Hawaii 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
30 CE hours (or another single activity)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years (expires June 30, odd years)
Pick one
CE, national cert, residency, or teaching
Issued by
Hawaii Board of Nursing
Hawaii does not require a stack of mixed-and-matched hours. Instead, the Board of Nursing asks every non-exempt RN to complete one continuing-competency learning activity during the two years before renewal. If you choose the continuing education option, that means 30 contact hours - all from CE, not 15 from CE plus 15 from something else.
That single-activity structure is the part nurses get wrong. You pick one lane and finish it; you cannot blend partial credit across lanes. Here is the full picture, in plain English.
Pick one learning activity option
Under Hawaii Administrative Rules chapter 16-89, each RN must complete one of the Board's recognized learning activity options within the biennium before renewal. The options are: 30 contact hours of continuing education activities; a current national certification or recertification related to your practice role; completion of at least two semester credits of post-licensure nursing education; developing and conducting nursing presentations totaling at least 5 contact hours of organized instruction; or completion of a board-recognized nurse residency program.
The Board is explicit that you may not combine partial pieces of more than one option. If you choose continuing education, you owe the full 30 contact hours - you cannot do 15 hours of CE and 15 hours toward another activity. Only activities completed within the prior biennium count, and a contact hour means at least 60 minutes of organized instruction.
New nurses and recent graduates
- Some nurses are exempt from the continuing-competency requirement for their first renewal - for example, those who graduated and were licensed close enough to that first renewal date.
- If you graduated from an accredited program more than twelve months but less than two years before your first renewal, a reduced option applies - completing 15 contact hours of continuing education is one way to satisfy it for that first period.
- Holding a current board-approved national certification can itself serve as an exemption from completing a separate learning activity.
- If you are unsure whether you are exempt, check the Board's continuing-competency guidance before assuming you owe the full 30 hours.
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 — freeWhen is your deadline?
Hawaii RN licenses renew every two years and expire on June 30 of odd-numbered years - the same date for every RN, not your birthday. Your activity must be completed within the prior biennium, and the Board has recordkeeping and audit requirements, so keep your certificate or proof of the option you used.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Set the single option you have chosen - say '30 CE contact hours' or 'maintain national certification' - and the progress ring shows exactly what is still owed, so you never accidentally split credit across two lanes.
- Snap a photo of each certificate, certification card, or transcript as you complete it; it is stored privately with the credit it proves, ready for a Board audit.
- Reminder emails at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before the June 30 deadline, with your remaining hours in the subject line.
- Hold licenses in more than one state? Track Hawaii alongside the others on one dashboard, and export a dated PDF packet - summary plus every certificate - in one click.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours does a Hawaii RN need to renew?
If you choose the continuing education option, 30 contact hours completed within the two years before renewal. But CE is only one of several single learning activities you can pick from.
Can I mix continuing education with another activity in Hawaii?
No. The Board does not allow combining partial credit from more than one option. If you choose continuing education, you must complete the full 30 contact hours rather than splitting it with another activity.
What other options satisfy Hawaii's continuing-competency rule?
A current national certification or recertification, at least two semester credits of post-licensure nursing education, developing and conducting presentations totaling at least 5 contact hours, or completing a board-recognized nurse residency program.
When do Hawaii RN licenses expire?
On June 30 of odd-numbered years, every two years. The date is the same for every RN, and your learning activity must be completed within the prior biennium.
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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