(1) Any person desiring to be licensed as a chiropractic physician must apply to the department to take the licensure examination. There shall be an application fee set by the board not to exceed $100 which shall be nonrefundable. There shall also be an examination fee not to exceed $500 plus the actual per applicant cost to the department for purchase of portions of the examination from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners or a similar national organization, which may be refundable if the applicant is found ineligible to take the examination. The department shall examine each applicant whom the board certifies has met all of the following criteria:
(a) Completed the application form and remitted the appropriate fee.
(b) Submitted proof satisfactory to the department that he or she is not less than 18 years of age.
(c) Submitted proof satisfactory to the department that he or she is a graduate of a chiropractic college which is accredited by or has status with the Council on Chiropractic Education or its predecessor agency. However, any applicant who is a graduate of a chiropractic college that was initially accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education in 1995, who graduated from such college within the 4 years immediately preceding such accreditation, and who is otherwise qualified is eligible to take the examination. An application for a license to practice chiropractic medicine may not be denied solely because the applicant is a graduate of a chiropractic college that subscribes to one philosophy of chiropractic medicine as distinguished from another.
(d)1. For an applicant who has matriculated in a chiropractic college before July 2, 1990, completed at least 2 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 institutional accrediting agency recognized and approved by the United States Department of Education. However, before being certified by the board to sit for the examination, each applicant who has matriculated in a chiropractic college after July 1, 1990, must have been granted a bachelor’s degree, based upon 4 academic years of study, by a college or university accredited by an institutional accrediting agency that is a member of the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation or have produced a credentials evaluation report from a board-approved organization that deems the applicant’s education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.
2. Effective July 1, 2000, completed, before matriculation in a chiropractic college, at least 3 years of residence college work, consisting of a minimum of 90 semester hours leading to a bachelor’s degree in a liberal arts college or university accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized and approved by the United States Department of Education or produced a credentials evaluation report from a board-approved organization that deems the applicant’s education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. However, before being certified by the board to sit for the examination, each applicant who has matriculated in a chiropractic college after July 1, 2000, must have been granted a bachelor’s degree from an institution holding accreditation for that degree from an institutional accrediting agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education or have produced a credentials evaluation report from a board-approved organization that deems the applicant’s education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. 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.
(e) Successfully completed the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners certification examination in parts I, II, III, and IV, and the physiotherapy examination of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, with a score approved by the board.
(f) Submitted to the department a set of fingerprints on a form and under procedures specified by the department, along with payment in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the Department of Health for the criminal background check of the applicant.
The board may require an applicant who graduated from an institution accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education more than 10 years before the date of application to the board to take the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic, or its equivalent, as determined by the board. The board shall establish by rule a passing score.
(2) For those applicants applying for the certification examination who have matriculated prior to July 1, 1996, in a chiropractic college, the board shall waive the provisions of paragraph (1)(c) if the applicant is a graduate of a chiropractic college which has been denied accreditation or approval on the grounds that its curriculum does not include the training in acupuncture necessary for the completion of the certification examination or is a graduate of a chiropractic college where acupuncture is not taught or offered if the college is accredited by or has status with the Council on Chiropractic Education or its predecessor.
(3) An applicant for the licensure examination may elect not to take the certification examination to use acupuncture. The department shall, in addition to the licensing exam, offer an examination for certification to use acupuncture. An applicant may elect to take the certification examination at the time of taking the licensure examination. Passage of the certification examination shall not grant any applicant the right to practice chiropractic medicine absent the passage of the licensing examination.
(4) The department shall submit written notification within 5 working days to applicants who have successfully completed the requirements of paragraphs (1)(a)-(e) and who have successfully passed the state licensure examination. An applicant who is notified in writing by the department of the successful completion of requirements in paragraphs (1)(a)-(e) and who has successfully passed the state licensure examination may lawfully practice pending receipt of the certificate of licensure, and the written notification shall act as evidence of licensure entitling the chiropractic physician to practice for a maximum period of 45 days or until the licensing fee is received by the department whichever is sooner.
(5) A student in a school or college of chiropractic accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education or its successor in the final year of the program may file an application pursuant to subsection (1), take all examinations required for licensure, submit a set of fingerprints, and pay all fees required for licensure. A chiropractic student who successfully completes the licensure examinations and who otherwise meets all requirements for licensure as a chiropractic physician during the student’s final year must have graduated before being certified for licensure pursuant to this section.
History.—ss. 1, 7, ch. 79-211; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 21, ch. 83-329; ss. 5, 17, 18, ch. 86-285; s. 6, ch. 88-205; s. 1, ch. 88-276; s. 29, ch. 89-162; s. 44, ch. 90-228; s. 1, ch. 91-277; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 92, ch. 92-149; s. 1, ch. 94-173; s. 22, ch. 94-310; ss. 2, 3, ch. 96-296; s. 1102, ch. 97-103; s. 138, ch. 97-237; s. 2, ch. 97-247; s. 14, ch. 97-273; s. 274, ch. 98-166; s. 106, ch. 99-397; s. 119, ch. 2000-153; s. 1, ch. 2007-240; s. 3, ch. 2012-171; s. 9, ch. 2022-71; s. 2, ch. 2024-269.
