# Title 17 — Chiropractic Examiners, Board of

## Article 17-02 — Chiropractic Licensure

## Chapter 17-02-04 — Authority of Chiropractors

### § 17-02-04-01. Rights and privileges.

Unless otherwise limited by statute, chiropractors shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of
physicians and surgeons in this state.
History: Amended effective February 1, 1990.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-06-04.1, 43-06-05
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-06-01, 43-06-17
### § 17-02-04-02. Signing death certificates.

In case of the death of any individual, the chiropractor shall be required to fill out and sign such
certificate of death as is required by statute.
History: Amended effective January 1, 2021.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-06-04.1, 43-06-05
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-06-16
### § 17-02-04-03. Advertising.

Chiropractors will be privileged to advertise their practice in any legitimate manner except as limited
or prohibited in section 17-03-01-01.
History: Amended effective February 1, 1990; April 1, 2001; January 1, 2021.
General Authority: NDCC 43-06-04.1, 43-06-15
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-06-15
### § 17-02-04-04. Definition of practice of chiropractic.

Repealed effective February 1, 1990.
### § 17-02-04-05. School certifications.

Repealed effective February 1, 1990.
### § 17-02-04-06. Needle acupuncture.

1. "Needle acupuncture" means a system of diagnosis and treatment for the purpose of restoring
the body back to health which includes the utilization of needles which may be manipulated or
stimulated by hand as well as by electric, magnetic, light, heat, or ultrasound. "Needle
acupuncture" does not include electric point stimulation, the use of pressure adjunctive
techniques for muscle, ligamentous, or neurologic stimulation or inhibition, or the drawing of
blood for the purpose of clinical diagnostic laboratory evaluation.

2. A chiropractor may only practice needle acupuncture if the chiropractor is certified to practice
needle acupuncture by the board.
3. A minimum of one hundred hours of training in needle acupuncture sponsored by a council of
chiropractic education accredited college of chiropractic is required before a chiropractor may
be certified to practice needle acupuncture.
4. The one hundred hours of training in acupuncture must be certified by the sponsoring college
and registered by the sponsoring college with the executive director of the board.
5. When the required hours of training are registered by the sponsoring college, the board will
issue the chiropractor a letter certifying that the chiropractor is authorized to practice needle
acupuncture.
6. Any person who is authorized by the board to practice needle acupuncture shall complete, as
a part of the licensed chiropractors' annual requirement, two hours of continuing education in
acupuncture or acupuncture-related subjects.
7. If a licenseholder fails to complete the continuing education requirement in subsection 6, the
licenseholder shall pay an administrative fee of one hundred dollars and provide proof of
required continuing education hours in order to reinstate their ability to perform needle
acupuncture.
8. If a licenseholder fails to complete the continuing education requirement in subsection 6 for
more than one year, but less than three years, the licenseholder shall pay the administrative
fee of one hundred dollars, plus provide proof of completion of an approved twelve-hour
recertification seminar.
9. If a licenseholder fails to complete the continuing education requirement in subsection 6 for
three or more years, the licenseholder must successfully pass the national board of
chiropractic examiners acupuncture examination, or equivalent.
10. If a licenseholder is practicing needle acupuncture in conjunction with a chiropractic practice,
the licenseholder is not required to be licensed by the board of integrative health care.
History: Effective May 1, 1993; amended effective April 1, 2001; January 1, 2017; January 1, 2021.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-06-04.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-06-04.1
### § 17-02-04-07. Dry needling.

1. Dry needling is a method of treatment and rehabilitation for neuromusculoskelatal conditions.
Dry needling is based on western medical concepts, including the art of examination,
diagnosis, and case management.
2. A chiropractor may only practice dry needling if the chiropractor is certified by the board.
3. A minimum of fifty hours of face-to-face course study, which must include dry needling safety,
is required before a chiropractor may be fully certified to practice dry needling. Online study is
not considered appropriate training.
4. A temporary limited-scope certification is available for approved courses that divide the
minimum training into successive independent modules. The board must be provided
verification of completion prior to the temporary limited-scope certification being issued. The
temporary limited-scope certification expires after eighteen months.

5. The face-to-face course of study must be sponsored by an institution accredited by the council
of chiropractic or its equivalent or another course of study deemed appropriate by the board.
6. When the verification of required hours of training is provided to the board, the board shall
issue the chiropractor a letter certifying that the chiropractor is authorized to practice dry
needling.
7. Any person who is certified by the board to practice dry needling shall complete, as a part of
the licensed chiropractors' annual requirement, two hours of continuing education in dry
needling or dry needling-related subjects.
8. If a licenseholder fails to complete the continuing education requirement in subsection 7, the
licenseholder shall pay an administrative fee of one hundred dollars and provide proof of
required continuing education hours in order to reinstate their ability to perform dry needling.
9. If a licenseholder fails to complete the continuing education requirement in subsection 7 for
more than one year, but less than three years, the licenseholder shall pay the administrative
fee of one hundred dollars, plus provide proof of completion of a ten-hour, face-to-face dry
needling seminar.
10. If a licenseholder fails to complete the continuing education requirement in subsection 7 for
three or more years, the licenseholder must show proof of current certification by an institution
accredited by the council of chiropractic or its equivalent or another course of study deemed
appropriate by the board.
History: Effective January 1, 2017; amended effective January 1, 2021.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-06-04.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-06-04.1
