The act that defines APRN practice in Maine
The compact decides whether you may practice in Maine. What APRN practice actually means here — scope, titles, what you may do and delegate — is set by Maine’s own nurse practice act, Maine nursing licensure law (Board of Nursing), and interpreted by the Maine State Board of Nursing. Two states can both recognize your license and still differ on what you may do with it.
Where Maine stands on the APRN Compact
We have found no APRN compact law on Maine’s books. Read that as a floor rather than a census: our own research turned up two jurisdictions that the published member lists we checked had omitted, so “we have not found it” is the honest claim rather than “it is not there”. Either way no APRN is practicing across state lines on that compact today, Maine included.
The compact does not cover APRN roles
The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses. It does not cover APRN authorization — NPs, CRNAs, CNSs, and CNMs. That has been the case since the compact began and applies in every state.
What that means in Maine
Maine is a compact state, so your underlying RN license can be a multistate license. But your APRN authority sits on top of that RN license and is not part of the compact — to practice as an APRN in another state, you generally need that state’s APRN authorization, granted by its board. Confirm specifics with the Maine State Board of Nursing.
The separate APRN Compact
A distinct APRN Compact has been drafted to do for advanced practice what the NLC does for RNs and LPNs/LVNs, but it is not yet operational. Until enough states join and it is implemented, APRN privileges do not cross state lines automatically.