Alaska Nurse Practitioner Licensing Process (APRN)

Other Critical Steps

Fingerprinting

In order for your RN license to be granted, you must have fingerprints taken for a federal background check. The steps to this process are listed below:

• Visit the BON home page.
  • Locate the “Fingerprint” Request” section of the right-hand side of the page.
  • Log into (or if necessary create) your MyAlaska Account.
  • Once logged in, provide your address information for fingerprinting request and they will send you a card to complete and return.

The Alaska Board of Nursing has very specific guidelines about the fingerprinting cards. Be sure to follow the BON’s instructions, which can be accessed at this link. If your fingerprints are not clear enough, or if you send the wrong kind of card back, you will experience significant delays in your license being granted.

DEA Registration

You will need an Alaska address on your DEA license. This is not a prerequisite for your APRN license to be granted, but you will need to register your DEA license in Alaska prior to starting work in the state in order to prescribe legally.

There are two ways to ensure you have a DEA license registered in the state you will work in. Some providers decide to purchase an additional DEA license to devote to locums work, but most choose to simply transfer their existing DEA license to Alaska immediately prior to their assignment starting. Whichever path you choose, you can apply for a new license or make changes to your existing DEA registration at the DEA website.

Keep in mind if you choose to transfer your existing DEA license to a new state, the process can take up to 5 business days so you must account for that transition time.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

Any provider with prescriptive authority is required to register with the PDMP in Alaska. This can be done online for free on the PDMP website.

We recommend reading this guide to help you get started with the process of registering with the PDMP.

Business License

Even though your business license is not required to practice medicine in Alaska, it is required to do business as a locum tenens independent contractor.

You will need both an Alaska business license and an Alaska professional license in order to work as an independent contractor with WMS. Please note that you must have your AK business license in place before your first assignment begins. Most providers choose to set up a simple Assumed Business Name (sole proprietorship) for their contract work, but some create LLCs or register existing LLCs in Alaska as foreign entities. We suggest you discuss this decision with a Certified Public Accountant if you have questions about tax implications for busines type.

• To setup a sole proprietorship, visit this website
  • Your primary line of business should be “62-Health Care and Social Assistance”
  • Your NAICS code should be 621999.
• Registering an LLC or other Corporation
  • If you have an existing LLC that you would like to register in Alaska, or want to form a new Corporation, you can get started on this page.
  • Forms and Fees page is where you will choose your type of corporation and begin filing. Remember to select the “Foreign” option if you are registering a corporation from outside Alaska.