September 15 of odd-numbered years. That is the Ohio RN renewal deadline, with late renewal possible through October 31. Mark it, because Ohio's CE itself is refreshingly light — 24 hours with just two small mandated pieces — and the only thing that really trips people is the date and the one Category A hour they did not know they needed.
The 24-hour cycle
Ohio RN licenses renew biennially in odd-numbered years, and the requirement is 24 contact hours per cycle. Two specific items count toward that 24:
- Category A — 1 hour minimum. At least 1 of the 24 hours must be Category A continuing education directly related to the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board rules.
- Human trafficking and sexual assault victims — 1 hour, one-time. A one-time course on recognizing and handling human trafficking victims and victims of sexual assault.
Twenty-four hours matches Florida and sits below Pennsylvania's 30. Ohio's mandated load is lighter than Florida's, which is part of why it earns the "without the runaround" reputation.
Category A is the easy-to-miss hour
The one piece nurses overlook is Category A. It is only 1 hour, but it must specifically address the Ohio statutes and rules governing nursing practice — a general nursing course will not satisfy it. Confirm the course is designated Category A before you bank it. This is exactly the kind of designation issue covered in how to tell if a CME provider is accredited and why CME categories matter.
The one-time trafficking course
The 1-hour human-trafficking-and-sexual-assault course is one-and-done — complete it once and it is behind you. It counts toward the 24-hour total. It is part of the spread of human-trafficking CE and behaves like the one-time mandates worth knocking out early.
First-renewal exemption
Nurses are exempt from the CE requirement for their first renewal following initial Ohio licensure by examination. As always, do not let the free cycle become a habit gap — see first-cycle quirks.
If you hold a compact privilege
Ohio is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so plenty of RNs practice here on a multistate privilege or hold an Ohio license alongside others. Ohio's Category A hour is Ohio-specific and does not transfer — see the practice-state CE overlay, and remember each license needs its own plan.
A clean Ohio RN cycle
Bank 24 hours by September 15 of the odd year, make sure 1 is Category A on the Nurse Practice Act, complete the one-time trafficking course if you have not, and keep certificates. A simple log is enough for an audit. Confirm current rules with the Ohio Board of Nursing.
If you would rather have the Category A hour and the one-time trafficking course handled so you are not chasing designations before a September deadline, we will map it. White Glove CME builds a written Ohio RN plan for a flat $99 per license renewal — planning only, no credit granted, no board login. See pricing or tell us your renewal year. The breakdown is on our Ohio RN page and the Ohio overview.
Need help figuring out your CME?
Stop guessing what CME you need. Tell us your license type, state, and renewal date, and we'll map exactly which continuing-education hours and mandated topics you need — and by when. Flat $99 per plan.