Hawaii Nurse Practitioner CE Requirements

Renewal cycle

2 years (biennial); all nursing licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years

Total CE hours

30 contact hours per biennium (or one approved alternative learning activity, e.g. refresher course, preceptorship, research project) required for the underlying RN license under HRS 457-8.5. APRNs must also maintain current national certification. APRNs WITH prescriptive authority must document 30 CE hours (8 pharmacology + 22 in practice specialty) to renew the prescriptive authority.

Pharmacology CE

8 contact hours in (advanced) pharmacology per biennium — required only for APRNs holding prescriptive authority; the remaining 22 of the 30 hours must be in the APRN's practice specialty. No pharm-specific hours for APRNs without prescriptive authority.

Controlled-substance CE

No separate state-mandated opioid/controlled-substance CE hour count for APRNs identified beyond the 8-hour pharmacology requirement tied to prescriptive authority. (Federal DEA MATE Act 8-hour one-time training applies to DEA registrants independently of state rules.)

Good to know

Split structure: the 30-hour/8-pharm requirement is tied to renewing prescriptive authority, not the base APRN license; failure to submit proof leads to revocation of the prescriptive-authority privilege. APRN license cannot be renewed unless the RN license is renewed. A PMHNP with prescriptive authority would count psychiatric CE toward the 22 specialty hours. Hawaii DCCA has draft revisions to HAR 16-89 in circulation (2026) — verify at renewal time.

Official sources