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

New Jersey

Start with the New Jersey Acupuncture Examining Board, which sits under the State Board of Medical Examiners. Applicants must be approved by the Board before sitting for its own safety and jurisprudence exam, and herbal practice needs a separate NCCAOM credential on file.

State license · state jurisprudence exam

At a glance

Start with the responsible authority.

Regulatory authoritySource checked: Acupuncture Examining Board, under the State Board of Medical Examiners (Division of Consumer Affairs)Board home ↗

Last checked October 10, 2026

Know which credential fits

License types

Licensed Acupuncturist

Independent acupuncture practice

L.Ac.

Basic eligibilitySource checked: At least 21 years old, good moral character, a baccalaureate degree, and completion of a Board-approved acupuncture course of study or school program.P.L. 2009, c.56 §9 ↗
Acupuncture education hoursSource checked: The Board's FAQ says the acupuncture program must document at least 2,500 clock hours, not only credit hours.Board FAQ ↗
Protected titlesSource checked: Unlicensed persons may not use titles such as L.Ac., Licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Acupuncturist, or Acupuncturist.P.L. 2009, c.56 §7 ↗
Education-hour rule textNeeds review: The 2,500-hour figure comes from the Board FAQ; the controlling N.J.A.C. 13:35-9.4 text was not read from an official publisher.Board laws and regulations ↗Know this? Share an official source
Related pathwaysNeeds review: Physicians and dentists may practice acupuncture under separate training rules (§8); a trainee/guest pathway also exists (N.J.A.C. 13:35-9.13). Conditions need review.P.L. 2009, c.56 §8 ↗Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Getting your first license

ApplicationSource checked: Apply through the Board's online application; transcripts and license verifications are requested directly from schools and states.Applications and forms ↗
State examinationSource checked: After the Board approves the application, the applicant sits for the Acupuncture Jurisprudence Safety Exam: 40 multiple-choice questions, one hour, 70% passing.Board FAQ ↗
Background checkSource checked: The Board's FAQ says a criminal history background check is completed before the application is reviewed for the exam.Board FAQ ↗
English proficiencySource checked: TOEFL is required only when the applicant's entire education was in a language other than English.Board FAQ ↗
NCCAOM certification and Clean Needle TechniqueNeeds review: The Act no longer lists an examination in the qualification subsection; whether the Board rules require NCCAOM or CNT needs the rule text.Board laws and regulations ↗Know this? Share an official source
Initial-license fees, reciprocity, and processing timeNeeds review: The Board publishes a military portability page and a phases-and-timelines page; neither was read in detail.Phases and timelines ↗Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine authoritySource checked: Herbology is a permitted adjunctive therapy, subject to the extra requirements in §14.P.L. 2009, c.56 §6(b) ↗
Additional herbal credentialSource checked: An acupuncturist licensed on or after the Act's effective date must submit proof of current NCCAOM certification in Chinese Herbology or Oriental Medicine before employing herbology.P.L. 2009, c.56 §14 (C.45:2C-19) ↗
Herbology approval for earlier licenseesNeeds review: The Board may approve earlier-licensed acupuncturists; the Board's applications page lists an herbology reinstatement application. Criteria need review.Applications and forms ↗Know this? Share an official source
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 cycleSource checked: Licenses must be renewed every two years.Board home ↗
Continuing education as adopted in 2022Needs review: The Board's Jan. 18, 2022 adoption notice is reported to require at least 26 hours of continuing education plus current CPR, first aid, and AED certification at renewal. The PDF is image-only and could not be machine-read on Oct. 11, 2026, so confirm against the current N.J.A.C. 13:35-9.N.J.R. adoption, Jan. 18, 2022 ↗Know this? Share an official source
Is the CE rule still in force?Needs review: The adopted N.J.A.C. 13:35-9.20 carries an expiration date of April 3, 2025. Readoption was not confirmed, and secondary sources cite different hour totals.N.J.R. adoption, Jan. 18, 2022 ↗Know this? Share an official source
Renewal fee, inactive status, and reinstatementNeeds review: Rule sections exist for fees, inactive status, and reinstatement (N.J.A.C. 13:35-9.8, 9.9); the text was not read from an official source.Know this? Share an official source

What to confirm

Rules after you open

Informed consent, devices, and physician noticeSource checked: Written informed consent before treatment, FDA-labeled devices only, and advising patients to consult a licensed physician with a signed form kept on file.P.L. 2009, c.56 §5 ↗
Liability insuranceSource checked: Licensees must carry medical malpractice insurance at amounts set by regulation.P.L. 2009, c.56 §5 ↗
License displaySource checked: The license must be posted in the office, with a duplicate for each additional office.P.L. 2009, c.56 §16 ↗
AdvertisingSource checked: False, deceptive, or misleading advertising is grounds for discipline.P.L. 2009, c.56 §17 ↗
Telehealth, records, and malpractice amountsNeeds review: Rule sections exist for telemedicine and patient records (N.J.A.C. 13:35-9.16, 9.21–9.28); the text was not read from an official source.Know this? Share an official source

Go to the source

Official resources

Board homepageSource checked: Acupuncture Examining BoardOpen ↗
Apply and formsSource checked: Applications and formsOpen ↗
Verify a licenseSource checked: NJ license verificationOpen ↗
Laws and rulesSource checked: Board statutes and regulations pageOpen ↗

Community review

Help improve the New Jersey 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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