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How to renew your California RN license

Last updated: · Last verified: · Changelog · Trust editorial

California RN licenses renew every two years, expiring on the last day of the month after your birth month. Renewal requires 30 contact hours of continuing education from a BRN-approved provider and a $190 fee, paid through the BreEZe portal. Late renewal adds a $90 delinquency fee.

Renewal checklist
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How to renew your California RN license
California Board of Registered Nursing · gettrustapp.com/renew/california/rn-license
California RN licenses renew every two years, expiring on the last day of the month after your birth month. Renewal requires 30 contact hours of continuing education from a BRN-approved provider and a $190 fee, paid through the BreEZe portal. Late renewal adds a $90 delinquency fee.
At a glance
Cycle
2 years, tied to your birthday (expires last day of the month following your birth month)
CE hours
30 hours from BRN-approved providers
Fee
$190 on time · $280 delinquent ($190 + $90 late fee)
Renewal window
Opens 90 days before expiration
Steps
  1. Confirm your CE is complete and BRN-approved
    Verify you've earned 30 contact hours from providers with a BRN provider number. California is stricter than most states — ANCC accreditation alone is not enough. Keep the certificates for 4 years in case of audit.
  2. Log in to BreEZe
    Sign in at breeze.ca.gov, or create an account tied to your RN license number if you haven't used BreEZe before.
  3. Verify address and answer eligibility questions
    Update your address of record and answer the conviction and discipline disclosure questions.
  4. Attest to CE completion
    You will not upload certificates. You attest that you completed the required 30 hours from BRN-approved providers.
  5. Pay the $190 fee
    Pay online with a card. Save the receipt.
  6. Save your confirmation
    Processing typically posts within a few days. If your employer needs proof before the card updates, print a license verification from BreEZe.
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https://gettrustapp.com/add?v=1&type=rn&name=California+RN+license&state=CA&board=California+Board+of+Registered+Nursing&portal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breeze.ca.gov%2F&guide=https%3A%2F%2Fgettrustapp.com%2Frenew%2Fcalifornia%2Frn-license
Trust · Reviewed July 2026 · Verify current requirements at the board's official portal before renewing.
At a glance
Cycle
2 years, tied to your birthday (expires last day of the month following your birth month)
CE hours
30 hours from BRN-approved providers
Fee
$190 on time · $280 delinquent ($190 + $90 late fee)
Renewal window
Opens 90 days before expiration
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Requirements

The California BRN requires 30 contact hours of continuing education in every two-year renewal cycle. Every hour must come from a provider that holds a BRN provider number. This is a stricter bar than most states — ANCC accreditation alone does not satisfy the California requirement. Confirm the BRN provider number appears on every certificate you plan to use.

If this is your first renewal after initial licensure by NCLEX, the 30-hour requirement is waived, but you must complete a 1-hour implicit bias course to satisfy the state's continuing competence rule.

You do not upload CE certificates at renewal. You attest that the hours were completed. The BRN audits a percentage of renewals — keep every certificate for 4 years after the renewal date. If audited and you cannot produce documentation, the license can be cited.

How to renew, step by step

  1. 01
    Confirm your CE is complete and BRN-approved
    Verify you've earned 30 contact hours from providers with a BRN provider number. California is stricter than most states — ANCC accreditation alone is not enough. Keep the certificates for 4 years in case of audit.
  2. 02
    Log in to BreEZe
    Sign in at breeze.ca.gov, or create an account tied to your RN license number if you haven't used BreEZe before.
  3. 03
    Verify address and answer eligibility questions
    Update your address of record and answer the conviction and discipline disclosure questions.
  4. 04
    Attest to CE completion
    You will not upload certificates. You attest that you completed the required 30 hours from BRN-approved providers.
  5. 05
    Pay the $190 fee
    Pay online with a card. Save the receipt.
  6. 06
    Save your confirmation
    Processing typically posts within a few days. If your employer needs proof before the card updates, print a license verification from BreEZe.

If you're late

Practicing on a lapsed California RN license is a citable offense — you cannot work as an RN for even one day past the expiration date. Delinquent renewal fee is $280 ($190 renewal + $90 delinquency).

Licenses that have lapsed for more than eight years may require reexamination or a competency demonstration. Contact the BRN directly for the reinstatement pathway in that case.

Frequently asked questions

Can I carry over extra CE hours to the next cycle?
No. California does not allow CE carryover. Any hours above 30 in this cycle expire when the cycle ends.
Does BLS or ACLS count toward the 30 hours?
The AHA cards themselves generally do not count. Some prep or provider courses do count if the delivering provider carries a BRN provider number — check the course paperwork for that number before assuming it counts.
Do I need CE for my first renewal after NCLEX?
The 30-hour requirement is waived for your first renewal after initial licensure, but you must still complete a 1-hour implicit bias course.
What happens if I'm audited?
The BRN will ask you to produce certificates for the full 30 hours. Keep records for 4 years. Failure to produce them is a citable violation.
What is BreEZe and do I have to use it to renew?
BreEZe is the California Department of Consumer Affairs' online licensing system, and it is where BRN renewals are filed. Renewing by paper is possible but slower; BreEZe posts the new expiration date to the public license lookup fastest.
How do I log in to BreEZe for the first time?
Go to breeze.ca.gov, choose to register a new BreEZe account, then link your existing RN license to that account using your license number and the personal details the BRN has on file. Registering the account and linking the license are two separate steps, which is where most first-time users get stuck.
Why can't BreEZe find my RN license?
The lookup matches on the exact name and details the BRN holds, so a married name, a middle initial, or an old address will fail the match. Confirm your record in the BRN's license verification tool first, then use precisely those details, and contact the BRN to correct the record if they differ.
How long does BreEZe take to show my renewed license?
Payment confirmation is immediate, but the public license record can take several business days to reflect the new expiration date. Keep the BreEZe confirmation number as proof of timely filing until the lookup updates.
How does Trust help?
Trust reminds you at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your birthday-linked deadline, stores your CE certificates on-device, and links straight to BreEZe when it's time to renew.

Changelog

Every revision to this guide, newest first. Last updated .

  1. Reviewed and verified requirements, fees, and deadlines against California Board of Registered Nursing sources.

Renewing through BreEZe

BreEZe is the California Department of Consumer Affairs licensing portal, and it is the system the Board of Registered Nursing uses for RN renewals. The renewal itself takes a few minutes; the account setup is what costs nurses an evening the first time.

  1. Register the BreEZe account. At breeze.ca.gov, create a user account. This is a login only — it does not yet know about your license.
  2. Link your existing license. Inside the account, choose to add an existing license and enter your RN number with the name and details the BRN holds on file. If the match fails, verify your record in the BRN license lookup and use exactly those details — a married name or a middle initial is the usual culprit.
  3. Open the renewal and attest to your CE. You attest to the 30 hours rather than uploading certificates. Keep the certificates for four years in case of audit.
  4. Pay the $190 fee and save the confirmation. The confirmation number is your evidence of timely filing while the public license record catches up, which can take several business days.

Renewal opens roughly 90 days before your birth-month expiration. Filing early costs nothing extra and keeps you clear of a BreEZe outage on the last day of the month.

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