Washington, D.C. Laws & Details

Formal Education Requirements:  Completion of three academic years of instruction in acupuncture including 500 hours of clinic in a school for acupuncture, or two academic years of instruction in a school for acupuncture plus 1,500 hours of apprenticeship.  The school must be legally chartered or organized in the state, territory or country where the school is located or accredited or recognized by ACAOM.

Undergraduate Requirements:  None specified.

Experience:  The board may approve the education and training of an applicant who documents three years of experience prior to October 1999 with a minimum of 100 patients and 500 patient visits each year in general healthcare.

Written Exam:  The NCCAOM written exam.  An applicant may not fail the NCCAOM exam more than six times.

Practical Exam:  The NCCAOM exam, or a practical exam administered by the board.

Other Eligibility Requirements:  An applicant who does not speak English as a native language must receive a passing score on an English competency test approved by the Board.  The rules do not specify a particular test or score.

Reciprocity/Endorsement:  All applicants for reciprocity must have passed the NCCAOM exam.

Medical doctors, osteopaths and chiropractors must have 250 hours of acupuncture instruction from a program approved by the board in order to practice acupuncture.

NOTE: Look for a physician with formal training in the practice of acupuncture. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is an art and a science that takes years to master. While any licensed physician can stick needles into you, for a positive experience and results, find an acupuncturist with experience treating a similar condition (with acupuncture) to what you have.

Department of Health
Advisory Committee on Acupuncture
717 14th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005
(877) 672-2174
(202) 727-8471 (Fax)

Practice Act:  DCMR Chapters 40 and 41

Acupuncture Society of Washington, D.C.
3000 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 135
Washington, D.C. 20008

Find an Acupuncturist in the District of Columbia – DC with Acufinder.com – Acupuncture Referrals Click Here.