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Requirements for Licensure as a Practical Nurse in Maine for Graduates of Nursing Schools Located in Canada

(As of January 1, 2003, Maine is no longer a
"walk-through" state for endorsements)

Licensing requirements for the practice of nursing are established individually by each state.

Applicants who are graduates of approved nursing education programs located in Canada need to meet the following requirements for Maine licensure:

  1. completion of an approved 4 year high school course of study or its equivalent,
  2. completion of a prescribed curriculum (including pharmacology) in an approved nursing education program preparing graduates for licensure as practical nurses and hold a diploma therefrom,
  3. have passed the Canadian Nurses' Association Testing Service Examination (CNATS) for practical nurse licensure or the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX®) for practical nurses,
  4. have been duly licensed by the province or state in which the examination was taken, and have been issued a U.S. Social Security number (SSN) (which can be obtained at the Social Security Administration office closest to you).

Applicants who have taken the CNATS in the French language are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to be eligible for licensure by endorsement. Information about the test may be obtained from TOEFL, PO Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151, U.S.A, (609)771-7760. The official score report must be sent directly to this office by the testing center. The TOEFL code number for the Maine State Board of Nursing is 9913.

In order for the Board of Nursing to determine your eligibility to become licensed in Maine, the procedure is as follows:

  1. you must submit a completed application (including SSN if you already have one) and the required application fee in U.S. currency.

    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:___________________________________

    Click here for the LPN/LVN application (pdf document)

  2. you must request your school of nursing to send directly to our office an official transcript of your student final record, in English, showing theory and correlated clinical experience.
  3. you must request the licensing authority from the province or state where you wrote your licensing examination to send verification of your original practical nurse license directly to our office.

    Click here for the Maine verification form (pdf document)

Maine State law requires a U.S. Social Security number (SSN) for state tax purposes. After all required documents (completed application and fee, verification form, and transcript) are received and reviewed in our office, a letter will be issued to you stating that your application is complete with the exception of the SSN so that you may apply for one. A letter of employment from the facility that hires you would also be acceptable for applying for the SSN.

If you were licensed through a provincial exam, and/or do not meet educational requirements, you will be required to write the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX®).

You may not be employed as a practical nurse in Maine until all licensure requirements have been completed and approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing.