Alaska

PMHNP Practice Requirements In Alaska: Scope, Prescribing & Collaboration

Short answer: AANP lists Alaska as full practice, so a PMHNP evaluates, diagnoses, treats and prescribes under the Alaska Board of Nursing alone, with no collaborative or supervisory agreement in the board’s APRN rules (12 AAC 44.400, 44.445). Controlled substance authority covers Schedule II to V once the board grants it, and you must check the Alaska PDMP before prescribing a Schedule II or III drug (AS 17.30.200(k); 12 AAC 44.445).

Alaska PMHNP Rules At A Glance

Topic	Alaska Rule
Practice authority	Full practice. An APRN license from the Alaska Board of Nursing authorizes independent evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and prescribing within your role and population focus (12 AAC 44.400, 44.440).
Physician agreement	None. The APRN authorization rule sets education, RN licensure and national certification requirements and contains no physician supervision or collaborative agreement provision (12 AAC 44.400).
Physician limit	Not applicable. Alaska doesn’t require a collaborating or supervising physician, so there’s no ratio or cap to track, and no transition to practice period before independent practice (12 AAC 44.400 to 44.445).
Controlled substances	The board may authorize Schedule II to V prescribing and dispensing on application, with DEA registration and at least two hours of pain management and opioid education in the prior two years (12 AAC 44.445).
PDMP	Register with the Alaska PDMP and review it before the first Schedule II or III prescription, then at least every 30 days for 90 days and every three months after, with narrow exceptions (AS 17.30.200(k), (n); 12 AAC 44.445).
Regulator	Alaska Board of Nursing, within the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. The Board of Pharmacy runs the PDMP under AS 17.30.200.

Updated October 5, 2026

Practice Authority

Alaska Practice-Authority Category (Full Practice)

AANP currently lists Alaska 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 Alaska Board of Nursing. The state doesn’t require a career-long collaborative or supervisory agreement.

The AANP State Practice Environment map shows how Alaska compares nationally, and AANP’s practice information by state adds state-specific detail. The rules you’re held to come from the Alaska Board of Nursing.

Collaboration

Is A Collaborative Or Supervisory Agreement Required?

In Alaska, 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 Alaska 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 Alaska 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

Your Alaska license and practice authority don’t enroll you with a single payer. Getting paid is a separate track, with its own payer rules, Medicaid program and enrollment timelines, and we cover it on the Alaska credentialing and payer enrollment page. The PMHNP credentialing guide has the national picture.

Opening your own practice? Get licensure, collaboration and enrollment in the right order with our guide on how to start a PMHNP practice and the 90-day launch checklist. Building a budget for an Alaska practice starts with what PMHNP credentialing costs and what it costs to start a PMHNP practice.

If you’d rather hand us the work, First Practice Launch sets up a first practice’s payers, EHR, portals and billing for $6,000, or four monthly payments of $1,500. Joining a clinic instead? New Provider Credentialing covers five commercial payers for $2,750 per provider, and you can start with one payer.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can A PMHNP Practice Independently In Alaska?

Yes. Alaska is a full practice state, and the APRN authorization rule requires graduate education, an Alaska RN license and national certification in your population focus, with no physician involvement (12 AAC 44.400). There’s no supervised hours period before you practice on your own.

Can A PMHNP Prescribe Adderall In Alaska?

Yes, with controlled substance authority from the board. 12 AAC 44.445 lets the board authorize Schedule II to V prescribing once you hold DEA registration and have completed two hours of pain management and opioid education in the prior two years. Stimulants are Schedule II, so you must check the Alaska PDMP before the first prescription and on the schedule in AS 17.30.200(k).

Do I Have To Check The PDMP Before Prescribing In Alaska?

Yes, for Schedule II and III. AS 17.30.200(k)(4) requires a review of the patient’s prescription records before prescribing, dispensing or administering a Schedule II or III drug, with exceptions for inpatient, emergency, surgery, hospice and three day supplies. The APRN rule adds a recheck at least every 30 days for the first 90 days and every three months after that (12 AAC 44.445).

This is general information, not legal advice. It applies the general nurse practitioner rules in Alaska to PMHNPs, and those rules aren’t the same for every role. Rules change, so check with the Alaska Board of Nursing and the AANP State Practice Environment map before you act on it. Last reviewed: September 26, 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.