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

Hawaii

Start with the Hawaii Board of Acupuncture within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Hawaii requires its own education-hour minimums plus the NCCAOM exam, accepts no reciprocity, and renews on a June 30 odd-year cycle.

State license · NCCAOM exam · no reciprocity

At a glance

Start with the responsible authority.

Regulatory authoritySource checked: Board of Acupuncture, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsBoard page ↗

Last checked October 10, 2026

Know which credential fits

License types

Acupuncturist

Independent acupuncture practice

ACU

ScopeSource checked: Practice means stimulating acupuncture points, including piercing the skin with needles and acupressure, electrical, mechanical, thermal, or traditional therapeutic means.HRS §436E-2 ↗
License requiredSource checked: No one may practice or offer to practice acupuncture without a valid license or intern permit.HRS §436E-3 ↗
Doctor of Acupuncture titleSource checked: Using a doctoral title requires a separate application and Board approval.Application forms ↗

Acupuncture intern permit

Supervised student practice

Eligibility and termNeeds review: The 2018 Board FAQ lists three completed semesters, immediate supervision by a licensee, four years, and one reissue of up to one year for $50; confirm against the current permit form.Board FAQ (June 2018) ↗Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Getting your first license

EducationSource checked: A formal ACAHM-accredited or candidate program of at least 2,175 hours: at least 1,515 academic hours and 660 clinical hours.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
ExaminationSource checked: Applicants must pass the NCCAOM Comprehensive Written Exam or equivalent modules: Foundations of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture with Point Location, and Biomedicine.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
ReciprocitySource checked: None. Hawaii does not reciprocate with any jurisdiction and does not accept the California exam.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
FeesSource checked: A $50 non-refundable application fee, plus license fees that total $230 or $377 depending on whether the license is issued in the first or second year of the two-year cycle.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
Work authorizationSource checked: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, national, or alien authorized to work; the Board issues a conditional approval for up to two years until authorization is shown.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
Verification of other licensesSource checked: Every jurisdiction where the applicant holds or held a license must complete a verification form.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
Background check and Clean Needle TechniqueNeeds review: The instructions require no conviction directly related to the profession; neither fingerprinting nor CNT was mentioned.Know this? Share an official source
Pending legislationNeeds review: Bills such as SB 845 (2023–24) proposed NCCAOM certification and legacy status; none was confirmed enacted.Hawaii legislature SB 845 ↗Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine authoritySource checked: The Board's rules define traditional Oriental medicine as including the practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine. The statutory definition of practice does not mention herbs, so confirm how the two fit together with the Board.HAR §16-72-3 ↗
Herbal credential, compounding, dispensing, and retail limits: 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 cycle and feeSource checked: Licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years; the Board lists $294 on-time renewal and $334 late restoration.Board page ↗
RestorationSource checked: A license not renewed on time must be restored within one year; after that it is terminated and the person applies as new.Board page ↗
Renewal due date and lapseSource checked: Renewal is due on or before June 30 of each odd-numbered year. Failure to pay forfeits the license automatically; it can be restored within one year with a written application and restoration fee, and after a year the person is treated as a new applicant.HAR §§16-72-46 to 16-72-48 ↗
Continuing education and inactive statusNeeds review: Neither the Board's FAQ (June 2018) nor the table of contents and renewal sections of HAR chapter 72 (read 2026-10-11, last compiled 10/26/00) mention continuing education or an inactive status; that is consistent with none being required but is not a confirmation, so confirm with the Board.HAR chapter 72 ↗Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Rules after you open

Change reportingSource checked: Changes to name or address must be reported to the Board in writing within 30 days.Information and instructions: acupuncture license ↗
Patient recordsSource checked: Keep accurate records of each patient with name, indication and nature of treatment and other relevant data; retain them at least seven years, open to Board inspection at any time.HAR §16-72-6 ↗
Display of licenseSource checked: The license certificate must be conspicuously displayed in the office of practice.HAR §16-72-8 ↗
Titles in advertisingSource checked: An acupuncturist may not misrepresent their academic designation, title, qualification or affiliation. A licensee with an approved doctoral degree may use "Doctor" or "Dr." only if the word "Acupuncturist" immediately follows their name.HAR §16-72-57 ↗
Liability insurance and telehealthNeeds review: No insurance or telehealth provision was found in HAR chapter 72 (last compiled 10/26/00); HRS chapter 436E was not searched for them. This is not a conclusion that none applies.Know this? Share an official source

Go to the source

Official resources

Board pageSource checked: Hawaii Board of AcupunctureOpen ↗
Application and instructionsSource checked: Acupuncture license information and instructionsOpen ↗
Verify a licenseSource checked: MyPVL public license searchOpen ↗
Laws and rulesSource checked: Board statutes and rules pageOpen ↗

Community review

Help improve the Hawaii 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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