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

California

Start with the California Acupuncture Board. California requires its own licensing examination and does not grant reciprocity based on another state's license or the national exam alone.

State license · state exam

At a glance

Start with the responsible authority.

Regulatory authoritySource checked: California Acupuncture BoardOfficial board ↗

Last checked October 10, 2026

Know which credential fits

License types

Acupuncturist License

Independent acupuncture practice

L.Ac.

Education pathwaysSource checked: Board-approved school, approved tutorial, or qualifying equivalent foreign education.Education requirements ↗
Licensing examinationSource checked: Pass the California Acupuncture Licensing Examination (CALE).Examination requirements ↗
Related practitioner pathwaysSource checked: Physicians, dentists, and podiatrists may have profession-specific acupuncture authority; these are not acupuncturist licenses.Consumer FAQ ↗

What to confirm

Getting your first license

Application sequenceSource checked: Qualify for and pass the CALE; the Board provides the initial-license application after passage.Licensing forms ↗
FingerprintsSource checked: The licensing materials direct California residents to Live Scan; follow the applicant-specific instructions.Licensing forms ↗
ReciprocitySource checked: No reciprocity. Out-of-state licensees must qualify for and pass the California examination before practicing.License requirements ↗
Application, exam and initial-license feesSource checked: $250 application ($350 for foreign applicants), $800 exam or re-exam plus fingerprint processing, and an initial-license fee between $271 and $500 depending on birth month and issue month.16 CCR §1399.460 ↗
Processing timeNeeds review: No published processing time was found in the regulations or forms page read.Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine authoritySource checked: The statutory scope includes prescribing or using herbs and plant, animal, and mineral products to promote, maintain, and restore health.Board scope FAQ · BPC §4937 ↗
Herbal educationSource checked: The current curriculum includes Chinese herbal medicine theory plus herbal prescription, counseling, and preparation.Laws and regulations ↗
Compounding, dispensing, and retail limitsNeeds review: The acupuncture scope is confirmed; pharmacy, labeling, and product-specific limits still need a separate review.Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Keeping the license active

Renewal cycle and feeSource checked: Biennial renewal; the Board currently lists a $500 active-license renewal fee.Renewal information ↗
Continuing educationSource checked: Generally 50 hours per two-year cycle, including 4 hours of law and ethics; first-renewal totals may be prorated.Renewal information ↗
Inactive, retired, and expiredSource checked: Inactive and retired pathways exist. A license expired more than three years cannot be renewed and requires requalification.Renewal information ↗

What to confirm

Rules after you open

Practice locations and displaySource checked: Each practice location must be registered, with a separate wall license and consumer notice displayed; mobile practitioners carry the pocket license.Display requirements ↗
AdvertisingSource checked: Board guidance says an acupuncturist may not advertise that they can cure a disease, condition, or symptom.Consumer FAQ ↗
TelehealthSource checked: Licensees may provide acupuncture services by telehealth to patients physically in California, but not services involving a needle or requiring physical presence. Before the first session they must assess whether telehealth is appropriate, give listed disclosures, obtain verbal or written consent, give their name and license number, and transmit data securely. The regulation is effective October 1, 2026.16 CCR §1399.452.1, Order of Adoption (filed Aug. 6, 2026) ↗
Patient recordsSource checked: Keep complete and accurate records of each patient's treatments and progress; records are open to Board inspection on complaint.16 CCR §1399.453; BPC §4961.1 ↗
Single-use needlesSource checked: Use only needles labeled single-use that meet 21 CFR 880.5580; reuse is unprofessional conduct.16 CCR §1399.454 ↗
Practice closure and liability insuranceNeeds review: No closure or professional liability insurance requirement for acupuncturists was found in the regulations read; this is not a conclusion that none applies. No minimum record retention period was found either.Laws and regulations ↗Know this? Share an official source

Go to the source

Official resources

Board homepageSource checked: California Acupuncture BoardOpen ↗
Apply and formsSource checked: Licensing formsOpen ↗
Verify a licenseSource checked: DCA license searchOpen ↗
Laws and regulationsSource checked: Board law and rule collectionOpen ↗

Community review

Help improve the California 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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