Public service announcement: If you have not renewed your DEA certification since 2023, there is a new requirement that you have to complete 8 hours of controlled substance training prior to renewal.
Something to keep in mind about being a travel NP is that you can only use your DEA certification one state/location at a time. So, after practicing in Colorado, I needed to transfer my DEA to Florida. Normally the agency I work with does this for me. However, I did it myself this time since I am working with a new agency.
You just have to go on the DEA website and change the address of practice on file. I forgot it can take a few weeks for it to become effective. Pretty much, I had to wait for the FL DEA office to approve the transfer.
I had already started my assignment before my DEA was active in FL. Luckily, I hadn’t needed to prescribe any controlled substances yet. It took 3 weeks for my DEA to become active in FL.
I know a locums nurse practitioner that has two separate DEA certifications so that she can keep one in each state she practices. She usually goes back and forth between two states to work without much notice so this works for her. This requires two separate registrations with the DEA.
This is something to keep in mind if you are not taking any time off between assignments and plan to work in a different state right after your current assignment.
Hi, I just took my first assignment and learned that a DEA is required. I do not have one. Can I wait to apply after I receive my license in the state I am traveling to? Or do you have to obtain a DEA in your “home” state and then transfer to another state?