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The CMSRN is valid for five years, and you can recertify by continuing education or by retaking
the exam. Here’s what MSNCB requires.
How long is the CMSRN valid?
Five years from the date you certify.
Two ways to recertify
Option 1 — Continuing education (most people)
Hold a current RN license and a current med-surg certification, obtain 90 contact hours
of approved continuing education within the five years, and accrue 1,000 practice hours
in a medical-surgical setting during the certification period. CE recertification costs $195 for
AMSN members or $303 for non-members.
Option 2 — Retake the exam
You can also recertify by passing the current CMSRN exam again ($267 members / $394 non-members).
Plan ahead
Because the cycle is five years long, log your CE and practice hours as you go — it’s far
easier than reconstructing them at renewal.
Unlock 500+ CMSRN practice questions across 4 full-length simulators — $19.99 lifetime →
Sources & references
The exam facts on this page are drawn from official certifying-body materials, reviewed 2026-06-18 by the DrCertifications exam-prep team (10+ years in exam preparation and publishing).