Montana Acupuncture Board
301 South Park Avenue, 4th FloorP.O. Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Phone: 406.841.232
Montana Board of Medical Examiners
The Montana Board of Medical Examiners is charged with protecting the health and safety of all Montana residents by licensing and regulating health professionals in the state. Acupuncture licensing in Montana falls within the board’s jurisdiction, and only licensed professionals may legally practice the art. The jurisdiction of the board was established with the passing of the Acupuncture Practice Act in 2011, which is Title 37, Chapter 13 of the Montana Annotated Code.
Qualifications for Licensing in Montana
Anyone who wishes to receive an acupuncture license in Montana must meet the following qualifications:
- The applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
- The applicant must be of good moral character.
- The applicant must pass an acupuncture program approved by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). The program must include a minimum of 1,000 hours of entry-level training.
- The applicant must pass the acupuncture exam given by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Applying for an Acupuncture License
To apply for an acupuncture license in Montana, a qualified individual must complete a license application, pay a $65 fee and submit the required evidence of qualifications. The documents that must be submitted to the board with the application are:
- One original photo taken within the past year
- Certified transcripts sent directly to the board from an approved acupuncture school
- Certified NCCAOM exam scores
- Birth certificate
- Unopened self-query from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)
- Verification of all state licenses ever held sent by the appropriate state boards directly to the Montana Board of Medical Examiners
Application Processing
After a completed application and the required supporting documentation are received by the board, the application will be reviewed within 10 business days. If any information is missing or incorrect, a notice will be sent to the applicant. The board reserves the right to require the applicant to appear for an interview, and in such cases, application processing may take up to 120 days. Once issued, licenses are valid for up to two years. The renewal fee is $100, and the deadline is on October 31st of the expiration year.
