District of ColumbiaNaturopathic Doctor License Requirements

Naturopathic doctors must complete a 4-year post-graduate doctoral program from a CNME-accredited (Council on Naturopathic Medical Education) naturopathic medical school. The program includes approximately 4,100 hours of classroom and clinical training covering biomedical sciences, clinical sciences, botanical medicine, nutrition, physical medicine, homeopathy, pharmacology, and supervised clinical rotations. There are currently 7 CNME-accredited programs in the United States and Canada.

The NPLEX (Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations) consists of two parts: Part I covers biomedical sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, and pharmacology) and Part II covers clinical sciences (diagnosis, botanical medicine, nutrition, physical medicine, homeopathy, counseling, minor surgery, pharmacology, and emergency medicine). All licensing states require passage of both parts. Some states additionally require a state-specific jurisprudence examination.

Additional Notes

DC requires NPLEX examinations for naturopathic physician licensure.

Approximately 25 states plus the District of Columbia license or register naturopathic doctors. States without licensure include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Only graduates of CNME-accredited programs qualify for state licensure.

Naturopathic doctor scope of practice varies enormously by state. States with the broadest scope (Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Vermont, Montana) allow prescriptive authority including some controlled substances, minor surgery, natural childbirth attendance, and IV therapy. Other states have more limited scope covering diagnostic testing, nutritional counseling, botanical medicine, and physical medicine only. In unlicensed states, naturopathic practice may be unregulated or prohibited.

Prescriptive authority for naturopathic doctors varies significantly by state. States with the broadest authority (Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Vermont, Montana) allow NDs to prescribe most non-controlled substances and some controlled substances with DEA registration. Other states limit NDs to a defined formulary of natural and synthetic substances. DEA registration may be available in states with prescriptive authority for controlled substances. Always verify current prescriptive authority with the state licensing board.

CE Details

30 continuing education hours per 2-year renewal cycle; must include at least 2 hours in LGBTQ cultural competency and 3 hours in a topic designated as a public health priority; at least 10% of total CE must be in topics identified by the Director as public health priorities

Regulatory Board

Naturopathic doctor licenses must be renewed on schedule with the state licensing authority. Most licensing states require 20-40 continuing education hours per renewal cycle in naturopathic medicine, pharmacology, clinical sciences, diagnostic techniques, botanical medicine, nutrition, and related professional topics. Some states require specific CE hours in pharmacology for NDs with prescriptive authority.

Reciprocity Requirements

• •Active ND license in good standing in another jurisdiction
• •Graduation from an accredited naturopathic medical school
• •Passage of NPLEX
• •Must be a DC resident or have a practice location in DC
• •Submit application to DC Health

Most states that license naturopathic doctors offer reciprocity or endorsement for licensed NDs from other states. Requirements typically include verification of current ND licensure in good standing, graduation from a CNME-accredited program, passage of NPLEX Parts I and II, and completion of a background check. Some states may require a state-specific jurisprudence exam. Scope of practice may differ between states.