How to renew your Ohio RN license
Ohio RN licenses renew in odd-numbered years through the Board of Nursing eLicense portal. Complete 24 contact hours including one Category A hour on Ohio nursing law, pay $65, and file by September 15 — a $50 late processing fee applies from September 16 through October 31, and the license lapses November 1.
- Cycle
- 2 years, odd-numbered years · application due Sep 15 · lapses Nov 1
- CE hours
- 24 contact hours including 1 Category A hour (Ohio Nurse Practice Act)
- Fee
- $65 renewal + $3.50 eLicense fee · $50 late (Sep 16–Oct 31) · $100 reinstatement
- Renewal window
- Typically opens July 1 of the odd renewal year
- Compact
- NLC member — renew Ohio when Ohio is your primary state of residence
- Confirm you are in an RN renewal yearOhio RNs renew in odd-numbered years; LPNs renew in even-numbered years. If you hold an LPN license, use the Ohio LPN guide instead — the calendar is different.
- Finish 24 contact hours including 1 Category A hourCategory A must cover the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board rules. Since March 26, 2026 the provider no longer has to be headquartered in Ohio — any OBN approver or OBN-approved provider unit counts.
- Log in to eLicense OhioSign in at elicense.ohio.gov with your eLicense account tied to your RN license number. The renewal application typically opens July 1 of the renewal year.
- Answer the attestationsAttest to CE completion and answer the conviction and discipline disclosure questions. You do not upload certificates.
- Pay $65 plus the eLicense transaction feeThe statutory renewal fee is $65 (ORC 4723.08), plus a $3.50 eLicense transaction fee. Applications filed after September 15 add a $50 late processing fee.
- Save the confirmation and your certificatesStore the confirmation and the Category A certificate in Trust. The Board audits renewals and expects you to produce documentation on request.
Requirements
The Ohio Board of Nursing requires 24 contact hours of continuing education each two-year cycle, and at least one of those hours must be Category A — continuing education covering the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and the Board's rules (OAC 4723-14-03).
Category A is the hour people miss. It must be provided by an OBN approver or an OBN-approved provider unit. As of March 26, 2026 the provider no longer has to be headquartered in Ohio, but the content still has to cover the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board rules — a generic national law-and-ethics course does not satisfy it. Check the certificate for the Ohio approval language before you count it.
Exceptions: your first renewal after initial Ohio licensure by NCLEX requires 0 hours. If you were licensed by endorsement one year or less before the renewal date, 12 hours apply.
You attest at renewal — certificates are not uploaded. Retain your documentation for audit; the Board can ask you to produce it. APRN certificates of authority carry an additional 24-hour requirement that is outside the scope of this page.
How to renew, step by step
- 01Confirm you are in an RN renewal yearOhio RNs renew in odd-numbered years; LPNs renew in even-numbered years. If you hold an LPN license, use the Ohio LPN guide instead — the calendar is different.
- 02Finish 24 contact hours including 1 Category A hourCategory A must cover the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board rules. Since March 26, 2026 the provider no longer has to be headquartered in Ohio — any OBN approver or OBN-approved provider unit counts.
- 03Log in to eLicense OhioSign in at elicense.ohio.gov with your eLicense account tied to your RN license number. The renewal application typically opens July 1 of the renewal year.
- 04Answer the attestationsAttest to CE completion and answer the conviction and discipline disclosure questions. You do not upload certificates.
- 05Pay $65 plus the eLicense transaction feeThe statutory renewal fee is $65 (ORC 4723.08), plus a $3.50 eLicense transaction fee. Applications filed after September 15 add a $50 late processing fee.
- 06Save the confirmation and your certificatesStore the confirmation and the Category A certificate in Trust. The Board audits renewals and expects you to produce documentation on request.
If you're late
Three dates matter. September 15 is the filing deadline. From September 16 through October 31 you can still renew with a $50 late processing fee (OAC 4723-7-09). On November 1 the license lapses.
You cannot work as an RN on a lapsed Ohio license — not for one shift. Reinstatement is a separate application with a $100 fee, and it takes Board processing time your employer will not wait through. If you are not practicing, requesting inactive status before November 1 is cheaper than reinstating later.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I carry unused CE hours into the next cycle?
- No. Ohio does not allow CE carryover — hours count only in the reporting period in which you earned them.
- Does my BLS or ACLS card count toward the 24 hours?
- Generally not on its own. A life-support course counts only if the provider issues it as continuing education meeting OBN CE rules, and the certificate shows the contact hours.
- Do I need CE for my first renewal after the Ohio NCLEX?
- No. Your first renewal after initial Ohio licensure by examination requires 0 hours. If you were licensed by endorsement within one year of the renewal date, 12 hours apply.
- What happens on November 1?
- If you have not renewed or requested inactive status, the license lapses on November 1 and you cannot practice. Reinstatement of a lapsed license costs $100.
- I hold a multistate license from another compact state. Do I renew in Ohio?
- You renew in your primary state of residence. If Ohio is your PSOR, you renew here. A multistate license issued by another compact state is not an Ohio renewal.
Last verified against Ohio Board of Nursing sources:
Changelog
Every revision to this guide, newest first. Last updated .
- Reviewed and verified requirements, fees, and deadlines against Ohio Board of Nursing sources.
Trust tracks this renewal for you.
Ohio is a statewide cohort — every RN shares the same September clock. Trust reminds you at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days, stores your Category A certificate on-device, and links straight to eLicense.
Keep exploring renewals
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