Florida RN Continuing Education Requirements, Explained
Last reviewed June 2026 against the official sources linked below. Requirements change — always confirm with your board before relying on them.
Total hours
24 hours per biennium
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Mandatory topics
5+ rotating requirements
Issued by
Florida Board of Nursing
Florida does not just ask for a number of hours — it asks for a specific mix that changes depending on which renewal you are in. It is the most checklist-heavy nursing renewal in the country, and the reason "just count to 24" is not enough.
Here is the structure, untangled.
The base: 24 hours per biennium
Florida RNs complete 24 hours of appropriate continuing education during each two-year renewal cycle. Renewal deadlines are grouped — your specific expiration date is shown in your Florida Health licensing account.
The mandatory topic maze
Within (and sometimes on top of) those hours, Florida requires specific topics on rotating schedules:
- Prevention of medical errors — 2 hours, every biennium.
- Florida laws and rules — 2 hours, every biennium.
- Human trafficking — 2 hours, every biennium.
- Recognizing impairment in the workplace — 2 hours, every other biennium (every 4 years).
- Domestic violence — 2 hours, every third biennium (every 6 years), and these hours are commonly counted in addition to the standard total.
- HIV/AIDS — 1 hour, one time, at first renewal.
Stop tracking this in a spreadsheet
Progress rings per requirement, private certificate storage, deadline reminders, and a one-click audit packet. Set up in two minutes — free for your first license.
Start tracking — freeWhy this is exactly what trackers are for
A Florida RN is effectively running six clocks at once: a 2-year hours total, three every-cycle topics, a 4-year topic, and a 6-year topic. Spreadsheets handle the first one fine. It is the every-other-cycle and every-third-cycle requirements — the ones you completed last time but not this time — that produce unpleasant surprises at renewal.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Set up your 24-hour total with sub-requirement buckets for each mandatory topic — the dashboard shows remaining hours per bucket, not just overall.
- Tag each course to the requirement it satisfies as you log it, certificate attached.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your group deadline show exactly which buckets are still open.
- Audit or employer credentialing request? One click exports a dated packet with every certificate.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours does a Florida RN need to renew?
Twenty-four hours per two-year biennium, including specific mandatory topics such as prevention of medical errors (2 hrs), Florida laws and rules (2 hrs), and human trafficking (2 hrs).
What are the rotating mandatory topics in Florida?
Recognizing impairment is required every other biennium (every 4 years) and domestic violence every third biennium (every 6 years) — plus a one-time 1-hour HIV/AIDS course at first renewal. The rotation is why Florida renewals are easy to get wrong.
Where do I find my Florida RN renewal deadline?
Florida renewals are grouped with fixed expiration dates; your specific date is shown in your Florida Department of Health licensing account and on your license.
Are CE hours reported automatically in Florida?
Florida providers report to the CE Broker system, but you remain responsible for ensuring your record is complete before renewal — and for keeping your own proof.
Official sources
CredTally is a record-keeping tool and is not affiliated with any licensing board. This guide is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
CredTally tracks all of this for you
Progress rings per requirement, private certificate storage, deadline reminders, and a one-click audit packet. Set up in two minutes — free for your first license.
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