Florida RN license renewal happens every two years through the Florida Board of Nursing. For a standard active-to-active renewal, the fee is $60 when paid on time, and you must complete 24 hours of approved continuing education before you can submit the online application through the MQA Online Services portal.1Florida Board of Nursing. Renewing Fees Miss the deadline and the cost climbs quickly; ignore it long enough and the license becomes null and void by operation of law.
When Your License Expires
Florida staggers RN expirations across three groups to spread out the workload. The current deadlines are:
- Group 1: midnight Eastern Time, April 30, 2026
- Group 2: midnight Eastern Time, July 31, 2026
- Group 3: midnight Eastern Time, April 30, 2027
Your group assignment does not change over the course of your career unless you let the license lapse and reapply. You can look up your specific expiration date through the Department of Health’s license verification portal.2Florida Board of Nursing. Registered Nurse (RN) Renewal
The renewal option appears in your MQA Online Services dashboard about 90 days before expiration. Waiting until the last day is risky. A portal glitch or a missing CE record can lock you out at the wrong moment, so a two-week buffer is worth building in.
Continuing Education You Need First
You must complete 24 contact hours of approved CE during each two-year cycle, and every hour must be reported to CE Broker before you begin the renewal application.3Florida Board of Nursing. Continuing Education Requirements Within those 24 hours, three courses are mandatory every renewal:
- Prevention of Medical Errors — 2 hours, Board-approved
- Florida Laws and Rules — 2 hours, Board-approved
- Human Trafficking — 2 hours, required every biennium since January 2019; does not need Board approval but must meet the content criteria in Florida Statute 464.0134The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 464 Section 013
Two additional courses run on alternating schedules. Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace (2 hours, Board-approved) is due every other renewal cycle, and those hours count within the 24-hour total. Domestic Violence (2 hours, Board-approved) is due every third biennium, and here is the wrinkle that catches nurses out: those hours are in addition to the 24, so in a Domestic Violence cycle you need 26 hours total.3Florida Board of Nursing. Continuing Education Requirements
HIV/AIDS (1 hour, Board-approved) is a one-time requirement completed before your first renewal only.
If you hold a current specialty certification accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification, you are exempt from the general CE requirements. The Human Trafficking course is still required.4The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 464 Section 013
Renewal Fees
What you pay depends on when you renew and whether you are changing status. On-time fees:1Florida Board of Nursing. Renewing Fees
- Active to Active: $60
- Active to Inactive: $60
- Inactive to Inactive: $60
- Inactive to Active: $110
Renewed after expiration (delinquent):
- Active to Active: $115
- Active to Inactive: $165
- Inactive to Inactive: $115
- Inactive to Active: $215
120-day notified delinquent:
- Active to Active: $175
- Active to Inactive: $175
- Inactive to Inactive: $175
- Inactive to Active: $225
An on-time active renewal costs $60. Let it slide 120 days and the same renewal costs $175. The delinquency fee alone is $55, and it stacks with other charges the longer you wait.5Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B8-13.0051 – Delinquent Status Licenses
Submitting the Renewal
Before you log in, have your CE Broker record showing all required hours as complete, your current mailing address and account email, and any updated employer information. The application also asks screening questions about disciplinary history, criminal arrests or convictions, and pending investigations; answer honestly, because discrepancies can trigger delays or a formal review.
Once you are ready, go to the MQA Online Services portal, select “Renew A License,” log in, and click “Renew My License” from your dashboard. The workflow walks you through confirming your information and CE compliance. Payment is collected at submission by credit or debit card. After you submit, you receive a confirmation receipt, and processing typically takes about 7 to 10 business days.1Florida Board of Nursing. Renewing Fees
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline
A license that expires without renewal or a switch to inactive status automatically becomes delinquent. You can still renew it, but you pay the higher fees above and must complete all the CE that was due for the cycle.5Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B8-13.0051 – Delinquent Status Licenses
The point of no return is the end of the licensure cycle in which the license became delinquent. At that moment, the license becomes null and void by operation of law, with no further action by the Board. A null-and-void license cannot be reactivated. You would have to reapply for licensure from scratch and meet whatever requirements are current at the time, which depending on the length of the lapse could include retesting or additional coursework.2Florida Board of Nursing. Registered Nurse (RN) Renewal Renewing late is always cheaper than reapplying.
Military Spouse Exemption
Under Florida Statute 456.024, the spouse of an active-duty servicemember who holds a Florida nursing license in good standing and is absent from Florida because of the servicemember’s assignment is exempt from renewal registration, fees, and continuing education. The exemption runs for the duration of active duty and for six months after discharge, as long as the spouse is not practicing in the private sector for profit during that period.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 456 Section 024
A Note on Multistate Licenses
Florida has been a member of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact since 2018.7Florida Department of Health. Compact If your Florida license is a multistate license, renewing it keeps your multistate privileges in place; the renewal process is the same one described above. Upgrading a single-state Florida license to a multistate license is a separate application and does not shift your expiration date.8Florida Board of Nursing. Multistate Upgrade Application The compact covers RNs and LPNs; Advanced Practice Registered Nurses are not included.