New York 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 for renewal
Renewal cycle
Every 3 years
Mandated training
Infection control + child abuse
Issued by
New York State Board of Nursing
Here is the part that surprises a lot of New York nurses: the state does not require general continuing education contact hours to renew your RN registration. There is no annual or per-cycle hours total to chase, unlike most states. What New York does require is a short list of mandated training courses, and missing those is what actually trips people up.
So the question is not how many hours you owe - it is whether your mandated training is current. Here is the full picture, in plain English.
No general CE hours - but mandated training is real
New York does not list registered nursing among the professions with a general continuing education requirement. There is no set number of contact hours you must complete each renewal period. Instead, the state requires specific mandated training courses tied to your license, and you attest to them at renewal. Treat these as your compliance checklist - they matter just as much as an hours total does in other states.
The mandated training you actually need
- Infection control and barrier precautions - NYSED-approved coursework must be completed every four years (or you qualify for an exemption). There is no fixed hour count; the course must cover the required core elements and be from an approved provider.
- Child abuse identification and reporting - a NYSED-approved course is required, historically as a one-time requirement before licensure. Note that the curriculum was updated under amendments to Social Services Law 413, and nurses are required to complete the new version of the training - check your status so you are not caught out.
- Both courses must come from a NYSED-approved provider, so a generic CE certificate will not satisfy them.
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?
New York RN registrations run on a three-year cycle (your first registration after initial licensure may be shortened to align renewal with your birth month). You renew through the NYSED Office of the Professions. Even though there is no hours total to hit, you still have to confirm your mandated training is current - so the date that matters is your registration expiration plus the four-year clock on infection control.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Because New York is about deadlines and one-time courses rather than an hours total, CredTally tracks each mandated course - infection control and child abuse - and shows green when it is current, not when it is owed.
- Store the completion certificate the moment you finish each NYSED-approved course, kept privately with the requirement it satisfies.
- Reminder emails at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your registration renewal - and ahead of the four-year infection control refresh.
- Licensed in more than one state? Track New York alongside states that do require hours, so nothing slips between two very different rule sets.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours does a New York RN need to renew?
None. New York does not require general continuing education contact hours to renew an RN registration. You do have to complete mandated training - infection control every four years and a child abuse identification and reporting course - but there is no set hours total.
Does New York require infection control training for nurses?
Yes. Practicing RNs must complete NYSED-approved infection control and barrier precautions coursework every four years, unless they qualify for an exemption. There is no fixed hour count, but the course must cover the required core elements.
Is the New York child abuse course a one-time requirement?
It has historically been a one-time mandated reporter course tied to licensure. The curriculum was recently updated under amendments to Social Services Law 413, and nurses are required to complete the new version - so confirm whether you still need to take the updated training.
How often do New York RN licenses renew?
Every three years. Registration is renewed through the NYSED Office of the Professions, with your first registration sometimes shortened to align future renewals with your birth month.
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