California requires a license for independent work as a chiropractor. Those seeking a CA chiropractic license in this state need to obtain a chiropractor degree and pass a chiropractor licensing exam.
The California Board of Chiropractic Examiners is the state agency that issues chiropractor licenses. Once qualified, you send an application to the board and pay a fee of $100 to get a license, as of September 2011. There is a link to the license application form at the end of this article. You will also need some other forms for the application packet. The main application will tell you what to submit.
To qualify for a chiropractor’s license in California, you must attend an approved chiropractic school. The Council on Chiropractic Education accredits programs that award the Doctor of Chiropractic degree. As of September 2011, there are 15 such programs on the list. However, three of those schools have additional branches. In addition, several chiropractor schools are located in California. These include Cleveland Chiropractic College (Los Angeles), Life Chiropractic College West (Hayward), Southern California University of Health Sciences (Whittier), and Palmer College of Chiropractic (San Jose).
All applicants must also take and pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners national chiropractor exam. California test takers must take Parts 1 through 4 and the Physiotherapy portion of the national exam. Go to the NBCE website to get more information about taking this national licensing exam.
Caution:
You will need to submit fingerprints and pass a background check before being approved for a CA chiropractic license. With certain criminal records, the Board may decide to reject a license application on a case-by-case basis. There is a separate LiveScan fee for California residents to take fingerprints and a $51 fee for out-of-state residents applying for a California chiropractor license.
License by Endorsement:
In some cases, you can get a license if you already have another state’s or Canadian province’s chiropractic license. The issuing agency has to mail your license directly to the California chiropractor board, and there may be a separate fee charged by that agency. The fee differs by jurisdiction.
Resources:
California Board of Chiropractic Examiners: CA Chiropractor License Application
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners: Written Examinations
Official Forms and Applications of the CA Chiropractor Board