Montana 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
None - CE repealed in 2023
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Old rule (now gone)
24 contact hours per cycle
Issued by
Montana Board of Nursing
Montana recently made life simpler for its nurses. As of late 2023, the Montana Board of Nursing repealed the continuing education requirement that used to be part of license renewal. RNs, LPNs, and APRNs no longer have to complete the old 24 contact hours of CE to renew a Montana nursing license.
If you renewed under the old rule, this is a genuine change worth confirming rather than assuming. And because there is no CE to gather anymore, the renewal deadline itself becomes the thing most likely to bite. Here is what matters now.
CE is no longer required for renewal
The Montana Board of Nursing adopted a rule change repealing its continuing education requirement, effective in November 2023. In the Board's own words, it no longer requires continuing education contact hours to be completed as a requirement for renewal of a nursing license. The previous standard - 24 contact hours during the two-year licensing period - no longer applies.
You are still expected to practice safely and competently within your scope; Montana simply no longer enforces that through a documented CE-hours mandate at renewal.
Free CE is still available if you want it
Even though CE is no longer mandatory, the Board continues to offer free contact hours online through its education platform, covering topics like scope of practice, delegation, ethics, and the licensing process. These are optional now, but they can be useful for your own development - or to satisfy a different license you hold in another state that does still require CE.
If you do take them, treat the certificates the way you would any record worth keeping: in one place, dated, and easy to retrieve.
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?
Montana RN licenses renew every two years. Your exact expiration date is in your Montana Board of Nursing online account. With the CE requirement gone, the renewal itself is the part people forget - there is no stack of certificates reminding you a deadline is coming - so set a reminder well in advance.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- No CE to chase here, so CredTally guards the thing that actually lapses - your two-year renewal deadline - with reminder emails at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days.
- Store any optional certificates you earn - including the Board's free modules - privately and dated, in case another state's license can use them.
- Hold licenses in more than one state? Track Montana's no-CE renewal alongside your CE-heavy states so a quiet cycle never gets buried under a busier one.
- Keep a private, dated record of each renewal - exportable as a PDF in one click if you ever need to show your history.
Frequently asked questions
Does Montana require CE hours for RN renewal?
No. The Montana Board of Nursing repealed its continuing education requirement effective November 2023, so RNs, LPNs, and APRNs no longer need CE contact hours to renew.
How many CE hours did Montana require before the change?
Twenty-four contact hours during the two-year licensing period. That requirement was repealed in late 2023 and no longer applies.
Can I still earn CE in Montana?
Yes. The Board continues to offer free contact hours online on topics like scope of practice and ethics. They are optional now, but can be handy if another state's license still requires CE.
How often do Montana RN licenses renew?
Every two years. Your exact expiration date is in your Montana Board of Nursing online account, and with CE gone, the deadline itself is the main thing to track.
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