Authored by Dr. Pam Vollmer, DNP, RN, AMB-BC, NPD-BC, CEO and Director of Content at CE Ready

What Nurses Need to Know

Louisiana nursing CEUs depend heavily on your license type, and two separate boards govern nurses in the state. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing oversees RNs and APRNs. A separate board, the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners, oversees LPNs. For RN renewal, you complete at least one of several options every two years. The choices include 30 board-approved contact hours of continuing education, 900 verified practice hours, recent initial licensure, or current national specialty certification. APRNs maintain national certification and, if they hold prescriptive authority, complete six pharmacotherapeutics contact hours each year. Those who prescribe controlled substances also complete a one-time controlled-substance course. LPNs currently have no continuing education requirement through their board. Louisiana does not use a centralized tracking system, so nurses keep their own records for five years. Knowing your license type is the first step to a smooth renewal.

Two Boards Govern Louisiana Nurses

Louisiana stands apart from most states in one structural way that shapes everything about your CEUs.

Most states use a single board of nursing for all license types. Louisiana uses two. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing, known as LSBN, regulates registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses. A separate body, the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners, or LSBPNE, regulates licensed practical nurses. Each board sets its own rules, renewal cycles, and continuing education requirements.

This split matters more than it might seem. The two boards operate on different renewal timelines and hold different expectations for continuing education. An RN and an LPN working side by side in the same unit answer to different regulators with different rules. Knowing which board governs your license tells you which set of requirements applies to you.

For RNs and APRNs, LSBN sets the continuing education and competency rules covered in the sections ahead. LPNs follow LSBPNE rules that currently differ substantially from the RN and APRN requirements. The rest of this guide walks through each license type in turn, so you can plan around your own practice. This guide groups the requirements by board so you can skip straight to what governs your license.

Louisiana RN CEU Requirements and Options

Registered nurses in Louisiana have unusual flexibility, because the state uses a continued-competency model rather than a flat CE mandate.

According to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, RN renewal requires completing at least one of several options during the two-year period. The first option is the familiar one: a minimum of 30 board-approved contact hours of continuing education. Many nurses choose this path because it is straightforward and can be completed online.

The alternatives offer real flexibility. Rather than CE hours, you can document a minimum of 900 practice hours during the two-year period. Your employer verifies those hours on a board form. You can also qualify through initial RN licensure by examination or endorsement during the previous calendar year. Finally, current certification in a board-recognized nursing specialty satisfies the requirement.

This menu means active nurses often meet renewal simply by working. A full-time nurse easily surpasses 900 practice hours in two years. Still, many nurses choose the CE route because it builds knowledge in a way that logged hours alone do not. CE Ready offers Louisiana nursing courses for nurses who select the continuing education path, spanning clinical practice and patient safety.

RN Renewal Option	What It Requires
Continuing education	30 board-approved contact hours in the 2-year period
Practice hours	900 hours, verified by your employer on a board form
Recent licensure	Initial RN licensure by exam or endorsement the prior calendar year
Specialty certification	Current national certification recognized by the board

What Counts and How CEUs Are Verified

Louisiana keeps continuing education flexible on content, but specific about documentation.

The Louisiana State Board of Nursing does not mandate particular CE topics for RNs. Your continuing education simply needs to be board-approved and nursing-related. This freedom lets you build hours around your own practice, whether that means pain management, telehealth, or another clinical area.

Documentation standards are where Louisiana is exacting. The board accepts CE accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or approved by a state board of nursing. Choosing an ANCC-accredited provider removes any doubt about whether your hours will count. Each certificate must show six elements. Those are the provider name, your name, the course title, the contact hours, the completion date, and a clear accreditation statement.

Verification works through a self-attestation and audit system. You attest to meeting the requirement when you renew, rather than submitting certificates upfront. The board then randomly selects at least 3 percent of licensees each year for audit, which occurs around March following renewal. Selected nurses mail their documentation to the board. Keeping organized records year-round turns a potential audit into a simple task. A quick monthly check of your saved certificates keeps everything current.

Louisiana APRN CEU Requirements

Advanced practice registered nurses carry the RN requirement plus additional obligations tied to their advanced role.

APRNs who are nationally board certified meet the provisions for renewing their Louisiana RN license by maintaining that certification. This means an APRN’s national certification does double duty, satisfying the underlying RN renewal requirement. Maintaining your certification is therefore central to staying licensed in Louisiana.

Prescriptive authority adds a yearly requirement. By LSBN rule, an APRN with prescriptive authority must obtain six contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE each year, within their advanced nursing role and population focus. Because renewal occurs every two years, this adds up to 12 pharmacotherapeutics contact hours per cycle. The board requires these hours to come from a board-approved national certifying organization or an approved provider. CE Ready offers pharmacotherapeutics courses for APRNs covering conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and depression.

These pharmacotherapeutics hours must genuinely relate to your role and population. A psychiatric nurse practitioner needs psychopharmacology content, while a family nurse practitioner needs primary care pharmacology. Matching your CE to your actual scope keeps the requirement meaningful and audit-ready.

The One-Time Controlled-Substance Requirement

APRNs who prescribe controlled substances in Louisiana carry one more requirement, and understanding its one-time nature prevents confusion.

Louisiana law, under Revised Statute 40:978.3, sets this rule for prescribers. Every prescriber holding a Louisiana controlled dangerous substance license must complete three contact hours of CE on controlled-substance prescribing as a prerequisite to renewal. The law is explicit that completing this requirement once satisfies it in full. Unlike the yearly pharmacotherapeutics hours, you do not repeat this course at every renewal.

The required content is specific. Each course must address drug diversion training, best practices for prescribing controlled substances, and appropriate treatment for addiction. This focus reflects the state’s broader effort to support safe prescribing. CE Ready offers an opioid prescribing course addressing safe and effective controlled-substance practices.

One exemption exists worth noting. A prescriber who attests that they did not prescribe, administer, or dispense any controlled substance during the period is exempt for that renewal. Do you hold a CDS license but did not prescribe during the period? If so, confirm whether the exemption applies before completing the course.

Louisiana LPN Renewal and CEUs

Licensed practical nurses follow a different path entirely, since a separate board governs their licensure.

The Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners oversees LPNs, and its renewal rules differ from LSBN’s. LPN licenses renew annually rather than every two years. The renewal period runs from November 1 through January 31. A license not renewed by January 31 becomes inactive and requires reinstatement.

On continuing education, LSBPNE currently does not require CE for LPN license renewal. This stands in clear contrast to the RN and APRN requirements set by LSBN. An LPN renews through the Nurse Portal by completing the application and paying the fee. No CE component applies at this time.

Requirements can change, so verifying current rules directly with LSBPNE before each renewal is the prudent move. Even without a mandate, many LPNs pursue continuing education to strengthen their skills and prepare for career growth. Voluntary CE keeps clinical knowledge current and can support advancement into expanded roles. CE Ready’s course catalog includes options well suited to LPNs who want to keep learning, whatever the board requires.

A Note for Nurses Who Practice Across State Lines

Louisiana is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, which matters for nurses who practice in more than one state.

The compact, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, lets a nurse whose primary residence is in a member state practice in other member states on one multistate license. Louisiana enacted the compact and implemented it in 2019. So both RNs and LPNs may be eligible for multistate licenses when Louisiana is their primary state of residence.

Your continuing education requirements follow your home state. A nurse holding a Louisiana multistate license meets the same CE and competency requirements as any other Louisiana licensee, with nothing extra. Suppose your primary residence is another compact state and you practice in Louisiana. You then follow your home state’s requirements while practicing under Louisiana’s scope. Knowing which state’s rules apply prevents compliance surprises when you work across state lines.

Putting Your Louisiana CEU Plan Together

A short planning routine keeps Louisiana renewal simple, whatever your license type.

Start by confirming which board governs you and when your license expires. RNs and APRNs renew with LSBN every two years, while LPNs renew with LSBPNE annually. Knowing your board and deadline early gives you room to plan. Next, identify the path that fits your situation. One RN might choose CE hours one cycle and practice hours the next, depending on workload. An APRN with prescriptive authority should map out the pharmacotherapeutics hours required each year, plus the one-time controlled-substance course if it applies.

From there, choose CE that strengthens your practice rather than merely satisfying a rule. Keep every certificate organized in one place, since Louisiana relies on a mail-in audit rather than electronic tracking. Store your documentation for the full five-year window the board requires, not just until you renew. Nurses who plan early and document carefully rarely worry about an audit, while those who scramble at the deadline often do. A little structure now protects your license and your time later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many CEUs do Louisiana RNs need?

Louisiana RNs complete at least one of several options every two years, not a single fixed number. The options include 30 board-approved contact hours of continuing education, 900 verified practice hours, initial RN licensure during the previous calendar year, or current national specialty certification. Many active nurses meet the requirement through practice hours, while others choose the CE path to keep skills current.

Q: Do Louisiana LPNs need continuing education?

Currently, the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners does not require continuing education for LPN license renewal. LPNs renew annually through the Nurse Portal by completing the application and paying the fee. Because requirements can change, LPNs should verify current rules directly with LSBPNE before each renewal.

Q: What are the Louisiana APRN pharmacotherapeutics requirements?

APRNs with prescriptive authority must obtain six contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics each year, within their advanced nursing role and population focus. Since renewal occurs every two years, this totals 12 pharmacotherapeutics contact hours per cycle. The hours must come from a board-approved national certifying organization or an approved provider.

Q: Is the Louisiana controlled-substance CE a one-time requirement?

Yes. Louisiana law requires prescribers holding a controlled dangerous substance license to complete three contact hours of continuing education on controlled-substance prescribing, and completing it once satisfies the requirement in full. The course must cover drug diversion, best prescribing practices, and addiction treatment. A prescriber who did not prescribe controlled substances during the period may qualify for an exemption.

Q: Does Louisiana use CE Broker for nursing CE?

No. Louisiana does not use CE Broker for nursing continuing education. Instead, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing uses a self-attestation and audit system, randomly selecting at least 3 percent of licensees each year for audit. Selected nurses mail their documentation to the board, so keeping organized records is important.

Q: How long should Louisiana nurses keep CE records?

Louisiana nurses should maintain documentation of their continuing education for at least five years, as required by board rule. The board conducts its audit around March following renewal, and selected nurses must provide proof of completion. Keeping certificates organized throughout each cycle makes responding to an audit straightforward.

Call to Action

Louisiana CEUs come down to knowing your license type and meeting the right requirements. CE Ready makes that simple. As an ANCC-accredited provider, provider number P0986, CE Ready offers self-paced courses for RNs choosing the continuing education path, pharmacotherapeutics courses for APRNs, and controlled-substance prescribing content for those who need it. Explore CE Ready’s Louisiana courses and renew with confidence.

References

Louisiana State Board of Nursing. (n.d.). Continuing education FAQs. https://www.lsbn.state.la.us/continuing-education-faqs/

Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. (n.d.). License renewal. https://www.lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/license-renewal/

Louisiana State Legislature. (n.d.). Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:978.3: Continuing education for the prescribing of controlled substances. https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1054653

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (n.d.). Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). https://www.ncsbn.org/compacts.page