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Rhode Island

Clinician license renewal in Rhode Island

Renewal cycles, fees, CE requirements, and compact membership for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians in Rhode Island. Sourced from state boards and the official compact registries; we surface the citation next to every claim and never invent a rule we can’t verify.

Last reviewed 05/08/2026.

Compact membership

Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

Full member

Source: nursecompact.com, as of 05/05/2026

Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC)

Not a member

Source: imlcc.com, as of 05/05/2026

APRN / nurse practitioner license

Renewal cycle
Biennial. Nursing license renewal CE is measured 'during every two year licensing cycle' (RIDOH Board of Nursing).
health.ri.gov, as of 05/08/2026
Renewal fee
$145 APRN biennial renewal (with prescriptive authority) per RI Secretary of State Licensing Fees rule 216-10-05-2. APRNs without prescriptive authority pay $80 biennial. APRN CSR Registration is a separate $200 biennial fee for prescribers — Rhode Island requires its own state Controlled Substances Registration in addition to federal DEA.
rules.sos.ri.gov, as of 05/08/2026
Continuing education
10 contact hours of CE per 2-year licensing cycle, of which 2 hours must be about substance abuse. Plus a one-time-per-career 1-hour Alzheimer's disease training (RI Gen Laws Title 23 Ch 1.7, effective August 1, 2019). CE courses must be approved by the RI Board of Registration and Nursing Education or recognized accrediting bodies (ANCC, ANA chapters, accredited nursing programs).
health.ri.gov, as of 05/08/2026
Online renewal available
Confirm with Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education (RIDOH)

Track this credential automatically with Larch’s License tracking.

Physician assistant license

Renewal cycle
Biennial. Rhode Island PA licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years per RIDOH.
health.ri.gov, as of 05/08/2026
Renewal fee
$110 biennial PA license renewal fee per the RIDOH PA licensing page (as of 2026-05-08).
health.ri.gov, as of 05/08/2026
Continuing education
25 hours of approved continuing medical education annually per RIDOH PA rules (so 50 hours per biennial cycle).
health.ri.gov, as of 05/08/2026
Online renewal available
Confirm with Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline

Track this credential automatically with Larch’s License tracking.

MD / DO license

Renewal cycle
Confirm with Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
Renewal fee
Confirm with Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
Continuing education
Confirm with Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
Online renewal available
Confirm with Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline

We’re still verifying Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline’s MD/DO- specific renewal details. The most accurate source is the board itself — visit Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline.

Track this credential automatically with Larch’s License tracking.

State controlled-substance registration

Some states layer a state-level controlled-substance registration (CSR or CDS) on top of the federal DEA; others rely on the DEA alone. Where Rhode Islandrequires one, it carries its own number, fee, and renewal clock — independent of the DEA cycle.

Required in this state
Confirm with Rhode Island controlled-substances regulator

We’re still verifying Rhode Island’s state CSR rules. Confirm with the Rhode Islandcontrolled-substances regulator (often the Board of Pharmacy or a Department of Health office) before assuming you do or don’t need a state CSR alongside your DEA.

Track DEA + state CSR together with Larch’s DEA + CSR tracker.

Federal DEA registration

DEA registration is federal, not state-issued. DEA practitioner registrations renew on a three-year cycle and are tied to a specific practice address — multi-site clinicians typically hold one DEA per practice location, each with its own number and clock. The first renewal on or after June 27, 2023 also required a one-time MATE Act 8-hour training attestation; once attested, the credit carries forward.

See Larch’s DEA tracking page for details on the federal cycle, multi-site rules, and the MATE Act attestation requirements.

Common questions about Rhode Island renewals

Is Rhode Island a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state?
Yes — Rhode Island is a full NLC member. Nurses who hold an active multistate license issued by another compact state may practice in Rhode Island without applying separately, and Rhode Island residents may apply for a multistate license through the Rhode Island Board of Nursing if they meet the NCSBN's Uniform Licensure Requirements. Note that nurses changing their primary state of residence to or from a compact state generally must apply in the new home state within 60 days. Source: NCSBN compact map.
Does the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) work for physicians in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island is not currently a participating IMLC member. Physicians who want to practice in Rhode Island must apply directly through the Rhode Island Board of Medicine; they cannot use the IMLC's expedited pathway. Source: IMLCC.
Does the federal DEA renewal cycle differ in Rhode Island?
No. DEA practitioner registrations are federal and renew on a three-year cycle regardless of state. Registrations are tied to a specific practice address — not to the holder personally — so multi-site clinicians typically hold one DEA per practice location. Rhode Island's state-level controlled-substance registration, if it requires one, is separate from the federal DEA.
How does Larch keep Rhode Island's rules current?
A drift-detection job re-fetches each cited source on a weekly cadence and flags pages where the source content has changed since our last review. Where we don't have a verified detail, we surface "Confirm with [Board]" with a link to the issuing board — never a guess.

Track every RI credential on one calendar.

Larch keeps a clean clock on every license, DEA, state CSR, board cert, and CE hour. Smart renewal alerts on the schedule you set. Encrypted document vault. License tracker is $5/month or $49/year — bundle with Collaboration + CE for $119/year.

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Sources for Rhode Island

Other states