ANCC Certification Renewal Requirements
For ANCC board certifications such as FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, and NE-BC. If you hold NP-C, you renew through a different organization: the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), operating as NPCB.
To renew, you need an active RN license, 75 contact hours of continuing education (CE) related to your certification, and one more professional development activity. Nurse practitioners (NPs) and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) must include 25 pharmacology hours within those 75. Everything has to be finished inside your current five-year certification period and before you apply.
You can apply up to one year before your expiration date, and no later than that date. ANCC has no grace period and won't backdate a renewal.
The date you submit decides which renewal handbook applies. Submit before February 1, 2027, and ANCC's current renewal handbook applies. Submit on or after that date, and the new 2027 handbook applies. Your CE and other renewal activities still have to fall inside your designated five-year certification period and be complete before you submit.
Which ANCC renewal rules apply to you?
Find your expiration date in your ANCC account under Certifications, then use your planned submission date:
| When you submit your renewal application | Rules that apply |
|---|---|
| Through January 31, 2027 | Current ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook |
| February 1, 2027 or later | 2027 ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook |
ANCC allows renewal applications up to one year before the certification expiration date. If your one-year renewal window includes both January 31 and February 1, 2027, you may have a real choice of rulebook based on when you submit—as long as you are inside ANCC's allowed submission window and have finished every activity you plan to count.
Source: ANCC certification renewal page ("Which handbook should I use?" and "Ready to Renew?").
Three examples:
- Expires November 30, 2026. The current handbook applies because the certification expires before the new handbook takes effect.
- Expires June 30, 2027. If you submit by January 31, 2027, the current handbook applies. If you submit from February 1 through June 30, 2027, the 2027 handbook applies.
- Expires March 1, 2028. A submission made during the normal one-year renewal window falls under the 2027 handbook.
ANCC publishes the window as "up to one year before" expiration but does not spell out an edge-case inclusive/exclusive rule for the exact anniversary day. If that single day determines which handbook you can use, confirm the date shown as available in your ANCC account or ask ANCC before relying on it.
One tradeoff with applying early: everything you count has to be done on the day you submit. Apply 10 months early, and you've given yourself 10 fewer months to finish.
Current rules vs. February 2027 rules
The core stays the same: an RN license, 75 contact hours, and one more activity. What changes is how strict the CE rule is and which activities count.
| Requirement | Current handbook (applications submitted through January 31, 2027) | 2027 handbook (submitted February 1, 2027 or later) |
|---|---|---|
| License | Current, active RN license, or the legally recognized equivalent in another country | Same |
| Continuing education | 75 contact hours related to your certification; at least 60 formally approved | 75 contact hours; all must be accredited or formally approved, and each certificate must name the accreditor or approving organization |
| Pharmacology (NPs and CNSs) | 25 of the 75 | 25 of the 75 |
| One more activity | One of eight categories, completed in full | One of three pathways (additional CE, practice, or scholarship), with one activity completed in full |
| Retaking your exam as that activity | Allowed, except for renewal-only certifications | Not offered |
| When activities must happen | Inside your five-year certification period, before you apply | Same |
| When to apply | Up to one year before expiration; no grace period | Same |
Sources: current ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook (effective September 10, 2025; Version 2, February 10, 2026), pp. 6–7, 14–15; 2027 ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook (effective February 1, 2027), pp. 7–12.
The "inside your certification period" rule is newer than many guides online. Since January 14, 2026, ANCC counts only activities completed during your designated five-year certification period and before you submit (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Certificant FAQs"). Older advice that says "anything from the five years before you apply" no longer fits.
Your ANCC renewal checklist
ANCC's 2027 handbook lays out a five-year roadmap (2027 handbook, p. 13). Here it is as a checklist, with the account steps from ANCC's certification pages.
Throughout your five years
- [ ] Keep your RN license active. If it's put on probation, suspended, revoked, surrendered, or goes inactive, tell ANCC right away (current handbook, p. 18).
- [ ] Log each CE course and activity in your ANCC account as you finish it.
- [ ] Save every certificate, letter, and course description.
- [ ] Keep your email and mailing address current in your account so renewal notices reach you.
In the year before you expire
- [ ] Confirm your expiration date and which rules apply (table above).
- [ ] Count 75 contact hours from inside your certification period. NPs and CNSs: confirm 25 are pharmacology.
- [ ] Confirm your one extra activity is complete (see the activity table below).
- [ ] Make sure every activity is entered in your ANCC account before you start the application. ANCC's certification pages list this as required.
- [ ] Have an electronic copy of your RN license showing its number and expiration date. ANCC's certification pages say a license upload is "coming soon" (for example, the FNP-BC page).
- [ ] Check your fee on your certification's own ANCC page.
When you apply
- [ ] Log in, select Certifications, choose the certification, and select Renew (ANCC renewal page).
- [ ] Complete the application and pay. Fees are due when you submit.
- [ ] Save a copy of what you submitted for your own records.
- [ ] Answer any ANCC request quickly. ANCC can close an application that's missing documents, and your certification then expires on its scheduled date (current handbook, p. 15).
After ANCC approves it
- [ ] Note your new certification period.
- [ ] Watch for the email invitation to claim your wall certificate.
- [ ] Start logging activities for your next cycle.
What counts toward the 75 contact hours?
A contact hour is 60 minutes of organized learning. Every hour you count must be related to your certification's role and population, and you can count each course only once.
Under the current handbook, at least 60 of your 75 hours must be formally approved. That means one of these:
- continuing nursing education approved for contact hours by an accredited provider or approver
- CME approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- education approved through Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education
Source: current handbook, p. 7.
Under the 2027 handbook, all 75 must be accredited or formally approved, and the certificate has to show who accredited or approved it. The handbook counts as accredited any education from organizations accredited or approved by ANCC, ACCME, ACPE, or the Commission on Dietetic Registration. It also accepts education formally approved by a sponsor that reviewed it against accepted educational standards. ANCC doesn't publish a list of approved sponsors, so checking falls to you (2027 handbook, pp. 8, 22).
Neither handbook requires your CE to come from ANCC itself.
Rules that trip people up
- One credit per course. Taking the same course twice doesn't double the hours (both handbooks).
- ACLS, PALS, BLS, NRP, and similar courses count once per five-year period (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Requirements for Continuing Education").
- CE from other healthcare disciplines can count if it applies to your certification (current handbook, p. 7; 2027 handbook, p. 22).
- Academic courses convert to contact hours. One semester credit equals 15 contact hours. One quarter credit equals 12.5.
- NPs and CNSs can use AMA PRA Category 1 credits, including for pharmacology hours (ANCC FAQs, "APRN Renewal Requirements for Pharmacology"; 2027 handbook, p. 22).
- A certificate doesn't replace the entry. You still type each activity into your ANCC record (current handbook, p. 7).
- ANCC Outcome-Based Continuing Education (OB-CE) Level Credit™ can meet the required hours when it applies to your specialty. It has its own form, sent to APRNValidation@ana.org (ANCC renewal page).
Not sure a course counts?
Relevance is a real requirement, not a formality. If you're audited, ANCC can ask you to show how a course applies to your certification (current handbook, p. 8). Before you count a borderline course:
- Ask whether the content applies to the role and population your certification covers.
- Check the certificate for the accreditor or approving organization.
- Compare it with the rules for your submission date.
- Keep the certificate and a course description. If the title doesn't make the content clear, ANCC asks you to add a short description when you enter it.
- If you're still unsure, ask ANCC before you rely on it.
Entering pharmacology hours (NPs and CNSs)
Split the hours; don't double them. Both handbooks use the same example: a course awards 10 contact hours, and 5 of them are pharmacology. You enter 5 contact hours and 5 pharmacology hours.
So if your certificates add up to 80 hours and 28 of them are pharmacology, your entries should total 52 in the contact-hour column and 28 in the pharmacology column.
Sources: current handbook, p. 7; 2027 handbook, p. 22. The 80/28 example is ours.
Check your hours against both rulebooks
Count only activities finished inside your current certification period. Here's how some common tallies come out.
| Your hours | Current handbook | 2027 handbook |
|---|---|---|
| NP: 75 total, 60 formally approved, 25 pharmacology | Meets the stated CE minimums | Does not meet the 2027 CE rule because 15 of the counted hours are not accredited or formally approved |
| NP: 75 total, all accredited or approved, 25 pharmacology | Meets | Meets |
| NP: 80 total, 70 approved, 20 pharmacology | 5 pharmacology hours short | Does not meet both minimums; 5 additional approved pharmacology hours would satisfy both deficits if those hours are otherwise eligible |
| RN specialty: 60 approved hours plus 1 applicable semester credit | Meets the 75-hour total; see note below about the current 60-hour approval minimum | Meets if the converted academic credit and the other hours satisfy the 2027 handbook's CE rules |
Castleport arithmetic from the rules above. Under the 2027 handbook, pharmacology hours used for renewal must also satisfy the accredited/formally approved CE rule. The current handbook permits applicable academic coursework to be converted to contact hours but does not clearly state in the conversion language whether those converted hours count toward the separate 60-formally-approved minimum, so do not rely on converted academic credit to satisfy that 60-hour minimum without confirming with ANCC.
Choose your one extra activity
You need one activity, completed in full, on top of your 75 hours. Here's each option under both rulebooks.
| Activity | Current handbook | 2027 handbook | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| More CE | An additional 75 contact hours (150 total) | Pathway 1: an additional 75 accredited or approved contact hours (150 total) | All 150 must be accredited or approved |
| Academic credits | 5 semester credits or 6 quarter credits applicable to your certification | No separate option. Convert credits to contact hours and count them as CE. | Same volume: 5 × 15 = 75 and 6 × 12.5 = 75 |
| Practice hours | 1,000 hours in your specialty, paid or volunteer. NPs and CNSs must practice at the advanced level. Faculty may count direct clinical supervision of students. Family caregiving doesn't count. | Practice option 1: 1,000 hours, paid or volunteer, in direct or indirect care or as an administrator, educator, or consultant in your role and population. NPs and CNSs at the advanced level. Faculty didactic teaching and teaching nurses or APRNs can count if relevant. | Teaching is named outright |
| Precepting | 120 hours precepting students in a related academic program, or 120 hours supervising in a formal fellowship, residency, or internship at your level or higher. NPs and CNSs precept APRN, medical, PA, or pharmacy students. Orientation hours don't count. Faculty can't count their own program's students. | Practice option 2: 120 hours onboarding or precepting a nurse or APRN in your role and population. Faculty may count direct clinical supervision of students. | Onboarding and faculty supervision now count. The 2027 text doesn't mention medical, PA, or pharmacy students. |
| Volunteer service | Two or more consecutive years on a board, committee, editorial or review board, task force, or medical mission that requires your specialty expertise | Practice option 3: 120 volunteer service hours relevant to your specialty | Measured in hours, not years |
| Presentations | 5 clock hours as the primary presenter of first-time presentations. Repeat talks, talks your job requires, and moderating don't count. | Scholarship option 2: 5 presentation clock hours as a presenter (you don't have to be the primary presenter; moderating doesn't count), or primary author of e-learning content | Co-presenters can qualify |
| EBP or QI project | One evidence-based practice or quality improvement project, started and finished during your certification period | Scholarship option 1: one project started and finished during your period, before you apply | Audit proof becomes a summary of 500 words or less with dates |
| Publication | One peer-reviewed article or book chapter (as author, co-author, editor, co-editor, or reviewer), or five non-peer-reviewed articles. Primary grant writing and primary e-learning authorship also sit here. | Scholarship option 3: one peer-reviewed article, one book chapter, or five non-peer-reviewed articles | Grant writing moves to research; e-learning moves to presentations |
| Research | An IRB-approved project where you're a primary researcher and research isn't your main job; a dissertation, thesis, or graduate scholarly project such as a DNP project; content reviewer for an IRB or scholarly project outside your job; or content expert reviewer of other specialty work, such as e-learning, outside your job | Scholarship option 4: an IRB-approved project; a dissertation, thesis, or graduate scholarly project; content reviewer for an IRB or scholarly project committee; or primary grant writer for a federal, state, or national project | Grant writing added |
| Retake your exam | Retake and pass the same exam. Not available for renewal-only certifications. | Not listed | Testing drops out as a renewal option |
Sources: current handbook, pp. 7–15; 2027 handbook, pp. 9–11, 23–27. The arithmetic in the academic row is ours.
No double counting. Academic credit from a dissertation, thesis, or scholarly project that you use for research can't also count as CE or academic credit (current handbook, pp. 8, 12; 2027 handbook, p. 27). Under the current handbook, precepting hours can't also count as practice hours (p. 13).
Should you apply before or after February 1, 2027?
This only matters if your allowed renewal window includes dates on both sides of February 1, 2027. If it does, match your completed activities to the rulebook that accepts them. The lists below are Castleport's reading of the two handbooks, not ANCC guidance.
Apply by January 31, 2027 (current handbook) if:
- you plan to renew by retaking your exam
- up to 15 of your 75 hours come from sources that aren't accredited or formally approved
- you're an NP or CNS whose precepting was with medical, PA, or pharmacy students (the current handbook names them; the 2027 handbook doesn't, so ask ANCC if you'd rather wait)
- your volunteer service is two consecutive years of board or committee work that adds up to fewer than 120 hours
Apply on February 1, 2027 or later (2027 handbook) if:
- your precepting was onboarding or orienting nurses or APRNs
- you're faculty counting supervision of your own program's students
- you volunteered 120 or more hours over less than two consecutive years
- you co-presented without being the primary presenter
- you need more time to finish your activities and you will still meet the complete 2027 framework when you submit
Either works if all 75 of your hours are accredited or approved and your extra activity is 1,000 practice hours or another 75 approved hours.
Two cautions. Your application has to meet the whole rulebook it falls under, not just the one line you like. And if your plan is to renew by retesting, contact ANCC now. The current handbook lists that option, the 2027 handbook doesn't, and ANCC doesn't publish how a testing renewal is timed around the February 1 switch.
Do you need practice hours to renew?
No. Practice hours are one option, not a requirement, under both handbooks. ANCC's FAQ says its renewal model is built to work for nurses who no longer practice in their certified specialty (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Certificant FAQs"; current handbook, p. 14; 2027 handbook, p. 23).
If you do use practice hours, you attest to them in the application. You send proof only if you're audited.
How much does ANCC certification renewal cost?
It depends on the certification. The NP renewals we checked cost $375, or $275 for ANA members, except ENP-BC at $350. The RN specialty renewals we checked cost $350, with ANA members paying as little as $250.
| Certification | Nonmember | ANA member | Other listed rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| FNP-BC | $375 | $275 | AANP member $295; GAPNA member $320 |
| ANP-BC (renewal only) | $375 | $275 | AANP member $295; GAPNA member $320 |
| ENP-BC (renewal only) | $350 | as low as $200 | Two partner-organization rates of $280 |
| NE-BC | $350 | as low as $250 | "Separate membership discounts apply" |
| RN-BC, General Nursing Practice (renewal only) | $350 | as low as $250 | "Separate membership discounts apply" |
Prices from each linked ANCC page, checked September 17, 2026. To find your own certification's page, use ANCC's Our Certifications list.
Other costs and rules
- Each price listed in the table above includes a $140 nonrefundable administrative fee.
- Claim a membership discount within five business days after ANCC receives your application, or it won't be honored. If you belong to a nursing organization other than ANA, enter that membership number in your ANCC account before you start the application (ANCC FAQs, "Online Account").
- Expedited review costs $200 (nonrefundable) and aims to finish the review within three business days after ANCC receives payment. Fax the request form to 301.628.5233; don't mail it (ANCC expedited review policy).
- Withdrawing takes a written request to customerservice@ana.org before your renewal is issued. ANCC refunds your payment minus the $140 administrative fee and any special fees, such as expedited review. Your certification then expires on its date (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Application Instructions"; current handbook, p. 16).
- Reactivation requires "all required fees," but ANCC's public policy page doesn't list an amount. Ask ANCC before you apply.
- Financial hardship: you can ask ANCC to defer, reduce, or waive fees. ANCC allows one fee modification every ten years (current handbook, p. 16).
What happens after you submit?
ANCC confirms it received your application and contacts you if it needs more. Once it approves the renewal, ANCC tells you your new certification period and sends instructions for your wall certificate (ANCC renewal page). Since March 1, 2026, that comes as an emailed invitation to claim the certificate (ANCC FAQs, "Wall Certificates and Pins FAQs").
ANCC doesn't publish a standard processing time for ordinary renewal review on the pages checked. If you need a faster review, expedited review is the published option.
Need proof for your board or employer? ANCC doesn't send verification automatically. You can have it sent to any state board of nursing at no cost, and one other verification is free through your account (current handbook, p. 18).
Audits and the records to keep
ANCC audits renewal applications at random. If yours is picked, you'll get an email and 45 days to respond. ANCC may allow 30 more days if you need them. Missing or incomplete proof goes to ANCC's Complaint Review Committee and can lead to denial, suspension, or revocation of your certification (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Application Audit").
Keep your records through your next renewal cycle (current handbook, p. 18; 2027 handbook, p. 15). Don't send supporting documents with your application unless ANCC asks for them. Audit questions go to certaudit@ana.org.
| If you used… | Keep this, in case you're audited |
|---|---|
| CE | Completion certificates showing the title, dates, hours, and provider or accreditor, plus course descriptions when the title isn't clear. For converted academic credits, a transcript. |
| Practice hours | A letter on letterhead from your supervisor (one per employer if you changed jobs). If you're self-employed, a notarized statement. |
| Precepting | ANCC's Preceptorship Documentation Form, completed and signed by the program's faculty coordinator. The 2027 handbook also accepts a letter from your supervisor confirming 120 hours. |
| Volunteer service | A description of your duties, a summary of 500 words or less on what the service taught you, and a letter or record from the organization with your service dates |
| EBP or QI project | Current handbook: project documentation showing your role, signed by the project leader. 2027 handbook: a summary of 500 words or less with start and end dates. |
| Publication, presentation, or research | Copies or citations, agendas or letters showing your role, and approval letters or abstracts for research |
Sources: current handbook, pp. 8–15, 18; 2027 handbook, pp. 15, 23–27; ANCC's preceptorship form (January 2026), which says to keep it with your records rather than submit it.
What if your ANCC certification already expired?
You can't use the credential while it's lapsed, and ANCC won't backdate the gap. What you can do depends on how long it's been.
| Time since expiration | What ANCC requires |
|---|---|
| Within two years | A reactivation application, the renewal requirements in effect when you submit it, and the fees |
| More than two years, and ANCC still offers your exam | All of the above, plus passing the exam again |
| More than two years, renewal-only certification | Reactivation isn't allowed |
Sources: ANCC reactivation policy; current handbook, p. 19; 2027 handbook, pp. 16–17.
A reactivation submitted before February 1, 2027 falls under the current handbook. One submitted on or after that date falls under the 2027 handbook.
Close to the two-year mark? Call ANCC before you apply. The rule changes after two years, and the policy doesn't spell out the exact cutoff day. Ask, too, which dates your activities need to fall between. ANCC's public pages don't say for a lapsed certification.
APRNs: check with your board, employer, and payer now. ANCC tells you to confirm with them whether you can keep practicing or billing while you reactivate, and it says it isn't responsible for penalties tied to a lapse (current handbook, p. 19).
Can't meet your deadline because of an illness or a disaster? Ask ANCC for a hardship extension before your expiration date, with supporting evidence. ANCC may grant a brief extension (current handbook, p. 16; 2027 handbook, p. 14).
Renewal-only certifications, including PED-BC and CMGT-BC
Some ANCC certifications no longer have an exam. Their ANCC pages say they're "available for renewal only," for example ANP-BC, ENP-BC, and RN-BC General Nursing Practice. ANCC's Our Certifications list can be filtered to "Eligible for Renewal Only."
You can keep renewing these every five years. You can't renew by retesting, and a lapse of more than two years ends the certification for good.
Pediatric Nursing (PED-BC) and Nursing Case Management (CMGT-BC) are joining that group. ANCC is accepting new applications through December 31, 2026 and offering the exams through December 31, 2027. After that, only current holders can keep them, through renewal (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Certificant FAQs"). If you hold either one, renewing on time matters more than it used to.
Does ANCC renewal renew your state license?
No. ANCC certifies you; your state board of nursing licenses you. For APRNs, ANCC warns that an expired certification may affect your eligibility to practice, depending on your state's licensure requirements (ANCC renewal page). Check your board's rules, and keep both expiration dates on your calendar.
Retiring? The "–Retired" credential
If you're leaving nursing for good, ANCC lets you add "–Retired" to your credential (for example, FNP-BC–Retired) on business cards, a CV, or a resume. You can't use it on patient records, name badges, after your signature, or to meet APRN licensing requirements.
To qualify, you must:
- be retired from nursing with no plans to return
- have held a current, unrestricted RN license when you retired
- be certified in good standing with ANCC
- apply no later than one year after your most recent ANCC certification expired
It's a one-time fee: $75 for ANA members and $100 for nonmembers (ANCC Retired Certified Nurse Recognition). If you later decide to recertify, you'll need to meet all the requirements in effect at that time.
Quick answers
Can I use the same CE course for two ANCC certifications? ANCC's system copies your logged hours into each renewal application and tells you to delete entries that don't apply to that certification (ANCC FAQs, "Renewal Application Instructions"). Every hour you keep has to relate to the certification you're renewing.
Do the CE hours I earned for my state license count? They can, if they fall inside your certification period, relate to your certification, and meet ANCC's approval rules for the handbook you'll be judged under.
Does applying early change my new certification dates? ANCC tells you your new certification period after it approves the renewal. It doesn't publish how an early submission affects the start date, so ask ANCC if that matters to you.
Can I still renew by retaking my exam? Only under the current handbook, which means an application submitted by January 31, 2027, and never for a renewal-only certification. ANCC doesn't publish how that route is timed, so ask before you rely on it. Your certification still expires on its date unless it's renewed.
I hold NP-C, not FNP-BC. Does this page apply to me? No. NP-C comes from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), operating as NPCB, and it has its own renewal rules.
Who do I contact at ANCC? Customer service: customerservice@ana.org or 1.800.284.2378. Audit questions: certaudit@ana.org.
Official ANCC links and our sources
Where to go at ANCC
- ANCC certification renewal page: renewal steps and both handbook downloads
- Current ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook: for applications submitted before February 1, 2027
- 2027 ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook: for applications submitted on or after February 1, 2027
- ANCC Certification FAQs
- Our Certifications: find your certification's page, fees, and renewal link
- Reactivation of a Lapsed Certification
- Preceptorship Documentation Form
What we checked on September 17, 2026: both renewal handbooks listed above; ANCC's renewal page and Certification FAQs; the renewal pricing on the FNP-BC, ANP-BC, ENP-BC, NE-BC, and RN-BC General Nursing Practice pages; the Our Certifications list; the reactivation, expedited review, and Retired Certified Nurse Recognition pages; and the Preceptorship Documentation Form.
What ANCC doesn't publish, so we don't guess: a reactivation fee; a standard renewal review time; whether an application filed exactly one year before expiration is accepted; how a renewal by retesting is timed around February 1, 2027; which activity dates count for a lapsed certification; and whether converted academic credits count toward the current handbook's 60 approved hours.
The date table, activity comparison, decision lists, and hour examples are Castleport's work from ANCC's documents. The decision lists are our editorial reading, not ANCC guidance.
Written by the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. Last verified September 17, 2026, against the ANCC handbooks, FAQs, fee pages, policies, and form listed above. Found an error? Report it. Corrections are published and dated. How we verify · Independence policy
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American Nurses Association (ANA), or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB). Certification names are used to identify the credentials discussed; trademarks belong to their respective owners. This page explains ANCC's published renewal rules. ANCC decides your renewal, and your state board of nursing decides your license.
If ANCC tells you reactivation requires retesting, these free Castleport exam guides may help: FNP · PMHNP · AGACNP · AGPCNP: ANCC vs AANP · NE-BC · NEA-BC