North Dakota DEA registration and controlled substance licensing

DEA lists North Dakota under "One License Requirement" on its page "Medical State Licensure and/or Controlled Substance Licensure". A DEA registration depends on authority to dispense controlled substances under North Dakota law.

Facts

DEA listing
DEA lists North Dakota under: One License Requirement
Note
DEA's page titles this column 'One License Requirement'.

DEA: Medical State Licensure and/or Controlled Substance Licensure

Moving to or adding North Dakota

  • Get the North Dakota license first.
  • Then apply for or update the DEA registration for North Dakota. Per the DEA Registration Q&A, a separate DEA registration is needed in each state where you practice and dispense controlled substances.
  • DEA registration page

NPs and PAs

DEA treats NPs and PAs as mid-level practitioners. Authority comes from state law, so check the North Dakota board.

Decision checklist for North Dakota

  • Describe the proposed professional practice location and dispensing work in North Dakota.
  • Compare that location with the principal-place registration rule in 21 CFR 1301.12.
  • Resolve the state authorization question independently of the federal registration application.

The DEA Registration Q&A separately explains registration for practices in different states. The state listing is a flag to verify, not a complete description of an individual clinician’s authority.

Find your state board (FSMB directory)

Neighbors

1 of the 3 bordering states are listed with a second-CS-license flag: South Dakota.

The count is the number of named qualifying neighbors out of all listed land/river neighbors. Open-water-only and point-only contacts are excluded; a neighboring status does not grant practice authority here.

In this state, in context

BLS OEWS May 2025 annual mean employee wages — physicians, all other: $406,630; nurse practitioners: $126,370; physician assistants: $130,930. The physician row is the broad “physicians, all other” category, not an average for all physicians or a particular specialty. These are employee wage estimates, not total compensation or contract rates.

North Dakota physicians, all other pay · North Dakota nurse practitioners pay · North Dakota physician assistants pay · North Dakota nurse anesthetists pay

Sources

General information, not legal or insurance advice. Confirm details with the state board, DEA, or the carrier.

Frequently asked questions

How does DEA list North Dakota?

DEA lists North Dakota under "One License Requirement" on its page "Medical State Licensure and/or Controlled Substance Licensure". DEA's page titles this column 'One License Requirement'.

Do I need a separate DEA registration for North Dakota?

According to the DEA Registration Q&A, a practitioner with practices in two states needs a separate DEA registration in each state, because controlled substance privileges and limits are determined by that state.

Can NPs and PAs prescribe controlled substances in North Dakota?

DEA treats NPs and PAs as mid-level practitioners, and their authority comes from state law. Check the North Dakota board.

How many neighbors of North Dakota are listed with a second-CS-license flag?

1 of the 3 bordering states are listed with a second-CS-license flag: South Dakota.

Can the North Dakota wage links establish permission to practice?

No. The linked BLS state wage estimates describe employee wages, not licensing, compact privileges or prescribing authority. Confirm the North Dakota board’s requirements separately.