Can a nurse practitioner treat without a supervising physician in Virginia?
Who treats · part of The Practice Perimeter
An advanced practice registered nurse requires a JOINT license from the Board of Medicine and the Board of Nursing, and it is unlawful to practice as one in the Commonwealth without it. Virginia does not treat advanced practice as a certification layered on a nursing license; it is its own joint license.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(B) · verified Sep 2, 2026 · regulatory monitoring, not legal advice
The rest of what Virginia says on this
Every other rule we have verified under rn / np scope for injectables, each linked to its primary source.
⚠️ AUTONOMY IS EARNED, NOT GRANTED WITH THE LICENSE. Every nurse practitioner who does not meet the requirements of subsection I SHALL maintain appropriate collaboration and consultation, evidenced in a WRITTEN OR ELECTRONIC PRACTICE AGREEMENT, with at least one patient care team physician. A nurse practitioner who does meet those requirements may practice without one.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(C) · verified Sep 2, 2026
The threshold is measured in postgraduate clinical experience, and the statute defines that term: “clinical experience” means the postgraduate delivery of health care DIRECTLY TO PATIENTS pursuant to a practice agreement with a patient care team physician. Time spent outside such an agreement does not count toward the autonomy the agreement is a prerequisite for.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(A) · verified Sep 2, 2026
Two further details a practice should know: collaboration and consultation between an APRN and a patient care team physician MAY BE PROVIDED THROUGH TELEMEDICINE, and physicians on a patient care team may require the APRN to carry professional liability insurance with limits equal to the statutory cap on damages. Certified registered nurse anesthetists are outside this regime and practice under the supervision of a licensed physician, podiatrist or dentist.
Va. Code § 54.1-2957(C) · verified Sep 2, 2026
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← All Virginia rules and changes · MedSpaRadar is regulatory monitoring and reference, not legal, medical, or compliance advice. Verify against the linked primary source and consult qualified counsel before acting — rules change and turn on your specific facts. Legislative data via LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).