CIN-BAD is the FCLB's Chiropractic Information Network/Board Action Databank of public board actions against chiropractors, and the FCLB says it also tracks Medicare sanctions. New Mexico requires applicants to submit both a CIN-BAD report and an NPDB self-query for initial licensure; Alabama checks CIN-BAD on its credentials route.
CIN-BAD is the Chiropractic Information Network/Board Action Databank, run by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB). It collects public disciplinary actions taken by chiropractic boards, and the FCLB's 2025 services presentation also lists Medicare sanctions among what it tracks. Some boards make the applicant order a CIN-BAD report as part of the application; others search it themselves. Either way, a new board will usually know about any public action against your license before it decides your file.
Which boards ask for a CIN-BAD report?
Requirements vary, and they are not always in the rule text. Examples we have confirmed:
- New Mexico. The New Mexico Chiropractic Board's background report instructions say that reports from both the National Practitioner Data Bank and the FCLB's CIN-BAD "are required for initial licensure." The applicant requests the CIN-BAD report through the FCLB's member benefits login, and anyone without an FCLB account must contact the FCLB by phone or email to have one created.
- Alabama. Under Alabama's licensure-by-credentials route, discipline is checked through the NPDB and CIN-BAD (Ala. Admin. Code r. 190-X-2-.19).
- Texas. The statute does not name CIN-BAD, but it requires the board to search at least one national practitioner database for discipline by another state before issuing an initial or renewal license (Tex. Occ. Code § 201.314).
Where a state's page in our state license index says CIN-BAD is required, we found it in the board's own materials. Where it says nothing, check the current application checklist; boards add documents without changing their rules.
How is CIN-BAD different from the NPDB?
They overlap but are not the same:
- CIN-BAD is specific to chiropractic and run by the boards' federation. It tracks public board actions.
- The NPDB is the federal National Practitioner Data Bank, which receives reports on all licensed health care practitioners, including state licensure actions and malpractice payments. You order your own report through an NPDB self-query. See the NPDB self-query for chiropractors.
New Mexico wants both. When a board asks for one, it is worth checking whether the other is also on the checklist.
Why does a databank result matter so much on endorsement routes?
Because many out-of-state routes are closed to anyone with discipline, and the databanks are how boards check. A few examples from the statutes:
- Texas issues an out-of-state license only to an applicant who "has not been the subject of a disciplinary action and is not the subject of a pending investigation in any jurisdiction" (Tex. Occ. Code § 201.309(3)).
- Florida's MOBILE Act endorsement requires no disciplinary action in the five years before applying, and makes an applicant reported to the NPDB ineligible unless the report was removed on appeal, though the board may still approve, restrict or condition a license when the reported conduct would not violate Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 456.0145).
- Arizona's universal recognition law requires no discipline by any other regulator; if there was some, the board decides whether the cause was corrected and the matter resolved (A.R.S. § 32-4302(A)(6)).
So a single entry can move you from an endorsement route to a full application, or to a hearing. Knowing that before you file saves the endorsement fee.
How should I prepare before ordering it?
Read your own record first. If there is any board action in your history, even an old fine or a consent order for a CE shortfall, the report will show it, and every application asks about it. Your answers on the application must match what the databanks show. An application that says "no" when CIN-BAD says otherwise is a bigger problem than the original action. We cover how to handle that in disclosing past discipline on a chiropractic application.
If a report shows something you believe is wrong, take it up with the board that took the action; the FCLB's databank reflects what boards report.
Is CIN-BAD the same as the FCLB Passport?
No. The Passport is a separate FCLB credential verification service, and it is not a license. See the FCLB Passport, explained.
How we handle it
We are not affiliated with the FCLB and do not have access to CIN-BAD. What we do is identify which background reports a target board wants, walk you through ordering them in the right sequence, and line up your disclosures with what the reports will show. That work is included in our License by Endorsement ($499 per state) and Full State License Application ($749 per state) services. Any FCLB or NPDB fees are paid to them directly.
Common questions
- What does CIN-BAD stand for?
- Chiropractic Information Network/Board Action Databank. It is run by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards.
- How do I order a CIN-BAD report?
- New Mexico's instructions direct applicants to the FCLB's member benefits login. If you do not have an FCLB account, you contact the FCLB by phone or email to have one created.
- Do I need both CIN-BAD and an NPDB self-query?
- Some boards want both. New Mexico requires both for initial licensure. Check each board's current checklist.
- Will an old board action show up?
- CIN-BAD tracks public board actions, so assume it will, and make sure your application answers match the record.
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