Licensing directory · all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Find your state’s acupuncture licensing path.

Choose a state to find the license, herbal-medicine rules, application steps, renewal requirements and the official places to confirm what applies to you.

Pick your state.

Claims link to primary sources where we found them. Gaps and open questions stay labeled so you can tell what has, and has not, been confirmed.

Licensing in

Alaska

Start with the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. A license needs good moral character, age 21, an approved acupuncture school or an equivalent out-of-state license, and qualification as an NCCAOM diplomate. Licenses expire September 30 of even-numbered years. Herbs are not named in the practice definition, and acupuncturists may not recommend prescription drugs, poisons or controlled substances.

State license · Department of Commerce (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) · NCCAOM diplomate

At a glance

Start with the responsible authority.

Regulatory authoritySource checked: Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic DevelopmentAS 08.06.190 ↗

Last checked October 10, 2026

Know which credential fits

License types

Acupuncturist

Independent acupuncture practice

License requiredSource checked: A license is required to practice acupuncture; violations are a class B misdemeanor; people practicing under the medical or naturopathic statutes are exempt.AS 08.06.010, .080, .090 ↗
Practice limitsSource checked: May not give, prescribe or recommend prescription drugs, controlled substances or poisons, may not perform surgery, and may not use the title physician.AS 08.06.060 ↗

What to confirm

Getting your first license

QualificationsSource checked: Good moral character, at least 21, an acupuncture course consistent with ACAHM core curriculum at a Department-approved school or an equivalent out-of-state license, qualification as an NCCAOM diplomate, and no pending or past suspension.AS 08.06.030 ↗
ApplicationSource checked: Application and fees, school transcript, license verification from every jurisdiction, a copy of the NCCAOM diplomate certificate or letter, and an attestation.12 AAC 05.100 ↗
FeesSource checked: The application fee is $200, the license fee for the initial biennial period is $325 and the biennial renewal fee is $325.12 AAC 02.108 (March 2026 compilation) ↗

What to confirm

Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine authority: The practice definition covers needles, moxibustion, adjunctive therapies and dietary guidelines; it does not name herbs.Know this? Share an official source
Retail, compounding, and dispensing: Not confirmed yet. We only publish what an official source supports.Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Keeping the license active

Renewal cycleSource checked: Licenses expire September 30 of even-numbered years; renewal needs the application, fee and, when required, a sworn statement of continuing competency.12 AAC 05.200 ↗
Continuing competencySource checked: Either NCCAOM diplomate certification throughout the period, or 15 NCCAOM core competency professional development points; exempt in the first 12 months.12 AAC 05.210 ↗

What to confirm

Rules after you open

DisclosureSource checked: Post and print a notice that training and practice are in acupuncture; disclose lack of malpractice insurance to patients.AS 08.06.050; 12 AAC 05.300 ↗
DisplaySource checked: Display the license conspicuously where the licensee practices.AS 08.06.030(c) ↗

Go to the source

Official resources

Law and regulationsSource checked: Alaska acupuncture statutes and regulations (Division compilation, April 2025)Open ↗

Community review

Help improve the Alaska page.

Fix an error, fill a research gap, or share a newer official source. Contributions enter a review queue and never change the guide automatically.

Frequently asked

Licensing questions, answered.

Is this legal or licensing advice?

No. It points you to the responsible state authority and the statutes, rules and forms that apply, and says what to confirm. The board’s own decision controls, so confirm your situation with it before you apply or practice.

What do “Source checked,” “Needs review” and “Help wanted” mean?

Source checked means the claim was read against a named official page. Needs review means we found something but could not fully confirm it, or sources disagree. Help wanted means we have not confirmed it from an official source yet and would welcome one. None of these is a statement that a rule does not exist.

Has every state page been independently verified?

Not yet. Every state has a first research pass from official sources, and a separate verification pass is still under way. Each page shows the date its sources were last opened. Fees and deadlines change, so check the linked board page before relying on them.

Why do Oklahoma and South Dakota have so little?

We did not find a licensing act for either state, only bills that were introduced. That is not proof that practice is unregulated or prohibited, so those pages say what we found and stop there.

A fact on my state’s page is wrong or out of date. What do I do?

Use the correction form on that state’s page. Send the official source link if you have one. We review every report against the controlling source before anything changes; nothing updates automatically. Do not include patient or confidential information.

Does it say whether I can prescribe or sell herbs?

Each state has its own herbal section that separates recommending herbs from dispensing, compounding or selling them, because states treat those differently. Where the rules were not found or not clear, the section says so.

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