There are many ways that you can earn contact hours. See our "How to Earn Contact Hours" page for examples of acceptable contact hours.
Change in time period for contact hour accrual-effective January 1, 2011. Your contact hours must be earned in the five years prior to your recertification year. Click here for more information.
CNOR Recertification Requirements
As a credentialed professional, you have confirmed your familiarity with the scope of practice. Certification is an indicator of a higher standard and practice within the nursing profession and a mark of personal achievement.
By contact hours: 125 contact hours (75 of them related to perioperative practice.)
By exam
Objectives of Recertification:
Recognize the individual registered nurse who is proficient in practice.
Strengthen use of theory in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care.
Enhance professional growth through continued learning, which broadens knowledge and improves skills and practice.
Purposes of CNOR Recertification:
Demonstrate concern for accountability to the general public for nursing practice.
Enhance quality patient care.
Identify registered nurses who have demonstrated professional achievement in providing surgical nursing care.
Provide employing agencies a means of identifying an operating room nurse's professional achievement.
Bring the nurse personal satisfaction.
Grace Period Policy for CNOR Recertification
Your application must be postmarked on or before July 1, of the year you are due to recertify, to avoid a $75 late fee.
Late applications for recertification will be accepted for six months after the July 1 recertification application deadline with a $75 late fee added to the application fee. Applications must reach the CCI office no later than December 31 of the recertification year. This extended grace period is not an extension of the time allowed to accrue contact hours. If your application is received by December 31 with the $75 late fee, and you have met all the requirements for recertification, you will be recertified with no lapse in your certification status. Applications received after December 31 will be declared ineligible.
