21 NCAC 10 .0204 LICENSURE; RENEWAL OF LICENSE
(a) Initial Licensure. The initial license awarded to an applicant who passed the examination shall be mailed to the address appearing on the application form.
(b) Change of Contact Information. The licentiate shall inform the Board of any change in his or her contact information. Updated contact information shall be forwarded to the Board office email at ncboce@ncchiroboard.com within 30 days after any such change.
(c) General. The renewal, inactivation, and restoration of a license are governed by G.S. 90-155 and this Rule. A current license that is not renewed shall be placed on inactive status on January 30th of the following year. A licentiate desiring license renewal shall submit to the Board, on or before the date of inactivation, a completed license renewal form accompanied by the renewal fee as provided in Paragraph (i) of this Rule. The renewal fee shall not be paid in cash and may be paid by credit card through the Board's website, www.ncchiroboard.com, or by a check made payable to the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
(d) License Renewal Notification and Form. On or before December 1 of each year, the Board shall email to each licentiate, at the licentiate's current email address on file with the Board, license renewal instructions. The license renewal form with instructions shall also be available at the Board's website, www.ncchiroboard.com, or upon request at the Board's office. A licentiate desiring license renewal shall note on the form changes in name, address, specialty, employment circumstances, and criminal convictions since the last renewal form was submitted to the Board. The licentiate shall also note on the form any professional development continuing education for which the licentiate seeks credit pursuant to Rule .0210(d) of this Chapter.
(e) Continuing Education. As used in G.S. 90-155, one "day" of continuing education shall mean nine hours. Except as provided in Paragraphs (f), (g) and (h) of this Rule, a licentiate seeking license renewal shall obtain 18 hours (2 days) of Board-approved continuing education each calendar year. At least 10 hours shall be obtained by attending in-person or live on-line educational sessions. Live online hours include the opportunity to interact with the instructor in real-time. As many as eight hours may be obtained in the manner set forth in Rule .0210 of this Section. The Board shall not award credit for any continuing education hours until the sponsor or licentiate submits to the Board the sponsor's certificate of attendance or course completion.
(f) First-Year Continuing Education Exemptions. A licentiate who was enrolled in chiropractic college at any time during the year of initial licensure or a licentiate initially licensed after September 1st of the current year shall be permitted to renew his or her license for the ensuing year without obtaining continuing education but shall be required to submit a license renewal form and pay the renewal fee. In subsequent years, a licentiate shall not be permitted to renew his or her license until the continuing education requirements set forth in Paragraph (e) of this Rule are satisfied.
(g) Hardship Waivers. A licentiate seeking a hardship waiver of the continuing education requirement shall make written application to the Board no later than December 15th of the current year explaining the nature and circumstances of the hardship. Upon the applicant's showing that compliance with the continuing education requirement poses an undue hardship, the Board may waive the requirement in whole or part or grant an extension of time within which to comply. "Undue hardship" shall include protracted medical illness, natural disaster, or extended absence from the United States.
(i) Renewal Fee. A renewal fee in the maximum amount allowed by G.S. 90-155 shall be paid by each licentiate applying for renewal.
(j) Restoration of Inactive License. Evidence of Proficiency. In order to provide evidence of proficiency, a former licentiate whose license has been inactive for 180 or fewer days due to non-compliance with G.S. 90-155 shall be re-examined and shall pay the non-refundable application fee prescribed in Rule .0202(d) of this Section and shall demonstrate compliance with continuing education requirements. A former licentiate whose license has been inactive for more than 180 days shall comply with Rule .0203(f) of this Section in addition to this Paragraph. Payment of the application fee shall not constitute payment of the reinstatement fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) mandated by G.S. 90-155.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90-142; 90-145; 90-155; 90-148; 93B-15;
Eff. February 1, 1976;
Readopted Eff. January 27, 1978;
Amended Eff. January 1, 1983;
Legislative Objection Lodged Eff. January 31, 1983;
Curative Amended Eff. February 28, 1983;
Amended Eff. July 1, 2014; December 1, 1988;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. April 27, 2019;
Amended Eff. January 1, 2024; January 1, 2022; January 1, 2020.