Chiropractic Physician


Click on the appropriate tab below to see the Initial Licensing Requirements, Process, Fees, Statutes and Administrative Rules for a Chiropractic Physician.

The requirements for licensure as a Chiropractic Physician are as follows. Applicants must:

Be at least 18 years of age.

Successfully complete the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners certification examination in Parts I, II, III, and IV, and the physiotherapy examination, in addition to the Florida Laws and Rules Examination*, with a score approved by the board.

In order to qualify to sit for the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners certification examination the applicant must meet the following requirements:

  • Have graduated from a chiropractic college that is accredited by or has status with the Council on Chiropractic Education or its predecessor agency.
  • For applicants who were enrolled at a chiropractic college prior to July 2, 1990: Have completed at least two years of residence college work, consisting of a minimum of one-half the work acceptable for a bachelor’s degree granted on the basis of a 4-year period of study, in a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized and approved by the United States Department of Education.
  • For applicants who were enrolled at a chiropractic college after July 1, 1990: Have been granted a bachelor’s degree, based upon four academic years of study, by a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting agency which is a member of the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.
  • Applicants who were enrolled at a chiropractic college after July 1, 2000: Have been granted a bachelor’s degree from an institution holding accreditation for that degree from a regional accrediting agency which is recognized by the United States Department of Education.
  • The applicant’s chiropractic degree must consist of credits earned in the chiropractic program and may not include academic credit for courses from the bachelor’s degree.

 

*The Florida Laws and Rules examination is no longer administered by the Department of Health. This examination is administered through the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE). The website is http://www.nbce.org/ and the contact number is 1-800-964-6223.

Applicants with Health History

If a “Yes” response is provided to any of the questions in the health history section, provide the following documents directly to the board office:

A letter from a Licensed Health Care Practitioner, who is qualified by skill and training to address the condition identified, which explains the impact the condition may have on the ability to practice the profession with reasonable skill and safety. The letter must specify that the applicant is safe to practice the profession without restrictions or specifically indicate the restrictions that are necessary. Documentation provided must be dated within one year of the application date.

A written self-explanation, identifying the medical condition(s) or occurrence(s); and current status.

Applicants with Discipline History

Applicants with prior disciplinary actions are required to submit the following:

Board Actions – Certified copies of document(s) relative to any disciplinary action taken against any license. The documents must come from the agency that took the disciplinary action and must be certified by that agency.

Self-Explanation – A detailed description of the circumstances surrounding your disciplinary action and a thorough description of the rehabilitative changes in your lifestyle since the time of the disciplinary action which would enable you to avoid future occurrences. It would be helpful to include factors in your life, which you feel may have contributed to your disciplinary action, what you have learned about yourself since that time, and the changes you have made that support your rehabilitation.

Applicants with Criminal History

Applicants with prior criminal convictions are required to submit the following:

Final Dispositions/Arrest Records – Final disposition records for offenses can be obtained at the clerk of the court in the arresting jurisdiction. If the records are not available, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the clerk of the court attesting to their unavailability.

Completion of Probation/Parole/Sanctions – Probation and financial sanction records for offenses can be obtained at the clerk of the court in the arresting jurisdiction. Parole records for offenses can be obtained from the Department of Corrections or at the clerk of the court in the arresting jurisdiction. If the records are not available, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the clerk of the court attesting to their unavailability.

Self-Explanation – Applicants who have listed offenses on the application must submit a letter in their own words describing the circumstances of the offense. Include in your letter the date of the original offense, the charge, and the jurisdiction where it occurred.

Electronic Fingerprinting

Effective January 1, 2013, applicants for initial licensure must use an approved Livescan Service Provider to submit electronic fingerprints to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for the purpose of conducting a search for any Florida and national criminal history records that may pertain to applicant. The results of the search will be returned to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse and made available to the Department for consideration during the licensure process. The fingerprints submitted by the applicant will be retained by FDLE and the Clearinghouse. All costs for conducting a criminal history background screening are borne by the applicant.

It is important to use the correct Originating Agency Identification (ORI) when submitting fingerprints. If you do not provide an ORI number or if you provide an incorrect ORI number to the Livescan service provider, the board office will not receive your fingerprint results.

The ORI number for the Board of Chiropractic Medicine is EDOH2016Z.

The applicant is fully responsible for selecting an approved Livescan Service Provider and for ensuring the results are reported to the Department. Print this electronic fingerprinting form and take it with you to a Livescan Service Provider.

For more information, FAQs, and a list of all approved Livescan Service Providers please visit the Background Screening website: https://www.flhealthsource.gov/background-screening/ (Click on Locate a Provider)

Health Care Fraud; Disqualifications for License, Certificate, or Registration

Effective July 1, 2012, Section 456.0635, Florida Statutes (F.S.), provides that health care boards or the department shall refuse to issue a license, certificate or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant:

  1. Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under Chapter 409, F.S., (relating to social and economic assistance), Chapter 817, F.S., (relating to fraudulent practices), Chapter 893, F.S., (relating to drug abuse prevention and control) or a similar felony offense(s) in another state or jurisdiction unless the candidate or applicant has successfully completed a drug court program for that felony and provides proof that the plea has been withdrawn or the charges have been dismissed. Any such conviction or plea shall exclude the applicant or candidate from licensure, examination, certification, or registration, unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or plea ended:
    1. For the felonies of the first or second degree, more than 15 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
    2. For the felonies of the third degree, more than 10 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
    3. For the felonies of the third degree under section 893.13(6)(a), F.S., more than five years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
  2. Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 (relating to controlled substances) or 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396 (relating to public health, welfare, Medicare and Medicaid issues), unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or pleas ended more than 15 years prior to the date of the application;
  3. Has been terminated for cause from the Florida Medicaid program pursuant to section 409.913, F.S., unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with the Florida Medicaid program for the most recent five years;
  4. Has been terminated for cause, pursuant to the appeals procedures established by the state or Federal Government, from any other state Medicaid program, unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with a state Medicaid program for the most recent five years and the termination occurred at least 20 years before the date of the application;
  5. Is currently listed on the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities.

Submit your completed application and fees to the board office. To apply online select the “Apply Online” button.

If you prefer to apply using the paper application, please download, print, and complete the paper application. Submit along with the required fees to:

Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine
P. O. Box 6330
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6330

Within 7-14 days of receipt of your application, the board office will notify you of the status of your application and any remaining required documentation that needs to be submitted.

Once you have submitted your application, you can check the status online. Select “Status” from the menu at the top right-hand side of the page.

The following documentation is required to complete your application:

  1. Official National Board of Chiropractic Examiners- Contact the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) to request your official National Board scores to be submitted directly to the board office. Visit the NBCE at http://nbce.org/ for further information on requesting score reports.
  2. Official Final Transcript- Have your official final transcripts mailed directly from your college or university to the board office at:

Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin # C07
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3257

  1. Official License Verification- If you are licensed or have ever held a license in another state, contact that state’s licensing office and request for license verification to be sent directly to the Board of Chiropractic Medicine.
  2. If you responded “Yes” to any of the Health History questions on the application, submit a letter to the board office. The letter must provide relevant dates and circumstances of your treatment and/or addiction and include the names and addresses of the medical practitioners or hospitals that provided your treatment.
  3. If you responded “Yes” to any of the Discipline History questions on the application, contact the state board where the discipline occurred to request that certified copies of the board order and any other related documentation be submitted directly to the board office.\

You must also submit a letter in your own words describing the circumstances of the offense(s). Your letter must include the date(s) of the original offense(s), the charge(s) and the jurisdiction where it occurred.

  1. If you responded “Yes” to any of the Criminal History questions on the application, contact the Clerk of the Court in the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred and request that a certified copy of your final/official court disposition be mailed directly to the board office. If the records are unavailable, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the Clerk of the Court attesting to their unavailability.

If applicable, request the following documentation to be sent directly to the board office: a certified copy of your completion of probation and documentation showing that you have paid all fines. If the records are unavailable, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the Clerk of the Court attesting to their unavailability.

You must also submit a letter in your own words describing the circumstances of the offense(s). Your letter must include the date(s) of the original offense(s), the charge(s) and the jurisdiction where it occurred.

Note: All applications with “Yes” responses to the history questions on the application will be presented to the board for review. Board staff will notify you of the date that your application will be presented in the event that you would like to attend.

Application Fee$ 100.00 (non-refundable)
Initial License Fee:$ 305.00 (refundable)
TOTAL FEE$ 405.00

 

Acupuncture Certification: (optional with Chiropractic Application)

Application Fee$ 100.00 (non-refundable)
TOTAL FEE$ 100.00

Make certified check or money order payable to the Florida Department of Health

Click on Chapter or Rule to View

Florida Statutes

Chapter 460: Chiropractic Medicine
Chapter 456: Health Professions and Occupations: General Provisions
Chapter 120: Administrative Procedure Act
Chapter 119: Public Records
Chapter 408: Health Care Administration
Chapter 112: Public Officers and Employees: General Provisions

Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)

Rules: Chapter 64B2: Board of Chiropractic Medicine