How to Become a Chiropractor in California: Exams, License, and Scope

To become a chiropractor in California, you need at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate coursework, a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from a school accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education, passing scores on the national board exams and the California Chiropractic Law Examination, a cleared Live Scan background check, and an approved application with the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners (BCE).¹ Plan on roughly seven years from the start of college to the day your license issues.

Undergraduate Prerequisites

Chiropractic schools accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) require at least 90 semester hours of college coursework before you can enroll in a Doctor of Chiropractic program.² A bachelor’s degree is not required, though many applicants have one.

At least 24 of those hours must be in life and physical sciences: general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and similar coursework, with labs. Biology, anatomy, and physiology are common additions even where they aren’t strictly required, because the D.C. curriculum moves quickly into advanced science.

Doctor of Chiropractic Degree

California will only license you if your D.C. degree comes from a CCE-accredited school.² The state also sets a higher instructional-hours floor than the national standard: 4,400 hours of instruction across defined subject groups, versus the CCE’s 4,200.³ Confirm any program you’re considering meets the California standard, not just the CCE minimum, or your degree will not qualify you for a state license.

The state-required subject groups include anatomy with dissection, pathology, physiology, biochemistry and clinical nutrition, public health, diagnosis, X-ray, chiropractic technique, and clinical practice, with hands-on lab components for several.³ Most D.C. programs run three and a half to four years of full-time study, ending with supervised clinical rotations treating real patients.

National Board Exams

The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) administers a series of exams during your D.C. program. California requires passing scores on Parts I, II, III, and IV, plus a separate Physiotherapy exam.⁴

Part I covers foundational sciences: anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and pathology. Most students sit for it after finishing the basic science portion of the program.
Part II tests clinical sciences, including diagnostic imaging, general diagnosis, and neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
Part III is a written exam on clinical case management and diagnostic reasoning.
Part IV is a practical exam. You demonstrate chiropractic technique, diagnostic imaging, and case management on standardized patients.
The Physiotherapy exam covers rehabilitative techniques. You need at least 120 hours of physiotherapy instruction to sit for it.

Your school controls the eligibility window for each part, since the exams are timed to curriculum progress. Score reports go from the NBCE directly to the BCE with your application.

California Chiropractic Law Examination

Along with the national boards, you must pass the California Chiropractic Law Examination (CCLE).⁵ It is computer-based and offered continuously, so you schedule it when you’re ready.

The CCLE covers the Chiropractic Initiative Act, the California Code of Regulations for chiropractic, and related code sections on advertising, patient records, and professional conduct.⁵ The BCE website lists the exact statutes and regulations you should study. Reading the actual regulatory text pays off more than relying only on third-party study guides.

Background Check and Live Scan

Every applicant clears a criminal background check through California’s Live Scan fingerprinting system. The Department of Justice’s authority to share your record with the BCE comes from Penal Code Section 11105.⁶ Your prints go electronically to the state DOJ and the FBI from an authorized Live Scan site.⁷

You pay the processing fees at the fingerprint site. Costs vary by site but typically run around $50 to $75 combined for the DOJ and FBI portions. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify you. The Board reviews any conviction to decide whether it substantially relates to the duties of a chiropractor, and it can give guidance before you commit to a D.C. program if you have concerns.

Application, Fee, and Timeline

Once you have the degree, exam scores, and Live Scan on file, you file the Application for License to Practice Chiropractic with the BCE, either through the state’s BreEZe online licensing portal or by mail to the Board’s Sacramento office.⁸ The nonrefundable application fee is $371.⁹

Supporting documents must accompany the application:⁹

Official transcripts from every college attended, sent directly from the school in sealed envelopes.
The Verification of Prechiropractic Hours form, documenting your undergraduate science and prerequisite coursework.
The Chiropractic College Certificate, completed by your D.C. school to confirm your graduation date and degree.
Official NBCE score reports for every required part.
Your Live Scan receipt.

Missing documents are the most common reason applications stall. The BCE’s own guidance puts processing at three to five months from submission to license issuance.¹⁰ Board staff conduct an initial review in the first few weeks and either send you an authorization letter for the CCLE or a request for additional information. Most of the wait comes during transcript verification and the background check. You cannot practice while your application is pending, because California does not offer a temporary or provisional license for new graduates.

Scope of Practice You Are Licensing Into

The Chiropractic Initiative Act authorizes chiropractors to practice as taught in chiropractic schools and prohibits the practice of medicine, surgery, osteopathy, dentistry, or optometry, along with the use of any drug in the materia medica.¹¹ You cannot prescribe medications or perform surgery.

Within that boundary, California regulations allow you to manipulate and adjust the spinal column and other joints along with related muscles and connective tissue, and to use physical therapy techniques, ultrasound, heat, cold, massage, exercise, and dietary guidance as part of treatment.¹² Chiropractors may diagnose and treat patients, including pregnant women, as long as their methods stay within the chiropractic scope.

Keeping the License Active

California licenses renew annually. You must complete 24 hours of continuing education per cycle, including at least 2 hours in ethics and law and 4 hours in clinical core subjects such as history and physical examination, adjustive technique, or ethical billing and coding.¹³ No more than 12 of the 24 hours may be completed through distance learning.¹⁴ The renewal fee is $336 on the Board’s current schedule.¹⁵ Failing to renew or to complete CE is treated as unprofessional conduct and can bring disciplinary action.

Setting Up To See Patients

The license lets you practice. Actually opening a practice takes a few more steps.

Chiropractors are HIPAA-covered providers, so you need a National Provider Identifier (NPI) to bill any insurance plan, including Medicare and Medicaid.¹⁶ You apply for free through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System at nppes.cms.hhs.gov, selecting a Type 1 (individual) NPI and a taxonomy code that matches your specialty.¹⁷

California does not legally require malpractice insurance for chiropractors, but most practitioners carry it. Standard coverage starts at $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate.

If you open your own practice rather than joining one as an employee, you’re self-employed for federal tax purposes, which means Schedule C, Schedule SE, and quarterly estimated payments on Form 1040-ES.¹⁸ If you form an LLC, partnership, or corporation, or if you hire employees, you’ll also need an Employer Identification Number, which the IRS issues free online.¹⁹

1
Board of Chiropractic Examiners, California Department of Consumer Affairs. Home
2
Council on Chiropractic Education. 2021 CCE Accreditation Standards
3
Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 16, Section 331.12.2 – Curriculum
4
Logan University. NBCE Board Eligibility Requirements and Approval Process
5
Board of Chiropractic Examiners. California Chiropractic Law Examination Information
6
California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Request for Live Scan Service Form Instructions
7
Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 16, Section 321.1 – Fingerprint Submission
8
State of California. BreEZe
9
Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 16, Section 321 – Application for License
10
California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. A Guide to the Chiropractic Profession – Getting Licensed and Staying Licensed
11
California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Initiative Act – Section 7
12
Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 16, Section 302 – Practice of Chiropractic
13
Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Continuing Education
14
Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 16, Section 361 – Continuing Education Requirements
15
California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Board of Chiropractic Examiners Updated Fee Schedule
16
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. NPI – What You Need to Know
17
NPPES. Apply for an NPI
18
Internal Revenue Service. Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center
19
Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number