than presenting stale figures as current.

Not legal advice

Currendo publishes what the board publishes. Confirm with 49 Pa. Code § 21.131 before you rely on it for a renewal deadline.

Other Pennsylvania licences

Pennsylvania LPN

Licensed Practical Nurse

Pennsylvania APRN

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

All states

Every jurisdiction Currendo tracks

Stop tracking this in a spreadsheet

Currendo watches your Pennsylvania renewal date, counts the hours you have actually completed against each of these requirements, and tells you what is still missing — including the ones that only come due every second or third renewal.

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