Minnesota Licensed Practical Nurse CE

How many CE hours do Minnesota LPNs need?

Minnesota LPN CE totals 12 contact hours for each 24-month registration period, one hour for every two months of registration ( Minn. R. 6310.2800, subp. 3 ). That is half of the RN requirement. Your period ends on the last day of your birth month, in an even-numbered year if you were born in one and an odd-numbered year if you were born in the other ( Minn. R. 6310.2600, subp. 15 ; Board of Nursing ). Both online and in-person activities count, and Minnesota sets no live minimum. Finish all 12 hours with the Minnesota LPN CE package , and see our Minnesota RN CE and Minnesota APRN CE pages for the other nursing licenses.

Which CE topics are required for Minnesota LPNs?

None. The rule sets a bare 12-hour count with no required subject matter, so any course that meets the Board's criteria counts ( Minn. R. 6310.2800 ). An eligible activity needs written objectives, must fall inside your registration period, must be taught by a qualified instructor, and must be documented with its title, dates, contact hours and proof of participation. Our package covers your 12 hours with ANCC-accredited courses such as vaccine safety and administration , HIV and suicide risk assessment .

Does Minnesota accept ANCC-accredited CE for LPNs?

Yes. AchieveCE is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation, and the Board sets criteria for what counts rather than approving individual providers ( Board of Nursing CE resources ). Keep each certificate: it shows the title, date, contact hours and accredited provider that the Board expects you to document. See all of our accreditations .

Can a national certification replace my Minnesota LPN CE hours?

Yes. The Board lists holding a current national nursing specialty certification as one of three ways to meet the requirement, alongside approved CE activities and certain professional activities such as publishing or serving on a national panel ( Board of Nursing ; Minn. R. 6310.2800, subp. 4a ). The certificate must come from a national professional nursing or medical organization and must be current when you submit your report. It cannot be used as a substitute for contact hours you previously deferred.

Do newly licensed Minnesota LPNs need CE for their first renewal?

Yes, but the amount is prorated. Your first registration period runs from 6 to 29 months, and the same one hour per two months ratio applies, so a shorter first period owes fewer than 12 hours ( Minn. R. 6310.2600, subp. 15 ; Minn. R. 6310.2800, subp. 3 ). Minnesota has not enacted the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a nurse who moves here from a compact state applies for a Minnesota license and follows Minnesota's CE rule ( Board of Nursing, Nurse Licensure Compact ).

Does Minnesota audit nurse CE?

Yes. The Board randomly selects licensees and can ask for documentation of any activity you reported, and it does not publish an audit rate ( Minn. R. 6310.3000 ). Keep your CE documentation for two years after the activity is reported to the Board ( Minn. R. 6310.2800, subp. 8 ). Hours you cannot substantiate are deferred to your next period unless you are ineligible, and at the next renewal you must substantiate all required hours including the deferred ones, so an unproven course never becomes usable credit. Failing to substantiate can be grounds for discipline. Questions? Our CE compliance experts are on live chat, email, and phone, 7 days a week.

Other Minnesota nursing licenses: Minnesota RN CE and Minnesota APRN CE . For more courses and live CE, see the Nursing membership and live webinars .

Last verified: October 22, 2026

Sources

• Minn. R. 6310.2800, Registration Renewal Requirements

• Minn. R. 6310.2600, Definitions (Registration Period)

• Minn. R. 6310.3000, Substantiation of Participation in Continuing Education

• Minn. Stat. 148.231, Registration Renewal

• Minnesota Board of Nursing, Continuing Education

• Minnesota Board of Nursing, Continuing Education Resources

• Minnesota Board of Nursing, Nurse Licensure Compact