Maine
PMHNP Scope And Prescribing Rules In Maine
There’s no ongoing physician agreement once you complete either 24 months under a licensed physician or supervising nurse practitioner, or employment at a clinic or hospital with a physician medical director. Separately, the Board authorizes your prescribing levels, Schedules II through V, and the PMP applies. AANP lists Maine as full practice.
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Maine PMHNP Rules At A Glance
| Topic | Maine Rule |
|---|---|
| Practice authority | Full practice once the supervised period is done. A certified nurse practitioner may prescribe and dispense drugs and devices under Board rules, with no ongoing physician agreement (Title 32 MRS §2102(2-A)). |
| Transition to practice | 24 months under the supervision of a licensed physician or a supervising nurse practitioner, or employment by a clinic or hospital with a physician medical director (Title 32 MRS §2102(2-A)). The supervisor documents completion to the Board. |
| Physician limit | Transition period details rather than a ratio. The supervisor must hold an active Maine license, and a supervising nurse practitioner must have practiced as an APRN for at least five years in the same specialty (Board APRN licensure page). |
| Controlled substances | The Board authorizes prescribing in Schedules II through V, including Maine’s IIa and IIIa sub-schedules; you pick the levels you want and may apply for a DEA number once licensed (Board APRN FAQs, revised July 7, 2026). |
| PDMP | Check the Maine PMP on the initial prescription of a benzodiazepine or opioid and every 90 days as long as the prescription is renewed (Title 22 MRS §7253(1)); exceptions cover inpatient, long term care, surgical, and hospice settings (§7253(3)). |
| Regulator | Maine State Board of Nursing (maine.gov/boardofnursing). APRN licensing, the Proof of Supervision form, and the APRN FAQs are on the Board’s site; the Nurse Practice Act is Title 32, chapter 31. |
Updated October 25, 2026
Practice Authority
Maine Practice Authority Category (Full Practice)
AANP currently lists Maine as a full practice state on its State Practice Environment map. In practice, PMHNPs there evaluate and diagnose patients, order and interpret tests, and start and manage treatment, including prescribing, under the exclusive licensure authority of the Maine State Board of Nursing. The state doesn’t require a career long collaborative or supervisory agreement. An initial period of supervised practice may apply before fully independent practice.
The AANP State Practice Environment map shows how Maine compares nationally, and AANP’s practice information by state adds state specific detail. The rules you’re held to come from the Maine State Board of Nursing.
Collaboration
Is A Collaborative Or Supervisory Agreement Required?
In Maine, there’s no ongoing, career long collaborative or supervisory agreement to maintain. Look at the start of your career, though. Some full practice states require a defined transition to practice period, supervised or collaborative, before an NP practices fully independently, and state rule sets whether one applies to you, how long it runs and how it’s documented.
Want to see what these arrangements usually include? Our guide to PMHNP collaborative practice agreements walks through it in plain language, and the PMHNP scope of practice by state overview covers the rules in other states.
Prescriptive Authority
Prescriptive Authority And Controlled Substances
Prescriptive authority in Maine comes once you meet the state’s requirements, and it can cover controlled substances when the conditions are met. You’ll also need a separate federal DEA registration for controlled substances, and some carry additional federal or state conditions. The Maine State Board of Nursing and state law set the scope, any limits and the documentation, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration covers the federal side.
Next Step
Credentialing Is A Separate Track
Practice authority decides what you can do in Maine. It doesn’t get you paid. Payer enrollment runs on its own track, and our Maine credentialing and payer enrollment guide covers it. The PMHNP credentialing guide has the national picture.
- Opening your own practice? First Practice Launch sets up the payers, EHR, portals and medical billing together for $6,000, or four monthly payments of $1,500.
- On Headway, Alma, Grow or Rula today? You can usually keep seeing clients there while we build contracts in your own practice, and this page explains how.
- Joining a clinic? New Provider Credentialing covers the applications for adding you to its existing contracts.
- Changing to your own Tax ID? We quote that in writing.
Planning the sequence? Our guide on how to start a PMHNP practice and the practice launch checklist put licensure, any collaboration your state requires and enrollment in order. See what PMHNP credentialing costs and what it costs to start a PMHNP practice before you budget, and browse the PMHNP hub for the rest.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can A PMHNP Practice Independently In Maine?
Yes, after 24 months of supervised practice. Title 32 MRS §2102(2-A) requires a certified nurse practitioner to practice under a licensed physician or a supervising nurse practitioner for at least 24 months, or to work for a clinic or hospital with a physician medical director. Once the supervisor documents completion to the Board, no further agreement is required.
Do I Need A Collaborating Physician In Maine?
Not after the first 24 months, and not necessarily even then. The supervisor can be a physician or a nurse practitioner with an active Maine license and at least five years of APRN practice in the same specialty, per the Board’s APRN page. After the Board receives proof of completion, you practice and prescribe on your own license.
Can A PMHNP Prescribe Adderall In Maine?
Yes. The Board authorizes prescribing in Schedules II through V, and you may apply for a DEA number once licensed (Board APRN FAQs). The mandatory PMP check in Title 22 MRS §7253 applies to benzodiazepines and opioids rather than stimulants, so a PMHNP prescribing clonazepam must check the PMP first and every 90 days, while an Adderall prescription carries no statutory check.
This is general information, not legal advice. It applies the general nurse practitioner rules in Maine to PMHNPs, and those rules aren’t the same for every role. Rules change, so check with the Maine State Board of Nursing and the AANP State Practice Environment map before you act on it. Last reviewed: October 25, 2026.
Keep Reading
Related PMHNP Resources
Scope By State
Compare requirements across states on our PMHNP scope of practice by state overview.
Start A Practice
See the full sequence in how to start a PMHNP practice.
Credentialing
Learn what we handle on our PMHNP credentialing page, or visit the PMHNP services hub.
Opening Your Own Practice In Maine?
First Practice Launch is $6,000, or $1,500 a month for four months. It sets up your practice and applies to five insurance companies for you. Already practicing and only need insurance contracts? Price the Maine payers you want.