(a) Renewal of license.      
        (1) Upon renewal of the license, the licensee shall sign a statement attesting that the CNE contact hours or approved national nursing certification requirement has been met.       
        (2) The contact hours must have been completed within the licensing period and by the time of application for license renewal. Contact hours from a previous licensing period will not be accepted. Additional contact hours earned may not be used for subsequent licensure renewals.       
      (b) Persons licensed by examination. A candidate licensed by examination shall be exempt from the CNE contact hours or approved national nursing certification requirement for issuance of the initial Texas license and for the immediate licensing period following initial Texas licensure with the exception of applicable targeted continuing competency requirements in §216.3 of this chapter (relating to Continuing Competency Requirements).     
      (c) Persons licensed by endorsement. An applicant licensed by endorsement shall be exempt from the CNE contact hours or approved national nursing certification requirement for issuance of the initial Texas license and for the immediate licensing period following initial Texas licensure with the exception of applicable targeted continuing competency requirements in §216.3 of this chapter (relating to Continuing Competency Requirements).     
      (d) Delinquent license.      
        (1) A license that has been delinquent for less than four years may be renewed by the licensee submitting proof of having completed 20 contact hours of acceptable CNE or a current approved national nursing certification in his or her prior area of practice within the two years immediately preceding application for relicensure and by meeting all other Board requirements. A licensee shall be exempt from the continuing competency requirements for the immediate licensing period following renewal of the delinquent license with the exception of applicable targeted continuing competency requirements in §216.3 of this chapter (relating to Continuing Competency Requirements).       
        (2) A license that has been delinquent for four or more years may be renewed upon completion of requirements listed in §217.6 of this title (relating to Failure to Renew License).       
      (e) Reactivation of a license.      
        (1) A license that has been inactive for less than four years may be reactivated by the licensee submitting proof of having completed 20 contact hours of acceptable CNE or a current approved national nursing certification in his or her prior area of practice within the two years immediately preceding application for reactivation and by meeting all other Board requirements. A licensee shall be exempt from the continuing competency requirements for the immediate licensing period following reactivation of the license with the exception of applicable targeted continuing competency requirements in §216.3 of this chapter (relating to Continuing Competency Requirements).       
        (2) A license that has been inactive for four or more years may be reactivated upon completion of requirements listed in §217.9 of this title (relating to Inactive and Retired Status).       
      (f) Reinstatement of a license. A licensee whose license has been revoked and subsequently applies for reinstatement must show evidence that the continuing competency requirements and other Board requirements have been met prior to reinstatement of the license by the Board.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §216.8 adopted to be effective August 16, 2009, 34 TexReg 5524; amended to be effective February 23, 2014, 39 TexReg 982; amended to be effective December 5, 2018, 43 TexReg 7766; amended to be effective January 27, 2020, 45 TexReg 550