District of Columbia Board of Nursing License Renewal Requirements for Nurses

CE Requirements for Nursing Licenses

Every two years, the District of Columbia Nursing Board requires nurses to complete the following continuing education contact hours to comply with licensing requirements:

• 24 contact hours for RN license renewal, 2 hours of LGBTQ and 10% director’s topic
• 18 contact hours for LPN license renewal, 2 hour2 of LGBTQ and 10% director’s topic
• 24 contact hours for APRN license renewal, 15 hours in pharmacology related to their specific specialty, 2 hours of LGBTQ and 10% director’s topic

Mandated State Courses

All health professionals, licensed, registered or certified by a health professional board, will need two credits of CE pertinent to cultural competency or specialized clinical training that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) patients.

LGBTQ Cultural Competence Training for Washington, DC

With the goal of enhancing the protection and promotion of public health and in accordance with the rulemaking authority under D.C. Official Code § 3-1203.02(12), the Director has promulgated rules requiring licensed health professionals to complete at least ten percent (10%) of their required total continuing education in the public health priorities of the District as determined and published every five (5) years or less frequently as deemed appropriate. The following topics have been identified as key public health priorities:

1. Responsible opioid prescribing and effective pain management
2. Nutrition and obesity prevention
3. Identifying and reporting abuse (child and adult), neglect (child and adult), human trafficking, and domestic violence
4. Sexual health (including taking sexual history, discussing sexual experiences with patients, sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS), HPV vaccines, connections to cancer, latent tuberculosis, safe sex, and birth control)
5. Ethics and appropriate patient interactions (i.e. boundaries, patient privacy, and communications including telehealth)
6. Smoking, vaping, and tobacco (including dangers, smoking cessation, and non-smoke tobacco products);
7. Preparing your patients for an emergency and handling vulnerable populations in an emergency
8. Identifying impairment (physical or mental) in patients and providers (including complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act)
9. Vaccinations (including legal requirements and appropriate exemptions), and,
10. Implicit bias, cultural competence and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health and health care.

About Wild Iris Medical Education

Wild Iris Medical Education, Inc., is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). Provider #P0314.

District of Columbia nursing license renewal information as of October 2025.