Your first California RN license covers two birthdays and expires at the end of the month of your birthday; after that it expires every two years.
Your own expiration date is on your license and in the state license lookup.
| Board | California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) |
|---|---|
| Cycle | First license runs two birthdays, then every two years; $190 on time |
| Continuing education | 30 contact hours every two years; first renewal after the exam exempt except a 1-hour implicit bias course |
Your first license is issued for two birthdays, not two years, and expires the last day of your birth month; after that it renews every two years. The RN renewal fee is $190 on time, $280 late. Each renewal needs 30 contact hours from a BRN-recognized provider. If you passed the NCLEX within the past two years and this is your first renewal, you are exempt from CE except one hour of implicit bias, which every new licensee completes in the first two years.
From the board's renewal page, checked November 10, 2026. The board: "Your first California RN license is issued for two birthdays, not two years,"
The NCLEX-RN and the nursing certifications nurses take after it (CEN, CCRN, PCCN, CMSRN, CNOR), with every answer explained. Made by an RN. Free to start, no sign-up.
Your first California RN license covers two birthdays and expires at the end of the month of your birthday; after that it expires every two years.
30 contact hours every two years; first renewal after the exam exempt except a 1-hour implicit bias course.
First license runs two birthdays, then every two years; $190 on time.
A study aid, not legal advice: your board of nursing has the final word, and its rules and fees change. Headed In LLC is not affiliated with NCSBN or any board of nursing.