A summary of Maine’s collaboration, agreement, filing, supervision, prescribing, and specialty rules for NPs and the physicians who collaborate with them.
Collaborating Physician Required? Yes, temporarily
Physician Involvement: Low
Agreement Name: None
On-Site Requirements: None
Chart Review: Not required
Controlled Substances: Allowed, Schedules II–V
Reduced Supervision / Transition Requirements:
Independent practice after 24 months of supervised practice.
Maine NP Collaboration Requirements Summary
Maine NPs must practice under supervision for their first 24 months, after which they may practice independently. The supervisor can be a licensed physician, a qualified supervising NP, or — in a clinic or hospital — a physician medical director; Maine requires no formal written collaborative agreement, only a registered supervisory relationship documenting that the NP will practice within their scope. Supervision is light — no required meetings, chart review, or on-site presence — and Maine NPs are independently responsible for the care they provide.
Source: 32 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 2102(2-A)
Type of Collaborative Relationship
Maine NPs must practice under supervision for their first 24 months, then may practice independently. The supervisor can be a licensed physician, a qualified supervising NP, or — in a clinic or hospital — a physician medical director, and Maine sets no ratio limit, meeting cadence, chart-review count, or on-site requirement. After completing 24 months of supervised practice, the NP has full independent practice authority.
Source: 32 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 2102(2-A)
What is an NP’s scope of practice in Maine?
Maine NPs (advanced practice registered nurses) are independently responsible for the health care services they provide within their scope — defined by their education, specialty certification, and licensure. For their first 24 months, they practice under a supervisory relationship; after that, they practice independently.
Do NPs need a collaborating physician in Maine?
Only temporarily, and not necessarily a physician. For the first 24 months, an NP must practice under a supervisory relationship with a licensed physician or a qualified supervising NP, or be employed by a clinic or hospital with a physician medical director. After 24 months, no supervisor is required.
Can NPs practice independently in Maine?
Yes, after 24 months. An NP who completes 24 months of supervised practice may practice independently, with full authority and no supervisor. Maine NPs are independently responsible for the care they provide.
How many NPs can a physician supervise in Maine?
No limit. Maine sets no ratio cap on how many NPs a supervisor may oversee.
Who can be a collaborating physician in Maine?
A licensed physician or a qualified supervising NP practicing in the same practice category may serve as the supervisor; in a clinic or hospital, a physician medical director satisfies the requirement. A supervising NP must have independent practice authority, at least 5 years of NP practice in the same specialty, 10 years in a clinical health care field, and Board approval.
Are there proximity or in-person requirements in Maine?
No, Maine sets no geographic, travel, or on-site presence requirement.
Collaboration Agreement Requirements
Maine does not require a written collaborative agreement. Instead, the NP registers a supervisory relationship with the Board and documents that they will practice within their scope of practice, defined by their education, specialty certification, and licensure. There is no state template, and no signature, storage, backup-provider, or review requirement.
Source: Me. Code of Regs. 02.380.008(2)(2)(C)
What must be included in an NP collaborative agreement in Maine?
No formal agreement is required. Maine requires documentation of the supervisory relationship showing that the NP will work within their scope of practice — defined by educational preparation, specialty certification, and type of licensure.
What is the collaborative agreement called in Maine?
There is no named agreement. Maine requires a registered supervisory relationship rather than a formal collaborative agreement.
Who has to sign the collaborative agreement in Maine?
No one — Maine sets no signature requirement, because no written agreement is required. A supervisor does sign the verification form confirming completion of the 24 months.
How often must the agreement be reviewed or renewed in Maine?
There is no review or renewal requirement, since Maine does not require a written agreement.
Is a backup physician required in Maine?
No, Maine does not require a backup physician.
Board Filing Requirements
Maine does not require a collaborative agreement to be filed, but it does require the NP to register the supervisory relationship with the Board as part of the initial authority-to-practice process. The NP registers, changes, or terminates supervisors through the Board’s online portal, and there are no recurring filing requirements. To gain independent status, the NP submits a supervisor’s letter verifying the 24 months.
Source: Me. Code of Regs. 02.380.008(2)(2)(D)(1)
Do you have to file the collaborative agreement with the board in Maine?
No collaborative agreement is filed, but the NP must register the supervisory relationship. The applicant obtains an application from the Board to register the supervisory relationship as part of the initial authority-to-practice process, and adds or updates supervisors through the Board’s online portal.
Can an NP start practicing as soon as they file in Maine?
Maine is silent on whether an NP may practice immediately upon filing. The NP must register the supervisory relationship as part of the initial authority-to-practice process; the state does not specify a wait for approval.
What are the termination and notice requirements in Maine?
Maine handles supervisor changes and terminations through the Board’s online portal. To end a supervisory relationship and move to independent practice, the NP uploads a letter from the supervisor verifying completion of the 24 months (with exact start and end dates), and the Board updates the license status.
Collaboration Compliance
Maine imposes essentially no ongoing supervision mechanics. There is no required meeting cadence, availability standard, chart review, chart co-signing, or documentation requirement during the supervised period; the supervisor’s role is simply to oversee that the NP practices within their scope.
Source: Me. Code of Regs. 02.380.008
How many charts must a collaborating physician review in Maine?
There is no fixed number. Maine does not require chart review or chart co-signing.
How often must an NP and collaborating physician meet in Maine?
There is no set cadence. Maine does not require scheduled meetings or set an availability standard.
How long must collaboration records be kept in Maine?
Maine sets no specific retention requirement for supervision records. To gain independent status, though, the NP must obtain and submit a supervisor’s letter verifying the 24 months of supervised practice, with exact start and end dates.
Prescribing Rules
Maine NPs may prescribe, including controlled substances in Schedules II–V, and need only a federal DEA registration — no state controlled-substance registration or extra credential. Prescribing is limited to Schedules II through V regardless of the schedules listed on the DEA certificate.
Source: Me. Code of Regs. 02.380.008(7)(1)(B)
Can an NP prescribe controlled substances in Maine?
Yes. Maine NPs may prescribe controlled drugs in Schedules II/IIN, III/IIIN, IV, and V, using a federal DEA registration; no additional state credential is required.
Can an NP prescribe Schedule II drugs in Maine?
Yes. Maine NPs may prescribe Schedule II (including IIN) controlled substances with a federal DEA registration.
What schedule drugs can an NP prescribe in Maine?
Maine NPs may prescribe controlled drugs in Schedules II/IIN, III/IIIN, IV, and V, plus non-controlled prescription drugs. Regardless of the schedules listed on the DEA certificate, prescribing is limited to Schedules II through V.
Does an NP need a DEA license in Maine?
Yes, for controlled substances. A federal DEA registration is required to prescribe controlled substances; Maine does not require a separate state controlled-substance registration.
Can an NP prescribe independently in Maine?
Yes. Maine does not require a supervisor to co-sign prescriptions, and after 24 months of supervised practice the NP prescribes independently. During the supervised period, the NP prescribes under their own authority within their scope.
Specialty & Telehealth Requirements
Maine sets no telehealth-specific or specialty-specific collaboration requirement in the source. Notably, Maine’s rules make clear the NP — not the supervisor — is independently responsible and accountable for the care they provide.
Source: Me. Code of Regs. 02.380.008(1)(3)(A)
Are there telehealth or telemedicine requirements for NPs in Maine?
No, Maine sets no telehealth-specific collaboration requirements.
Are there specialty-specific requirements for NPs in Maine?
No, Maine sets no specialty-specific requirements, though the supervisor must practice in the same practice category as the NP.
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