As a prerequisite for acupuncturist registration, practitioners are required to complete continuing acupuncture education.
As of September 2018 Acupuncturist Registration/Renewal began the process of renewing biennially (every 2 years).
In order to stagger the roll out of the biennial renewals, all licensed Acupuncturists were separated out into 2 groups. Licenses ending with an even number registered for 2 years in 2018. Licenses ending with an odd number registered for one year in 2018 and then registered for two years in 2019. Once the roll out is complete, even license numbers will continue to renew in even years, and odd license numbers will renew in odd years.
New Human Trafficking Prevention Requirement
House Bill 2059 (86th Legislature) requires physicians, physician assistants, and any licensee of the TMB’s advisory boards or committees that provide direct patient care, to complete a human trafficking prevention course approved by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This requirement applies to the renewal of a license on or after September 1, 2020.
HHSC is the approving body for the human trafficking prevention requirement. HB 2059 requires HHSC to approve training courses on human trafficking, including at least one that is free of charge, post a list of approved trainings on its website and update the list of approved trainings as necessary.
HHSC now has an approved course available, which is free of charge, that satisfies the requirements for all licensees impacted by HB 2059.
- See HHSC's Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training page to access the approved courses and for more information about this requirement.
Documentation of CE courses shall be made available to the Board upon request, but should not be submitted with the registration. Random audits will be made to assure compliance.
If you have any questions regarding continuing education requirements, please email us at registrations@tmb.state.tx.us .
The required hours shall be from courses that meet at least one of the qualifications listed below:
- designated or otherwise approved for credit by the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners based on a review and recommendation of the course content by the Education Committee of the board (see “Board Approved CAE Courses” tab below),
- are offered by Approved Providers (see “Board Approved CAE Providers” tab below),
- have been approved for CAE credit for a minimum of 3 years by another state acupuncture board after having gone through a formal approval process,
- approved by the NCCAOM for professional development activity credit, OR
- provided outside the United States by a provider of continuing acupuncture education that are acceptable to the Board.
Acupuncturists will need to complete at least 34 hours of continuing acupuncture education every 24 months. For example, CAE hours should be counted from December 1 2020 - November 30 2022.
To ensure compliance with Board Rules, the 34 hours must include the following core hours:
- At least 8 hours in general acupuncture therapies
- At least 2 hours in ethics and safety
- At least 6 hours in herbology
- At least 4 hours of biomedicine
- A course in human trafficking prevention approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
- See HHSC's Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training page to access the approved courses and for more information about this requirement.
Other course requirements:
- No more tha 4 hours in courses that primarily relate to business practices or office administration
- No more than a total of 16 hours per year completed under NCCAOM or provided outside the United States
- At least 18 hours each year must be approved for credit by the Education Committee of the board, offered by approved providers, or approved for CAE for 3 years by another state
- The HHSC approved human trafficking prevention course may be counted as part of this 18 hrs.
Courses may be taught through live lecture, distance learning, or the Internet.
An acupuncturist must report on the registration permit application if she or he has completed the required CAE.
There is a maximum of 34 total excess credit hours that may be carried forward and a limit of two years from the date of the registration following the period during which the hours were earned, except for the required course in human trafficking prevention. The course in human trafficking prevention must be completed prior to each renewal. Excess hours are applied/reported according to their Category. See Board Rule 183.20 for additional information.
Exemptions:
A licensee may request in writing an exemption* for the following reasons:
- the licensee's catastrophic illness;
- the licensee's military service of longer than one year's duration;
- the licensee's residence of longer than one year's duration outside the United States; or
- good cause shown submitted in writing by the licensee that gives satisfactory evidence to the board that the licensee is unable to comply with the requirement for continuing education.
*Exemptions are reviewed on a case by case basis and must be requested in writing at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the license. An exemption may not exceed one registration period, but may be renewed, subject to approval.
Board Approved CAE Courses
The courses on this list are the only individually approved CAE courses at this time. Courses are approved by the Board for three years. For additional information about these courses, please contact the providers directly.
List of Current Approved Courses: CAE Approved Courses
Board Approved CAE Providers
The CAE providers included on this list have been approved by the Board for a period of three years. All courses taken through these providers during their approval period can be used towards CAE requirements. The provider will advise you of the CAE hour categories the course entails, such as General Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Ethics, Herbal and Practice Management/Business Administration. For information on the courses available, please contact the providers directly.
List of Current Approved Providers: CAE Approved Provider Numbers