Maine Nursing Home Administrator License Requirements

If you want to run a nursing home in Maine, the license you apply for today has a new name. Since 27 August 2024 the Board issues no new Nursing Home Administrator licenses (02-371 CMR Ch. 25 §2). New candidates get the Multi-Level Long Term Care Facility Administrator license instead, which covers nursing homes, multi-level facilities and residential care facilities and takes three NAB exams, not two. Administrators who already hold a Maine Nursing Home Administrator license can keep renewing it.

nhaexamprep.com · updated September 2026

Maine at a glance

License for new candidates	Multi-Level Long Term Care Facility Administrator (02-371 CMR Ch. 23). The Board has issued no new Nursing Home Administrator licenses since 27 August 2024 (Ch. 25 §2); existing ones still renew
Who licenses	The Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board (32 M.R.S. §63-A), in the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Department of Professional and Financial Regulation
Education	A bachelor’s degree in health care, long-term care or business administration or a health or social services field, or any bachelor’s plus a long-term care administration certificate or 12 semester hours (at least 6 in management, the rest in health care) (Ch. 23 §3(1))
AIT requirement	1,000 hours, completed in 6 to 12 months, with 40 to 160 hours outside 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Ch. 22 §4). See the AIT below
National exams	Three NAB exams: CORE, NHA Line of Service and RCAL (Residential Care/Assisted Living) Line of Service (Ch. 23 §2); $670 for the three, paid to NAB
State exam	None named: Ch. 23 §2 names only the NAB exams. Maine’s former rules, from before the 2024 rules, had a Board-written state exam. Ask the Board whether an endorsement applicant takes any other exam
Continuing education	24 hours each year, 1 July to 30 June; not required for your first renewal (Ch. 28 §3)
License renewal	Every year; licenses expire 30 June (Ch. 28 §1); $200
Official sources	maine.gov (the Board) · 02-371 CMR rules · 32 M.R.S. Chapter 2 · nabweb.org (national exams)

Verified against the sources above, September 2026. Where older Board pages or forms differ from the 2024 rules, this page follows the rules. Confirm with the Board before you apply.

Who licenses you in Maine

The Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board licenses administrators in Maine. It sits in the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, and has 7 members appointed by the governor (32 M.R.S. §63-A). Its statute is 32 M.R.S. Chapter 2 (§§61 to 69), and its rules are 02-371 CMR, Chs. 20 to 30, adopted with effect from 27 August 2024.

It also licenses Residential Care Facility Administrators (Ch. 26), temporary administrators (Ch. 27) and AITs (Ch. 22).

Website	The Board’s page · Laws and rules
Mail	35 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0035
Phone	(207) 624-8617 or (207) 592-0434
License lookup	Search Maine licensees

What Maine requires for a license

New candidates apply for the Multi-Level Long Term Care Facility Administrator license by examination. The Board’s licensing page still lists “Nursing Home Administrator” among its license types, but the rule controls: “the board will no longer issue new nursing home administrator licenses” (Ch. 25 §2). The Board’s Applications & Forms page posts the Multi-Level application (rev. August 2025). Its licensing page still links an older August 2022 form that covers both the Nursing Home Administrator and Multi-Level licenses and lists the old 1,040-hour AIT. The current rules govern, so use the 2025 form for the Multi-Level license.

• Age. At least 21 (Ch. 23 §4).
• Education. A bachelor’s degree or higher in health care administration, long-term care administration, business administration, or a health or social services field; or a bachelor’s degree in any field plus either a certificate in long-term care administration or 12 semester hours, at least 6 of them in management and the rest in health care (Ch. 23 §3(1)).
• The AIT and the exams. A 1,000-hour AIT under Ch. 22, unless the Board waives it, and the CORE, NHA and RCAL exams from NAB (Ch. 23 §2).
• Paperwork. The application asks for proof of age, a criminal history record check, and verification of every license you hold or have ever held.

Already a Maine Nursing Home Administrator? You can keep renewing your license. To add the Multi-Level license, pass NAB’s “Residential Care/Assisted Living (RCAL) LOS Exam” (Ch. 25 §3).

The AIT: 1,000 hours in 6 to 12 months

The Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program is “1000 hours devoted solely to the training of the AIT”, completed in no less than 6 months and no more than 1 year (02-371 CMR Ch. 22 §4). Before the 2024 rules the program was 1,040 hours, so older guides and some older Board forms still show that figure.

• Outside office hours. A “minimum of 40 hours and a maximum of 160 hours” must be served outside 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (§4).
• Your own schedule. The rule sets the 6-month to 1-year window and no weekly schedule. The old rules’ full-time and part-time weekly schedules did not carry into the 2024 rules.
• More time. The Board can extend the 1-year limit for active military duty or “unforeseeable circumstances of genuine hardship as determined by the board” (§4).
• Approval first. You “may not practice as an AIT until the board has approved” your preceptor and issued your AIT license, and hours before then do not count (§1). The AIT license costs $125 plus $21 for the criminal history record check, lasts up to 1 year, and does not renew except for military service or hardship.
• What you learn. The program conforms, at a minimum, to the “National Administrator-in-Training Program” (§1) and covers resident care, personnel, financial, environmental and organizational management, plus laws, regulations, codes and governing boards (§3).
• Where you train. Your primary site must be a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID). With an SNF as primary, you spend at least 40 hours at each secondary site. With an ICF/IID as primary, you spend at least 480 hours at an SNF and at least 40 at a Level IV residential care facility (§5).
• Recent experience. If you work, or worked in the 2 years before your AIT, in a professional capacity in an SNF or ICF/IID, at most 40 AIT hours may go to that field (§5).
• Monthly reports. A progress report, co-signed by your preceptor, is due by the 10th of the following month (§6).

The waiver for an academic internship

The only relief from the AIT is a waiver. The Board may waive it, in whole or in part, if you completed, as part of an academic degree, an “internship or practicum that was substantially equivalent to an AIT Program” (Ch. 22 §2). The Board weighs its length, content, supervision and sites and your supervisor’s recommendation. The waiver is at the Board’s discretion: no degree program earns it automatically.

Who can be your preceptor

Under Ch. 22 §8 and Ch. 29, your preceptor must:

• have been continuously licensed by the Maine Board as a Nursing Home Administrator or Multi-Level administrator for the 5 years immediately before your AIT application, with “no lapse of licensure”;
• have worked full time in Maine at a licensed nursing facility, in a supervisory or executive long-term care role, for at least the 3 years immediately before your AIT application;
• have no discipline anywhere in the prior 5 years, and none during your program;
• have completed the “AIT Preceptor Module Course administered by NAB” (Ch. 29 §1) and a Board-approved course on the Board’s laws and rules, AIT forms and state long-term care regulations; “The board approves the program administered through the Maine Health Care Association” (Ch. 29 §2).

The Board may approve a “maximum of two AITs per preceptor at any one time” (Ch. 22 §8). A preceptor without an active license in the past 2 years must take the training again (Ch. 29 §4).

Other states: AIT Hours by State.

The exams you must pass

The Multi-Level license takes three exams from NAB, the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards: CORE, the NHA Line of Service exam and the RCAL Line of Service exam (Ch. 23 §2). The Board’s examinations page asks for “successful passage of the NHA as well as RC/AL Examinations.”

CORE	125 questions (100 scored, 25 pretest); 130 minutes to answer, within 150 minutes of seat time, per NAB’s candidate handbook
NHA Line of Service	75 questions (60 scored, 15 pretest); 70 minutes to answer, within 90 minutes of seat time, per NAB’s candidate handbook
RCAL Line of Service	75 questions (60 scored, 15 pretest); 70 minutes to answer, within 90 minutes of seat time, per NAB’s candidate handbook
Delivery	Pearson VUE
Attempts	Up to 4 attempts at each of CORE, NHA and RCAL per cycle (1 July to 30 June), from 1 January 2026 (NAB)
Fees	$480 for CORE and NHA together, paid to NAB, effective 1 February 2026, plus $190 for the RCAL exam on its own: $670 for all three (NAB candidate handbook). Fees include a non-refundable processing fee
Scores	NAB’s recommended passing score is a scaled 113 on each exam (NAB candidate handbook), and the Board sets its passing score after considering it; a passing score is “recognized by the board for a period of two (2) years” (Ch. 23 §2)

The Board approves you as a candidate before you register with NAB (Ch. 23 §3). More in NAB Exam Format and The Core Domains Explained.

No state exam named. The 2024 rules name no state exam or jurisprudence exam: Ch. 23 §2 names only the NAB exams, and neither the August 2025 application nor the Board’s examinations page mentions one. Maine’s former rules, from before the 2024 rules, required Nursing Home Administrator and Multi-Level applicants to pass “a state examination prepared and administered by the Board”, with a raw score of 75 percent, so older guides may say Maine has a state exam. Ask the Board whether an endorsement applicant takes any other exam.

Where the Maine rules differ from the federal rules

Once you run a Maine nursing facility, you answer to Maine’s nursing facility rules (10-144 CMR Ch. 110), and to 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, if the home is certified for Medicare or Medicaid. Five differences that matter on the job, each with the Maine section:

Topic	Federal rule (42 CFR 483)	Maine rule	Section
Direct-care staffing	No numeric ratio; the facility must have sufficient nursing staff on a 24-hour basis (483.35(a)(1)). CMS’s 2024 minimum staffing standards, which were never enforced, were repealed by an interim final rule effective 2 February 2026 (90 FR 55687)	Numeric ratios: on the day shift “one direct-care provider for every 5 residents”, on the evening shift 1 for every 10, and on the night shift 1 for every 15, counted against occupied beds	Ch. 110 §9.A.4
Registered nurse coverage	Licensed nurses on a 24-hour basis and a licensed charge nurse on each tour of duty (483.35(a)(1), (2)); a registered nurse “for at least 8 consecutive hours a day, 7 days a week” and a full-time RN director of nursing (483.35(b)), unless waived	Like the federal rule, a full-time RN director of nursing and an RN on duty at least 8 consecutive hours every day. Beyond it, a “Registered Professional Nurse on duty or on call at all times”, more licensed nurses as beds increase, and an RN on duty on the night shift in a facility of 100 or more beds	Ch. 110 §9.A.1.a, §9.A.3.a, §9.A.3.b, §9.A.3.d
Full-time administrator	An administrator appointed by the governing body and licensed by the State where licensing is required (483.70(d)(2)); no full-time requirement	A facility “larger than forty (40) beds” must have a full-time administrator; one of 40 beds or fewer may have a part-time administrator	Ch. 110 §4.A.5, §4.A.6.a
Sharing an administrator	Part 483 sets no cap on the facilities or beds one administrator may cover; 483.70(d)(2) requires only a licensed administrator appointed by the governing body	Nursing and assisted living facilities may share an administrator, with Department approval, if the administrator’s total beds do “not exceed one hundred (100)”; the Department may grant a written exception when administration is run from a central office	Ch. 110 §4.A.7.a, §4.A.7.b
Beds per room	No more than four residents per bedroom; no more than two in facilities whose construction or reconstruction plans were approved, or that were newly certified, after 28 November 2016 (483.90(e)(1)(i))	In “new facilities planned after July 1, 1994, no room shall have more than two (2) beds”; in other facilities, no more than four (4)	Ch. 110 §20.E.1.e

Abuse reporting in Maine, and what the federal rule adds. Maine already requires alleged abuse, neglect and mistreatment, including injuries of unknown source and misappropriation of resident property, to be “reported immediately” to the administrator and to officials under State law (Ch. 110 §4.J.1), and nurses, CNAs and other mandated reporters must report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of an incapacitated or dependent adult immediately by telephone to DHHS (22 M.R.S. §3477). In a certified home the federal rule adds deadlines: reports go to the administrator and to officials including the State Survey Agency “immediately, but not later than 2 hours” if the events involve abuse or result in serious bodily injury, and within 24 hours otherwise (483.12(c)(1)). The facility must also have policies ensuring that each covered individual reports any reasonable suspicion of a crime against a resident to the State Survey Agency and local law enforcement, as section 1150B of the Social Security Act requires (483.12(b)(5)).

Maine: 10-144 CMR Ch. 110 (official text from Maine DHHS), also on Justia’s mirror. Federal: 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, in the eCFR.

Fees

From the Board’s licensing page and AIT and temporary license page:

Multi-Level license (initial)	$200, plus $21 for the criminal history record check
AIT license	$125, plus $21 for the criminal history record check
Temporary administrator license	$125, plus $21 for the criminal history record check
License by endorsement	$200, plus $21 for the criminal history record check
Annual renewal	$200
Late renewal fee	$50, on top of the renewal fee

The August 2025 application totals $221 ($200 plus $21). By statute, the Board’s fees “may not exceed $200 annually” for each purpose (32 M.R.S. §67).

Continuing education: 24 hours a year

Nursing Home Administrators and Multi-Level administrators need “twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education between July 1 and June 30” (02-371 CMR Ch. 28 §3(1)(A)). Residential Care Facility Administrators need 16 hours a year, up from 12 before 2024 (§3(1)(B)).

• Your first renewal. No CE is due: the requirement “does not apply to an administrator’s first license renewal” (§3(2)).
• The cycle. Hours must fall between 1 July and 30 June, and Ch. 28 has no carryover provision.
• Subjects. No required topics. Courses must “relate to the domains of practice set by NAB” or those of other national bodies (§3(3)).
• Formats. Online courses count, but not the same course twice in one cycle (§3(3)).
• Hardship. You can ask in writing for a waiver or a deferral (§3(5)).

Renewal, late renewal and inactive status

All licenses except AIT and temporary licenses “expire annually on June 30th” (Ch. 28 §1; 32 M.R.S. §65). The Board sends a renewal notice about 60 days before, and you can renew online. Renewal is $200.

• Late renewal. Within 90 days after expiry, with a late fee (32 M.R.S. §65), currently $50 (Board licensing page).
• More than 90 days late. You apply again as a new applicant. The Board may waive the exam if you apply within 2 years of expiry (§65). The Board’s posted reinstatement forms (rev. August 2022) predate the 2024 rules and still ask for the old 1,040-hour AIT, so ask the Board which form to use.
• Inactive status. You can hold it for up to 5 consecutive years and may not work as an administrator in Maine while inactive. To return to active status, pay the renewal fee and show 24 CE hours (16 for Residential Care Facility Administrators) completed in the preceding 12 months (Ch. 28 §4).

Moving to Maine: endorsement, temporary licenses and military

Endorsement. The Board must license by endorsement under 10 M.R.S. §8003-H (32 M.R.S. §63-B(9)). You need a license in good standing from a jurisdiction with “substantially equivalent license requirements”, and you pay the fee. A jurisprudence exam can be required only if a law or rule requires one. The 2024 rules name only the NAB exams, so ask the Board whether an endorsement applicant takes any other exam. The Board’s endorsement page lists the fee and an annual license renewing 30 June, but not the criteria, so contact the Board before you apply.

Temporary license. A temporary administrator license lasts “for a period not to exceed one (1) year” and does not renew for the same person and facility except for hardship (Ch. 27 §1; 32 M.R.S. §63-B(3)). You must be 21 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent, and either be the facility’s current director of nursing with at least 1 year in that job, or have at least 2 years in a managerial position in a multi-level long term care facility within the 5 years before you apply. A Licensed Administrative Consultant supervises you and files monthly reports. The Board’s temporary license web page differs: it still shows a 90-day license under an older chapter, so this page follows the 2024 rule.

Military. Licensing boards must credit military education, training and service. Active duty service members, recently separated veterans and their spouses or domestic partners who hold a comparable license may be permitted a temporary license and can request a one-time 180-day extension (10 M.R.S. §8011).

Recent changes

• 27 August 2024. The current rules, Chs. 20 to 30, took effect, and a February 2024 notice proposed repealing the old Chapters 1 to 11; Ch. 28 §3(7) refers to “former Chapter 8”. The new rules set the 1,000-hour AIT, named the three NAB exams, added inactive status and left out the former rules’ state exam.
• 1 January 2026. NAB began capping the CORE, NHA and RCAL exams at 4 attempts each per cycle.

Where to find an AIT program or preceptor in Maine

There is no school program to enroll in. You arrange the AIT yourself: you choose a qualified preceptor and a training site, and the Board approves both before any of your hours count (Ch. 22 §1).

Maine Health Care Association. The Maine Health Care Association (MHCA) is a trade association, not a licensing source. Its preceptor course is the one the Board approves by name (Ch. 29 §2), and it posts a preceptor course manual (rev. March 2025).

LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire. LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire is the LeadingAge state partner, per its website.

NAB. Ch. 22 §1 requires your program to conform, at a minimum, to the “National Administrator-in-Training Program”; start with NAB’s AIT information page.

For approaching facilities and preceptors step by step, see How to Find an AIT Preceptor and an Approved Program.

The rules behind the Maine license

The legal sources for administrator licensure in Maine, and the facility rules cited above. The rule chapters link to Justia’s and Cornell’s mirrors of the official text.

• Statute32 M.R.S. Chapter 2: Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board
• Board rules02-371 CMR: Rules of the Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board (Chs. 20 to 30, effective 27 August 2024)
• License and examsCh. 23 §2 (exams) · Ch. 25 §2 (no new NHA licenses) · Ch. 25 §3 (adding Multi-Level)
• AIT and preceptorsCh. 22 §4 (hours) · Ch. 22 §5 (sites) · Ch. 22 §8 (preceptor)
• Renewal, CE and temporary licensesCh. 28 §3 (CE) · Ch. 28 §4 (inactive) · Ch. 27 §1 (temporary)
• The BoardBoard page · Licensing and fees · Examinations · Multi-Level application (rev. August 2025)
• Facility rules10-144 CMR Ch. 110 (official text, Maine DHHS) · Justia mirror
• National examsNAB exam information · NAB AIT information
• Federal rule42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B (eCFR)

Citations verified against official sources and the labeled mirrors, September 2026. Provided for reference, not legal advice; the current official text governs. Mirrors are labeled.

Common questions