Naturopathic Medicine Licensure
The National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, has made a determination that the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program meets licensure requirements to become a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) in the following states.
If a state licensing agency is available, a link to the state agency may be found by selecting the state below:
| ND Licensing Board | State |
| Yes | Alaska |
| Yes | Arizona |
| Yes | California |
| Yes | Colorado |
| Yes | Connecticut |
| Yes | District of Columbia |
| Yes | Hawaii |
| Yes | Idaho |
| Yes | Kansas |
| Yes | Maine |
| Yes | Maryland |
| Yes | Massachusetts |
| Yes | Minnesota |
| Yes | Montana |
| Yes | New Hampshire |
| Yes | New Mexico |
| Yes | North Dakota |
| Yes | Oregon |
| Yes | Pennsylvania |
| Yes | Rhode Island |
| Yes | Utah |
| Yes | Vermont |
| Yes | Washington |
| Yes | Wisconsin |
| Yes | US Territories: Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands |
In other U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions, a varying scope of naturopathic practice may be permitted or protected by court decisions, attorney general opinions, or local custom.
Naturopathic Medicine Licensure – States Without Regulatory Authorities
NUNM has made a determination that the ND program does not meet licensure requirements to become a Naturopathic Doctor in the following states:
| ND Licensing Board | State |
| No | Alabama |
| No | Arkansas |
| No | Delaware |
| No | Florida |
| No | Georgia |
| No | Illinois |
| No | Indiana |
| No | Iowa |
| No | Kentucky |
| No | Louisiana |
| No | Michigan |
| No | Mississippi |
| No | Missouri |
| No | Nebraska |
| No | Nevada |
| No | New Jersey |
| No | New York |
| No | North Carolina |
| No | Ohio |
| No | Oklahoma |
| No | South Carolina |
| No | South Dakota |
| No | Tennessee |
| No | Texas |
| No | Virginia |
| No | West Virginia |
| No | Wyoming |
Requirements to Becoming Licensed
Following graduation from an accredited four-year naturopathic medicine program, NDs must pass the Naturopathic Physicians License Exam (NPLEX) board examinations to receive their medical license. This tests their understanding of biomedical and clinical sciences, as well as their diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge. After passing the NPLEX exams, applicants are then required to pass exams specific to the state or jurisdiction in which they seek to practice.
The first ND licensing exam (NPLEX Part I) focuses on foundational medical sciences. It is similar to those used by conventional medical schools, testing the applicants’ knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology and pathology. The second exam (NPLEX Part II) assesses an applicant’s grasp of the clinical sciences, diagnosis, and the unique modalities of naturopathic medicine, including clinical nutrition, botanical medicine and physical medicine. After passing the NPLEX examinations, applicants are then required to pass exams specific to the state or jurisdiction in which they seek to practice.
Efforts to enact licensing laws are underway in several states. The best sources of current information about the legal status of naturopathic medicine in a particular area are the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (818 18th St. NW, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006 or www.naturopathic.org), state or provincial naturopathic associations, or individual naturopathic physicians in that area.
Currently, all states that license naturopathic physicians require graduation from a residential course of study offered through a college approved by the examining jurisdiction. National University of Natural Medicine meets all requirements and is accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.
Completion of the ND degree at National University of Natural Medicine or another recognized institution qualifies candidates to sit for a board licensing examination that every applicant must pass to be licensed. Similarly, National University of Natural Medicine graduates are eligible to sit for examination in Canadian provinces that license naturopathic medicine. While each jurisdiction has its own examination requirements, an increasing number use the Naturopathic Physicians License Exam (NPLEX) as part or all of the required testing.
Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization Licensure
Graduates of the Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM, previously DSOM), Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (MAcCHM, previously MSOM), and MAc programs are eligible to apply for acupuncture licensure in the State of Oregon. MAcCHM graduates are eligible to take all exams administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), which most states use as a basis for licensure. MAc graduates are eligible to take all NCCAOM exams except the Chinese Herbology Module Exam, which is required for licensure in some states.
For additional information, contact:
NCCAOM
2025 M Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
888.381.1140
info@nccaom.org
In addition, the MAcCHM program is approved by the California Acupuncture Board, allowing graduates to sit for the California licensing exam, and is on the State of New Mexico education program approved list. The MAc program does not meet licensing requirements for the State of California or the State of New Mexico.
For additional information concerning acupuncture licensure in the State of California, contact:
California Acupuncture Board
1747 N. Market Blvd, Suite 180,
Sacramento, CA 95834
916.515.5200
For additional information concerning licensure in the State of New Mexico, contact:
Board of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
2550 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 97505
505.476.4500
The following jurisdictions use NCCAOM exams as a part of their licensure protocol.
NUNM has made a determination that the DAcCHM and MAcCHM programs meet the requirements to become licensed in the following states.
If a state licensing agency is available, a link to the state agency may be found by selecting the state below:
| DAcCHM and MAcCHM Licensing Board | State |
| Yes | Alaska |
| Yes | Arizona |
| Yes | California |
| Yes | Colorado |
| Yes | Connecticut |
| Yes | District of Columbia |
| Yes | Hawaii |
| Yes | Idaho |
| Yes | Kansas |
| Yes | Maine |
| Yes | Maryland |
| Yes | Massachusetts |
| Yes | Minnesota |
| Yes | Montana |
| Yes | New Hampshire |
| Yes | New Mexico |
| Yes | North Dakota |
| Yes | Oregon |
| Yes | Pennsylvania |
| Yes | Rhode Island |
| Yes | Utah |
| Yes | Vermont |
| Yes | Washington |
| Yes | Iowa |
| Yes | Nevada |
| Yes | Wyoming |
| Yes | Nebraska |
| Yes | Texas |
| Yes | Missouri |
| Yes | Arkansas |
| Yes | Louisiana |
| Yes | Wisconsin |
| Yes | Illinois |
| Yes | Kentucky |
| Yes | Indiana |
| Yes | Michigan |
| Yes | Tennessee |
| Yes | Mississippi |
| Yes | Ohio |
| Yes | West Virginia |
| Yes | Virginia |
| Yes | Georgia |
| Yes | Florida |
| Yes | South Carolina |
| Yes | North Carolina |
| Yes | New York |
| Yes | Delaware |
| Yes | New Jersey |
| Unknown | US Territories: Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands |
The MAcCHM program is also specifically approved by the California Acupuncture Board and the New Mexico Board of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. We recommend that you contact the licensing body in the state in which you wish to practice for additional information.
Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization Licensure – States Without Regulatory Authorities
NUNM has made a determination that the DAcCHM and MAcCHM programs do not meet the requirements to become licensed in the following states:
| DAcCHM and MAcCHM Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| No | Alabama |
| No | Oklahoma |
| No | South Dakota |
Contact Us
For further information regarding programs at National University of Natural Medicine, please contact NUNM Admissions.