Overview
The Maine State Board of Nursing believes that nursing is a service that evolves from the health care needs of society, and that consumer participation in the regulatory process is valuable in assuring greater responsiveness to the public’s needs. Nursing regulation should exist solely to protect the public health, safety and welfare,. It should be at the least restrictive level to ensure public safety and be administered in a cost effective and cost conscious manner. Consumers have a right to expect practitioners of nursing to meet ethical, professional and legal standards. Consumers of nursing services can best be protected through the appropriate use of the Board’s authority to investigate complaints, conduct hearings and impose sanctions.
Registered Nursing (RN) Licensure by Examination
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Submit application form completed in ink or typewritten and properly notarized with signature in applicant’s handwriting.
- Submit fee of $75.00 in the form of Visa/MasterCard, U.S. check or money order in U.S. funds, made payable to the Treasurer of State of Maine.
- Recent passport type photograph (2×2 and not more than two years old), signed and dated, and enclosed with the application form.
- Provide transcripts (for out of state programs only).
- Send the completed application to:
MAINE STATE BOARD OF NURSING
161 Capitol Street • 158 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0158
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Examination
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Submit application form completed in ink or typewritten and properly notarized with signature in applicant’s handwriting.
- Submit fee of $50.00 in the form of Visa/MasterCard, U.S. check or money order in U.S. funds, made payable to the Treasurer of State of Maine.
- Recent passport type photograph (2×2 and not more than two years old), signed and dated, and enclosed with the application form.
- Provide transcripts (for out of state programs only).
- Send the completed application to:
MAINE STATE BOARD OF NURSING
161 Capitol Street • 158 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0158
Registered Nursing (RN) Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Applicant has graduated from an educational program of study of not less than 2 years in an approved program in professional nursing and holds a degree, diploma or certificate
- Applicant has been duly licensed by examination, in English, in another state or territory of the United States, such examination is acceptable to the Maine State Board of Nursing, and such license has not been encumbered.
- Applicant meets qualifications comparable to those required in Maine at the time of the applicant’s graduation.
- Submit application form completed in ink or typewritten and properly notarized with signature in applicant’s handwriting.
- Submit fee of $75 in the form of Visa/MasterCard, U.S. check or money order in U.S. funds, made payable to the Treasurer of State of Maine.
- Recent passport type photograph (2×2 and not more than two years old), signed and dated, and enclosed with the application form.
- Original source transcripts are required if you were prepared in a foreign country or completed a generic to master accelerated program and otherwise only on request after review of application.
- Send the completed application to:
MAINE STATE BOARD OF NURSING
161 Capitol Street • 158 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0158
- Submit verification of licensure form. The verification form:
- Must be sent to your original state or territory of licensure.
- Must be sent to any country outside of the United States and its territories where the applicant has been licensed.
- Must be accompanied by any fee required by the state or territory of original licensure. You may check with your original state of licensure for this information.
- Must be completed by your original state or territory of licensure and sent directly to the Maine State Board of Nursing.
- Exceptions: If original licensure is in Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisianan-RN, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia-PN, Wisconsin or Wyoming, get verified through NURSYS.
Click here to process the NURSYS License Verification Request Form Online.
- A transcript from the applicant’s school of nursing is required if:
- The applicant has completed the certificate portion of a generic to master’s in nursing program (a copy of your certificate is also required).
- The applicant has completed a licensed practical nurse to registered professional nurse transition program (both L.P.N. and R.N. transcripts are required).
- The applicant’s original state of licensure does not provide nursing program information on the verification form.
- The applicant’s nursing preparation was outside of the United States and its territories.
- If you are applying for licensure by endorsement and have not taken NCLEX®, you must apply to the testing vendor to register to take the examination. The fee is $200.00.
For more information on RN licensure by endorsement, click here.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Applicant has graduated from an educational program in practical nursing approved by the official approving authority in another state or territory of the United States.
- Applicant has been duly licensed by an examination, in English, in another state or territory of the United States, such examination is acceptable to the Maine State Board of Nursing, and such license has not been encumbered.
- Applicant meets qualifications comparable to those required in Maine at the time of the applicant’s graduation.
- Submit application form completed in ink or typewritten and properly notarized with signature in applicant’s handwriting.
- Submit fee of $50.00 in the form of Visa/MasterCard, U.S. check or money order in U.S. funds, made payable to the Treasurer of State of Maine.
- Recent passport type photograph (2×2 and not more than two years old), signed and dated, and enclosed with the application form.
- Original source transcripts are required if you were prepared in a foreign country or completed a generic to master accelerated program and otherwise only on request after review of application.
- Send the completed application to:
MAINE STATE BOARD OF NURSING
161 Capitol Street • 158 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0158
- Submit verification of licensure form
- Any fee for verification required by the state or territory of original licensure must be paid by the applicant.
- Exceptions: If original licensure is in Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisianan-RN, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia-PN, Wisconsin or Wyoming, get verified through NURSYS.
- If you are applying for licensure by endorsement and have not taken NCLEX®, you must apply to the testing vendor to register to take the examination. The fee is $200.00.
For more information about licensure as an LPN by endorsement, click here
For more information visit the official Maine State Board of Nursing website.