Kentucky 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
14 contact hours (or 7 plus evaluation)
Renewal cycle
Annual (Nov 1 - Oct 31)
One-time topics
Domestic violence, head trauma, suicide prevention
Issued by
Kentucky Board of Nursing
Kentucky is unusual in two ways: it renews annually rather than every two years, and it gives you two ways to meet the yearly competency rule. You either log 14 approved contact hours, or you log 7 hours plus a satisfactory employment evaluation.
On top of that, Kentucky stacks several one-time mandatory courses you must finish within three years of getting licensed. Here is all of it, untangled.
The annual requirement: 14 hours, or 7 plus an evaluation
Each license year, the Kentucky Board of Nursing requires you to validate competency one of two ways: earn 14 approved contact hours, OR earn 7 approved contact hours plus a nursing employment evaluation that is satisfactory for continued employment. The two options cannot be combined.
If you use the 7-hour option, you need completion certificates for those 7 hours and a signed KBN Continuing Education Nursing Employment Evaluation Form from your supervisor, including the employer's name and address. The rule lives in 201 KAR 20:215.
One-time mandatory courses (within 3 years of licensure)
- Domestic violence - 3 hours of approved CE.
- Pediatric abusive head trauma - 1.5 hours of approved CE.
- Suicide prevention - 2 hours of approved CE.
- These are one-time requirements, completed within three years of the date your Kentucky license is issued - not repeated every year.
- Kentucky also lists one-time topics that apply to specific roles, such as Alzheimer's and dementia care and LPN IV/infusion therapy, when applicable to you.
- SANE credential holders must complete 5 contact hours in sexual assault each 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 — freeWhen is your deadline?
Kentucky RN licenses renew annually. The competency-earning period mirrors the licensure period, running November 1 through October 31 each year, and the online renewal window typically opens in mid-September and closes at midnight Eastern on October 31.
Because renewal is yearly and the Board audits, keep every certificate and your evaluation form on hand.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Set up your yearly bucket - 14 hours, or 7 plus the evaluation - and the progress ring shows what is owed before October 31.
- Track the one-time domestic violence, head trauma, and suicide-prevention courses against your three-year deadline so they never slip.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your annual deadline, plus your one-time-course due date.
- Store every certificate and your signed evaluation form privately, then export a dated audit packet in one click.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours does a Kentucky RN need each year?
Fourteen approved contact hours, or seven approved hours plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation - the two options cannot be combined.
How often does a Kentucky RN license renew?
Annually, with the earning period running November 1 through October 31.
What one-time courses does Kentucky require?
Three hours of domestic violence, 1.5 hours of pediatric abusive head trauma, and 2 hours of suicide prevention, all within three years of licensure.
Does Kentucky audit CE?
Yes. Keep certificates and, if you used the 7-hour option, your signed employment evaluation form.
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.
Start tracking — free