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Certified Nurse Midwife — CNM
Certified Nurse Midwife licensing requires a graduate degree from an ACME-accredited program and passing the AMCB certification exam. Practice authority ranges from full independence to restricted practice with collaborative agreements. Prescriptive authority and scope of practice vary significantly by state.
51
Total States
26
Full Practice Authority
25
Require Collaboration
24.2 hrs
Avg CE Hours
CNM licensing involves earning a graduate degree, obtaining AMCB certification, and meeting state-specific practice authority and prescriptive requirements.
All CNMs must pass the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) certification exam. This requires graduation from an ACME-accredited midwifery program. Certification must be maintained through continuing education and periodic recertification.
Practice authority for CNMs ranges from 'Full' (independent practice without a collaborative agreement) to 'Reduced' (some collaboration required) to 'Restricted' (physician supervision required). The trend is toward full practice authority in more states.
Most states grant CNMs prescriptive authority including controlled substances. The scope of prescriptive authority, including controlled substance scheduling and DEA registration requirements, varies by state and practice authority level.
Side-by-side fees, hours, exams, and timelines across all 50 states. Sort by cost, hours, or any column.
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Click any state to see full requirements, costs, and step-by-step instructions →
| State | Practice Authority | AMCB | Prescriptive Auth | CE Hours | Total Fees | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama(AL) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 24 | $175 | high |
| Alaska(AK) | Full | Yes | Yes | 30 | $200 | high |
| Arizona(AZ) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $150 | high |
| Arkansas(AR) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 15 | $125 | high |
| California(CA) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 30 | $150 | high |
| Colorado(CO) | Full | Yes | Yes | 20 | $75 | high |
| Connecticut(CT) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $200 | high |
| Delaware(DE) | Full | Yes | Yes | 30 | $255 | high |
| District of Columbia(DC) | Full | Yes | Yes | 24 | $179 | high |
| Florida(FL) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 24 | $110 | high |
| Georgia(GA) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 30 | $125 | high |
| Hawaii(HI) | Full | Yes | Yes | 30 | $160 | high |
| Idaho(ID) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $120 | high |
| Illinois(IL) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 20 | $125 | high |
| Indiana(IN) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $50 | high |
| Iowa(IA) | Full | Yes | Yes | 36 | $81 | high |
| Kansas(KS) | Full | Yes | Yes | 30 | $150 | high |
| Kentucky(KY) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 14 | $330 | high |
| Louisiana(LA) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 30 | $100 | high |
| Maine(ME) | Full | Yes | Yes | 50 | $100 | high |
| Maryland(MD) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $50 | high |
| Massachusetts(MA) | Full | Yes | Yes | 15 | $150 | high |
| Michigan(MI) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 25 | $200 | high |
| Minnesota(MN) | Full | Yes | Yes | 24 | $105 | high |
| Mississippi(MS) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $100 | high |
| Missouri(MO) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $150 | high |
| Montana(MT) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $75 | high |
| Nebraska(NE) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 20 | $68 | high |
| Nevada(NV) | Full | Yes | Yes | 45 | $200 | high |
| New Hampshire(NH) | Full | Yes | Yes | 30 | $100 | high |
| New Jersey(NJ) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 30 | $260 | high |
| New Mexico(NM) | Full | Yes | Yes | 30 | $100 | high |
| New York(NY) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $85 | high |
| North Carolina(NC) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $100 | high |
| North Dakota(ND) | Full | Yes | Yes | 12 | $160 | high |
| Ohio(OH) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 24 | $150 | high |
| Oklahoma(OK) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $70 | high |
| Oregon(OR) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $150 | high |
| Pennsylvania(PA) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 30 | $100 | high |
| Rhode Island(RI) | Full | Yes | Yes | 10 | $145 | high |
| South Carolina(SC) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 30 | $145 | high |
| South Dakota(SD) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $100 | high |
| Tennessee(TN) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 5 | $210 | high |
| Texas(TX) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 20 | $150 | high |
| Utah(UT) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $135 | high |
| Vermont(VT) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $125 | high |
| Virginia(VA) | Full | Yes | Yes | 15 | $125 | high |
| Washington(WA) | Full | Yes | Yes | 8 | $135 | high |
| West Virginia(WV) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 12 | $35 | high |
| Wisconsin(WI) | Reduced | Yes | Yes | 0 | $82 | high |
| Wyoming(WY) | Full | Yes | Yes | 0 | $255 | high |
Nurse midwives often work alongside other licensed healthcare professionals. Explore related licensing requirements.