Licensing & Renewals

Information for Licensure by Endorsement for Practical Nurses (LPN)

Qualifications for Applicants

The Board of Nursing may issue a license to practice as a practical nurse in Maine if an applicant meets all of the following qualifications:

1. is a graduate of an educational program in practical nursing approved by the official approving authority in another state or territory of the United States, and
   
2. 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, and
   
3. meets qualifications comparable to those required in Maine at the time of the applicant's graduation.

Application

• The application:

  • must be complete
  • must be notarized
    
  • must have a recent passport size (approximately 2 inches by 2 inches) original photograph (not more than 2 years old), signed and dated on the back
    
  • must be accompanied by the required fee of $50.00 made payable to Treasurer of State of Maine. The FEE is not refundable.
  
  Click here for the LPN/LVN application (pdf document)
  
  We now accept Visa/MasterCard! (Please print this page and include it with your application.)

  Please provide the following:

  CREDIT CARD # _______________________________

  CREDIT CARD EXPIRATION: (mm/yy)___/___
  
  YOUR BILLING ADDRESS:
  ______________________________________________

  ______________________________________________
  
  ______________________________________________

  SIGNATURE:___________________________________
  

• Abandonment of Application
  An application for licensure by endorsement shall be considered to be abandoned if the applicant has not completed requirements for licensure within a two (2) year period from the date of receipt of the application. An abandoned application will be destroyed, and any subsequent application shall be considered to be a new application.
  

Verification of Original Licensure

• 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.
  
  Click here for the Maine verification form (pdf document)
  
  
• Exceptions: If original licensure is in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia-PN Wisconsin or Wyoming.
  
  Click here to process the NURSYS License Verification Request Form Online.

Examination:

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. Registering online is the quickest way to register with the testing service. You may contact Vue Pearson, the current test vendor, at 1-866-496-2539, Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. U.S. central time, or go to www.pearsonvue.com/nclex.

Practice Pending Licensure in Maine

An applicant for licensure by endorsement may practice practical nursing in Maine for a period of 90 days from receipt by the Board of Nursing of the application and fee provided such applicant:

1. is currently licensed in another state or territory,
   
2. possesses the official receipt from the Board of Nursing prior to employment, as stated in the law, and has provided the prospective employer evidence, in the form of such receipt, that a properly completed application has been submitted and that the total endorsement fee has been paid,
   
3. has provided the employer evidence of current licensure in another state or territory.

Issuance of License

After the application has been approved, verification from the state or territory of original licensure has been received, and the endorsement fee has been paid, an applicant shall be issued a license to practice as a practical nurse in Maine. This original license shall be in effect from the date of issue for a period of at least one (1) year.