NP Resources & Guides

Georgia is a restricted-practice state where nurse practitioners must maintain a written nurse protocol agreement with a delegating physician under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Ch. 410-11. APRNs may prescribe Schedule III–V controlled substances; Schedule II is generally prohibited except a narrow emergency exception for hydrocodone and oxycodone. The delegating physician must practice within Georgia or 50 miles of the protocol site. According to NP Collaborator's Fair Price Report, the Georgia median collaborating physician cost is $649 per month based on 50+ signed contracts.

Delaware is a full practice authority state where APRNs complete a two-year, 4,000-hour transitional collaborative practice period before applying for independent practice. During the collaborative phase, APRNs may prescribe legend drugs and Schedule II–V controlled substances with a Delaware Controlled Substance Registration and DEA registration. Collaborative agreements are maintained on file, not pre-approved by any committee. After meeting both thresholds, APRNs apply to the APRN Committee for independent practice authority. The national collaborating physician cost benchmark is $549 per month.

Arizona is a full practice authority state where nurse practitioners can independently diagnose, treat, and prescribe — including Schedule II–V controlled substances — without a state-mandated collaborating physician agreement. Practice is governed by the Arizona Nurse Practice Act (A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 15) and Arizona Board of Nursing rules. Federal DEA registration and Arizona CSPMP enrollment are required for controlled-substance prescribing. Many NPs still use collaborating physicians for operational, specialty, or payer reasons. The national collaborating physician cost benchmark is $549 per month.

South Carolina is a restricted-practice state requiring all Nurse Practitioners to maintain a current written practice agreement with a collaborating physician under S.C. Code § 40-47-195. NPs prescribe Schedules II-V within scope defined in their agreement. Schedule II narcotics limited to 5-day supply (30-day in hospice/palliative/LTC); subsequent narcotic prescriptions require physician's written agreement. Physicians can supervise maximum 6 FTE clinicians. Must be actively practicing in South Carolina. Biennial CE requires 20 hours pharmacotherapeutics including 2 hours on controlled substances. Fair Price median: $549/month.

Colorado grants nurse practitioners full practice authority under the Board of Nursing. Before prescribing independently, NPs must complete a 750-hour prescribing mentorship during a Provisional Prescriptive Authority period with a physician or full-authority APRN mentor. Once complete, NPs prescribe Schedules II–V controlled substances independently with DEA registration. Colorado imposes no physician ratio cap, no geographic proximity requirement, and permits remote telehealth mentorship. No ongoing physician relationship is required after obtaining full prescriptive authority.

Hawaii is a full practice authority state where APRNs practice independently without a required collaborating physician. Under HRS §457-8.6, APRNs with APRN-Rx credentials prescribe legend drugs and Schedule II–V controlled substances independently. Obtaining APRN-Rx requires 30 contact hours of advanced pharmacology education. Licenses renew biennially by June 30 of odd-numbered years, requiring 30 CE hours including eight in pharmacology.

Connecticut is a full practice authority state where APRNs must complete a three-year, 2,000-hour collaborative practice period with a Connecticut-licensed physician before practicing independently. During this transition, a written collaborative agreement is required for prescriptive authority, specifying authorized Schedule II and III controlled substances. After meeting both thresholds, APRNs notify the Department of Public Health and transition to full independence. No geographic proximity requirement exists for collaboration. The national collaborating physician cost benchmark is $549 per month.

Tennessee is a restricted-practice state requiring all Nurse Practitioners to hold a Certificate of Fitness from the Tennessee Board of Nursing and maintain a written Collaborative Management Agreement with a licensed physician under Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-7-123. Collaborating physicians must personally review at least 20% of NP charts every 30 days and visit remote sites at least every 30 days. Written protocols reviewed every two years. NPs prescribe Schedule II-V within formulary scope using personal DEA number. Fair Price: $649/month median.

Wisconsin's APRN practice landscape is defined by a critical transition. Through August 31, 2026, all APNPs must maintain a documented collaborative relationship with a physician or dentist under Wis. Stat. ch. 441 and Wis. Admin. Code ch. N 8. The APRN Modernization Act, effective September 1, 2026, introduces an independence pathway—but only after satisfying dual 3,840-hour requirements with Board-approved documentation. Wisconsin imposes no ratio caps or geographic restrictions, tracks gabapentin alongside Schedules II–V in the ePDMP, and requires ongoing physician collaboration for invasive pain management outside hospitals regardless of independence status.

Wyoming offers nurse practitioners full independent practice authority, with no physician oversight or collaborative practice agreement required. NPs may evaluate, diagnose, order tests, and prescribe Schedule II–V controlled substances when they maintain an APRN license, Wyoming Controlled Substance Registration, and federal DEA registration. Key compliance obligations include renewing the state controlled substance credential every two years, completing three hours of controlled-substance-or-substance-abuse-treatment CE biennially, fulfilling one-time federal MATE Act training, and querying PMP AWARxE before controlled-substance prescribing.

Washington ARNPs generally practice without a required collaborating physician, as state law recognizes independent authority under RCW 18.79.050 and WAC 246-840-300. ARNPs may evaluate, diagnose, treat, and prescribe within scope, including Schedule II–V controlled substances, provided DEA registration is active. Compliance obligations include a one-time 4-hour opioid prescribing CE, individual PMP registration, mandatory electronic prescribing for controlled substances since January 2022, and federal MATE Act training. Voluntary physician collaboration remains common for specialty consultation or credentialing.

West Virginia is a restricted-practice state requiring NPs to maintain a notarized, board-filed collaborative practice agreement under W. Va. Code § 30-7-15b for prescriptive authority. Schedule II narcotics are statutorily capped at a three-day supply, with no exceptions. NPs must register with the CSMP, hold DEA registration, and complete MATE Act training. After three years of documented collaborative practice, NPs may apply for independent prescriptive authority, though CS registration and the Schedule II limit remain in effect.