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How to renew your CCRN

Last verified: · Trust editorial

CCRN certification renews every three years through AACN with 100 Synergy CERPs — at least 60 Category A, 10 B, 10 C — or by retaking the exam. Both paths require 432 hours of direct care of acutely or critically ill patients, 144 of them in the final 12 months.

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How to renew your CCRN

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) · gettrustapp.com/renew/national/ccrn
CCRN certification renews every three years through AACN with 100 Synergy CERPs — at least 60 Category A, 10 B, 10 C — or by retaking the exam. Both paths require 432 hours of direct care of acutely or critically ill patients, 144 of them in the final 12 months.
At a glance
Cycle
3 years — renew online up to 4 months early
CERPs
100 (≥60 A / ≥10 B / ≥10 C / 20 any)
Practice
432 hrs over 3 years — 144 in the final 12 months
Fee
$150 member · $230 non-member (by exam: $185/$290)
Grace
90 days to file — nothing earned in grace counts
Portal
aacn.org
Steps
  1. Audit practice hours first
    432 total over 3 years, with 144 in the final 12 months. This is where career transitions (bedside → management/education) trip people up.
  2. Tally CERPs against the A/B/C minimums
    100 total: ≥60 Category A (clinical CE), ≥10 B (ethics/advocacy/teaching), ≥10 C (collaboration/QI), 20 any. B and C are the usual gaps.
  3. Renew online at aacn.org
    The renewal window opens 4 months early. Applications process immediately once submitted.
  4. Attest and pay
    $150 member / $230 non-member (by exam: $185/$290).
  5. Print the certificate from your AACN dashboard
    Certificates are not mailed — download and save the PDF.
  6. Keep all records 3 more years
    Audits can arrive up to 3 years post-renewal. Retain the CERP log, license, and hours-verification documentation.
Trust · Reviewed July 2026 · Verify current requirements at the board's official portal before renewing.
At a glance
Cycle
3 years — renew online up to 4 months early
CERPs
100 (≥60 A / ≥10 B / ≥10 C / 20 any)
Practice
432 hrs over 3 years — 144 in the final 12 months
Fee
$150 member · $230 non-member (by exam: $185/$290)
Grace
90 days to file — nothing earned in grace counts
Portal
aacn.org

Requirements

The 144-hours-in-the-final-year rule is the classic trap — it disqualifies people who transition to management or education in year three. Supervising bedside nurses or students does count for managers, educators, preceptors, and APRNs.

Current unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license is required.

CERP categories: A = clinical CE (most ICU CE lives here); B = ethics, advocacy, teaching; C = collaboration and quality improvement.

Can't meet the requirements? Inactive status ($95 member / $175 non-member) parks the credential for up to 3 years. Vastly better than lapsing — a lapse means retesting as an initial applicant.

How to renew, step by step

  1. 01
    Audit practice hours first
    432 total over 3 years, with 144 in the final 12 months. This is where career transitions (bedside → management/education) trip people up.
  2. 02
    Tally CERPs against the A/B/C minimums
    100 total: ≥60 Category A (clinical CE), ≥10 B (ethics/advocacy/teaching), ≥10 C (collaboration/QI), 20 any. B and C are the usual gaps.
  3. 03
    Renew online at aacn.org
    The renewal window opens 4 months early. Applications process immediately once submitted.
  4. 04
    Attest and pay
    $150 member / $230 non-member (by exam: $185/$290).
  5. 05
    Print the certificate from your AACN dashboard
    Certificates are not mailed — download and save the PDF.
  6. 06
    Keep all records 3 more years
    Audits can arrive up to 3 years post-renewal. Retain the CERP log, license, and hours-verification documentation.

If you're late

Grace period: 90 days to file after expiration. Every CERP and hour must have been earned before the original expiration — nothing earned during grace counts.

Audits: AACN audits randomly after renewal, up to 3 years later. You get 60 days to produce your license, CERP log, documentation, and an hours-verification form. Once you're audited you can't switch to exam or Inactive to escape. Failing an audit can mean revocation with notification to your employer and state board. Keep everything 3 years past renewal.

Statuses: Inactive ($95/$175, up to 3 non-consecutive years); Alumnus (no requirements, resume-only use, return requires the exam); Retired (free renewals after initial application).

Frequently asked questions

How many CERPs?
100 total: at least 60 Category A, at least 10 B, at least 10 C, and 20 in any category.
What are the practice-hour rules?
432 hours over 3 years, with 144 in the final 12 months. Care must be of acutely or critically ill patients — supervision of bedside nurses or students counts for managers, educators, preceptors, and APRNs.
Is there a grace period?
Yes — 90 days to file. But everything you submit must have been earned inside the original certification period; nothing earned during the grace period counts.
What if my CCRN lapses completely?
You'd retest as an initial applicant. If you see a lapse coming, take Inactive status ($95/$175) instead — it parks the credential for up to 3 years.

Last verified against American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) sources:

Sources — retrieved July 2026

Trust tracks this renewal for you.

Trust tracks your 3-year CERP tally across A/B/C categories and flags the 144-hours-in-final-year trap before it disqualifies you.

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