CRNAs need 60 Class A credits and 40 Class B credits every four-year certification cycle. The requirement carried over unchanged from the old CPC program into NBCRNA's MAC program, where the two buckets are called MAC Ed and MAC Dev.
Class A is formal, assessed continuing education. Class B is everything else that develops you professionally. Knowing the difference saves money and prevents renewal surprises.
Key points
- 60 Class A plus 40 Class B credits every four-year cycle.
- Extra Class A credits replace Class B one for one.
- Class A needs AANA prior approval and an assessment.
- Nothing carries over; each cycle starts at zero.
Class A credits: 60 per cycle
Class A credits (MAC Ed under the MAC program) must meet two tests:
- The activity is prior-approved by the AANA for Class A credit
- It includes an assessment, such as a post-test, live Q&A discussion, or simulation evaluation
You get a certificate of completion for each activity, and most vendors report Class A credits directly to the AANA for active members, which populates your transcript automatically.
Where CRNAs typically earn Class A:
- Online CE libraries and question banks from anesthesia CE vendors
- AANA Annual Congress and state association meetings, for the sessions that carry Class A approval
- Workshops: ultrasound, regional, airway, with built-in assessments
- The old Core Modules, now optional, which remain a Class A source through NBCRNA-recognized vendors
- Employer-provided courses, when the employer sought AANA prior approval
Pharmacology content deserves attention. Some state boards of nursing require a set number of pharmacology hours for APRN renewal, separate from NBCRNA's rules. Buy CE that satisfies both when you can.
Class B credits: 40 per cycle
Class B credits (MAC Dev) cover professional development that is not prior-approved CE. There is no assessment, no certificate from AANA, and no vendor reporting. You document them yourself.
Examples of qualifying activities:
- Teaching and precepting students
- Research, publishing, and poster presentations
- Serving on hospital committees or state association boards
- Attending M&M conferences and grand rounds
- Professional podcasts, journal reading programs, and mission trips
- ACLS and PALS renewals
One useful rule: extra Class A credits substitute for Class B. If you earn 70 Class A credits, you only need 30 Class B. Earn 100 Class A and you owe no Class B at all. Heavy CE consumers often satisfy the whole requirement from one bucket.
Check NBCRNA's current handbook for what counts and any per-category caps before building your whole plan around one activity type.
How the four-year cycle works
Your cycle dates are personal to you and visible in the NBCRNA portal. Credits must be earned inside the cycle; nothing carries over between cycles.
The renewal window opens five months before your cycle ends. At renewal you attest to your credits, pay the fee on NBCRNA's fee schedule, and confirm your licensure. Under MAC you also need meaningful participation in MAC Check, the quarterly knowledge assessment, which is separate from credits entirely.
If your current cycle is still under the old CPC program, which applies to some CRNAs renewing in 2026-2027, you also owe the four Core Modules for that cycle. See the MAC program guide for the transition rules.
Where to earn credits without overspending
- Count what your job already gives you. Committee work, precepting, M&Ms, and in-house education cover much of Class B for free.
- Price Class A per credit. Online libraries vary widely in cost per credit. A subscription that covers a full cycle's 60 credits often beats buying conferences for credit purposes.
- Conferences are for networking, not cheap credits. Go for the people and the hands-on workshops; the credits are a side effect of an expensive trip.
- Ask about CE stipends. Many employment contracts include an annual CE allowance and paid CE days. If yours does not, raise it at contract negotiation. CE costs are also a legitimate business expense for 1099 CRNAs; confirm specifics with a CPA.
Record keeping
Class A mostly keeps itself, through vendor reporting to the AANA transcript and NBCRNA's records. Class B is on you.
A system that survives an audit:
- Keep one folder, digital, per four-year cycle.
- For each Class B activity, save a dated note: what it was, hours, and any supporting evidence such as a committee roster, syllabus, or program listing.
- Log credits as they happen, not at renewal. Reconstructing four years of precepting from memory is how people end up short.
- Download your AANA transcript yearly and reconcile it against your own log, since vendor reporting fails quietly.
NBCRNA can audit attestations, so keep records through the end of the following cycle.
How many CE credits do CRNAs need?
60 Class A and 40 Class B per four-year cycle. Extra Class A credits can replace Class B one for one.
Do state license renewals use the same credits?
Often yes, but states set their own APRN and RN renewal requirements on their own clocks, sometimes with mandated topics. Track all the layers separately.
What makes a credit Class A instead of Class B?
AANA prior approval plus an assessment. No assessment or no prior approval means Class B at best.
Do unused credits roll over to my next cycle?
No. Each four-year cycle starts at zero.