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.

How much does CCRN renewal cost in 2026?

$150 for AACN members and $230 for non-members by CERPs; $185 member / $290 non-member if you renew by retaking the exam. Inactive status is $95 member / $175 non-member.

What happens if AACN audits my renewal?

Audits are random and happen after renewal, up to three years later. You get 60 days to submit your RN license, CERP log with documentation, and an hours-verification form signed by a supervisor. You cannot switch to the exam or Inactive path once selected for audit, and failing can mean revocation with notice to your employer and state board.

Can passing another AACN exam count toward my CERPs?

Passing another AACN certification exam during your cycle can substitute for CERPs, but the allowance changes between handbook editions — confirm it in the current CCRN Renewal Handbook before relying on it.

Do I renew each AACN credential separately?

Yes. CCRN, CCRN-K, PCCN, and CMC/CSC subspecialties each have their own renewal requirements and fees, though the same qualifying CERPs can often apply to more than one.

When can I start my CCRN renewal?

The renewal window opens four months before your expiration date, and applications process immediately once submitted — renewing early does not shorten your next three-year cycle.

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CCRN Renewal: CERPs, Practice Hours & Fees

Last updated: August 29, 2026 · Last verified: August 29, 2026 · Changelog · 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.

Renewal checklist

One-page printable summary — save as PDF from the print dialog.

CCRN Renewal: CERPs, Practice Hours & Fees

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) · gettrustapp.com/renew/national/ccrn

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

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.
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.
Renew online at aacn.org
The renewal window opens 4 months early. Applications process immediately once submitted.
Attest and pay
$150 member / $230 non-member (by exam: $185/$290).
Print the certificate from your AACN dashboard
Certificates are not mailed — download and save the PDF.
Keep all records 3 more years
Audits can arrive up to 3 years post-renewal. Retain the CERP log, license, and hours-verification documentation.

Add this credential to Trust

https://gettrustapp.com/add?v=1&type=rn&name=CCRN+renewal&board=American+Association+of+Critical-Care+Nurses+%28AACN%29&guide=https%3A%2F%2Fgettrustapp.com%2Frenew%2Fnational%2Fccrn

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

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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.

Fees

Fee	Amount	When it applies
Renewal by CERPs (Synergy)	Amount: $150 AACN member · $230 non-member	When: Window opens 4 months before expiration
Renewal by exam	Amount: $185 member · $290 non-member	When: Schedule inside your renewal window
Inactive status	Amount: $95 member · $175 non-member	When: Instead of renewing — up to 3 non-consecutive years
Late / grace-period surcharge	Amount: None published — AACN charges the standard fee inside the 90-day grace window	When: Days 1–90 after expiration
Missed SSA / audit fee	Amount: None for renewal audits	When: —
Retired status	Amount: Free renewals after the initial application	When: Once you leave practice

AACN membership is the cheaper path whenever renewal is due: the $80 member/non-member spread is larger than an annual membership for most nurses. Verify amounts on the AACN renewal page before paying — fees are published per credential and change between handbook editions.

How the 100 CERPs break down

Category A — 60 minimum. Direct clinical content: hemodynamics, ventilation, sepsis, arrhythmias, pharmacology, assessment. Most ICU conference sessions and journal CE land here, so nurses rarely miss this floor.
Category B — 10 minimum. Ethics, advocacy, moral distress, end-of-life conversations, precepting and teaching. This is the single most common shortfall.
Category C — 10 minimum. Interprofessional collaboration, quality improvement, safety and systems work. Unit QI projects and shared-governance work usually qualify when documented.
20 flexible CERPs may come from any of A, B, or C.
Certification-exam equivalents. Passing another AACN certification exam during the cycle can substitute for CERPs — check the current handbook before relying on it.

CERPs must be earned inside the three-year certification period and documented with provider name, date, contact hours, and category. Track them as you go: reconstructing three years of CERPs from memory during a 60-day audit response window is where most revocations start.

What changed this cycle

The July 2026 CCRN Renewal Handbook keeps the 100-CERP Synergy structure and the 60/10/10/20 minimums unchanged.
Practice-hour rules are unchanged: 432 hours over three years with 144 in the final 12 months.
Fees are unchanged at $150/$230 by CERPs and $185/$290 by exam.
Audits remain random and post-renewal, with a 60-day response window and a 3-year lookback.

Your first renewal after licensure

Your first CCRN renewal is exactly three years after initial certification — not on a calendar or birth-month schedule. The expiration date on your certificate is the only date that matters, and the renewal window opens four months earlier.

Hours and CERPs earned before you were first certified do not count. If you certified mid-cycle after a long orientation, plan the 144-hours-in-the-final-year rule around any planned move into charge, management, or education work — the requirement is measured backwards from expiration, not forwards from certification.

How to renew, step by step

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.
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.
03
Renew online at aacn.org
The renewal window opens 4 months early. Applications process immediately once submitted.
04
Attest and pay
$150 member / $230 non-member (by exam: $185/$290).
05
Print the certificate from your AACN dashboard
Certificates are not mailed — download and save the PDF.
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.
How much does CCRN renewal cost in 2026?: $150 for AACN members and $230 for non-members by CERPs; $185 member / $290 non-member if you renew by retaking the exam. Inactive status is $95 member / $175 non-member.
What happens if AACN audits my renewal?: Audits are random and happen after renewal, up to three years later. You get 60 days to submit your RN license, CERP log with documentation, and an hours-verification form signed by a supervisor. You cannot switch to the exam or Inactive path once selected for audit, and failing can mean revocation with notice to your employer and state board.
Can passing another AACN exam count toward my CERPs?: Passing another AACN certification exam during your cycle can substitute for CERPs, but the allowance changes between handbook editions — confirm it in the current CCRN Renewal Handbook before relying on it.
Do I renew each AACN credential separately?: Yes. CCRN, CCRN-K, PCCN, and CMC/CSC subspecialties each have their own renewal requirements and fees, though the same qualifying CERPs can often apply to more than one.
When can I start my CCRN renewal?: The renewal window opens four months before your expiration date, and applications process immediately once submitted — renewing early does not shorten your next three-year cycle.

Last verified against American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) sources: August 29, 2026

Sources — retrieved July 2026

Changelog

Every revision to this guide, newest first. Last updated August 29, 2026.

August 29, 2026
Depth pass: added the full fee table (CERP, exam, Inactive, Retired), an A/B/C CERP breakdown with documentation rules, first-renewal timing, a what-changed-this-cycle section, and FAQ coverage of audits, exam-equivalent CERPs, and multiple AACN credentials. Re-verified the 100-CERP structure, 432/144 practice hours, and $150/$230 fees against the July 2026 renewal handbook.