The Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) 2026 rule change created a new pathway for independent Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies to obtain their own DEA registration and directly manage controlled substances. As EMS organizations across Maine work toward compliance, the Maine Hospital Association, in collaboration with hospital pharmacy leaders and EMS partners, has developed this resource center to support the transition.

This page provides practical tools, guidance documents, policy templates, timelines, educational materials, and frequently asked questions to help EMS agencies navigate the DEA registration process and establish compliant controlled-substance management practices. Resources will continue to be updated as additional guidance becomes available.

Our goal is to support a consistent, collaborative statewide approach that promotes patient care, regulatory compliance, and safe stewardship of controlled substances while helping EMS agencies successfully transition to the new requirements.

Policy & Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 

• 100-010 – Records Maintenance DEA
• 116-002 – Equipment Checks DEA
• 116-003 - Temperature Extremes DEA
• 116-008 - Medication Procurement DEA
• 116-009 - Medication Storage DEA
• 204-008 – Controlled Substance Usage & Replacement DEA

Sample Documents

• Medical Director Responsibility for Controlled Substances​
• Controlled Substance Documentation Standard
• Controlled Substance Inventory Control
• Controlled Substance Missing or Loss 
• Controlled Substance QA/QI
• Controlled Substance Wasting SOP/SOG

Agency Policy Sample Documents

• Westbrook Fire & Rescue Department - Un-Attended Ambulances / Medical Supplies SOP
• Long Beach Fire Department Controlled Substances Plan
• Northwest Community EMS System - EMS Controlled Substances Program Policy Manual
• ​Controlled Substances Operations Plan - Generic
• San Mateo County EMS - Management Of Controlled Substances
• County of San Luis Obispo EMS - Management Of Controlled Substance
• Okaloosa County EMS - Controlled Substances SOP
• Mountain Counties EMS - Controlled Substances SOP
• EMS Agency Controlled Substances policy and procedure example

Regulatory Information 

Federal

• DEA Pharmacist's Manual
• DEA Practitioner Manual
• Federal Law & Rule_2026-02288
• Federal Law & Rule_PLAW-115publ83
• The Controlled Substances Act (CSA): A Legal Overview for the 119th Congress 
• Federal Law & Rule_STATUTE-131-Pg1267

State

• Maine EMS 2025 Formulary
• Maine EMS - The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act (PPAEMA): Second Update​
• Maine EMS Statutes, Rules, Protocols
• Maine EMS Rules Effective April 6, 2026
• PPAEMA Transparency Update: Federal DEA Registration and Maine EMS Engagement​

Record Keeping Documents & Templated Forms

Record Keeping Templates

• Controlled Substances Box Record
• DEA Biennial Controlled Substance Inventory Form
• DEA Inventory Record Checklist
• Medication Sale to Outside Registrant
• Perpetual Inventory Page
• Power of Attorney for DEA Forms 222 and Electronic Orders
• Quarantine Drug Log For C3-5
• Quarantine Drug Log For C2
• Record of Paper DEA Form 222 Use
  

Inventory Control Documents

• DEA Biennial Controlled Substance Inventory
• DEA Controlled Substances Inventory
• New York State Department of Health  - Controlled Substance Inventory Form

DEA Information & Guidance 

• EMS Agency Leadership Framework
• The EMS DEA Compliance Crisis Checklist
• Controlled Substances in Emergency Situations and the 2017 Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act (PPAEMA)
  

Wholesaler Contact Information