As an ANCC board certified professional, you must meet specified requirements in order to maintain and renew your certification every 5 years. The purpose of certification renewal is to provide evidence that you have continued to expand your professional knowledge to demonstrate evidence of continual competence in your certification specialty. It also allows you to continue to use your ANCC credentials.
The current renewal requirements are available at www.nursecredentialing.org/RenewalRequirements.aspx.
Helpful Hints
- Visit the ANCC Web site on a regular basis to download the most current renewal requirements. Certification renewal criteria can change to reflect changes in practice or regulatory requirements.
- Develop a plan to show evidence of continual competence requirements for certification renewal.
- Provide ANCC with any changes to your contact information including a preferred email address.
- Maintain an active registered nurse license.
Warning: There is no grace period and no backdating. Certification renewal applications received after the certification expiration date will have a renewal period beginning with the date of approval and will therefore
incur a gap in the certification dates. When there is a gap in certification dates, ANCC cannot backdate a
certification renewal to meet regulatory, reimbursement, or other requirements for practice. You will need to
check with your state licensing board, your employer, and/or the agency that is reimbursing your services to
determine if you can continue to practice and/or receive reimbursement for services while you are in the process
of reactivating your certification. If your employer or state board of nursing (SBON) requires certification in
order for you to practice and your certification lapses, then the employer or SBON may no longer allow you to
practice. Please submit the complete application when you renew—submitting a partial or incomplete renewal
package will only delay approval of your certification renewal, resulting in a longer gap in the certification dates.
All missing information will need to be reviewed and evaluated before a final decision is made