Ohio licenses chiropractors from other states under its universal licensing law, Chapter 4796, through Ohio Rev. Code § 4734.23(C). You need one year holding the out-of-state license, practice in one of the last five years, good standing everywhere, and a license earned by education or exam. The board may require Ohio's jurisprudence exam.
Ohio sends chiropractors licensed in another state through its universal licensing law. Ohio Revised Code § 4734.23(C) directs the State Chiropractic Board to issue a license "in accordance with Chapter 4796" to an applicant who holds a chiropractic license in another state. Under § 4796.03, that means you have held the out-of-state license for at least one year immediately before applying, practiced for at least one of the last five years, are in good standing everywhere you are licensed, and earned the license by meeting education or exam requirements. The board may also require Ohio's jurisprudence exam.
What does § 4796.03 require, item by item?
- A substantially similar out-of-state license in the same profession.
- One year of licensure and one year of practice. You must have held the license for at least the year immediately before applying, and have practiced for at least one of the five years before applying. The board may waive either.
- Good standing in all jurisdictions where you hold a chiropractic license.
- A license that required something. The other state must have required minimum education, training or experience, or an exam, to get the license. A license you earned with a DC degree and NBCE scores meets this.
- No revocation or surrender for negligence or intentional misconduct related to chiropractic work.
- A fee equal to the renewal fee, the initial license fee, or the pre-2023 out-of-state fee, as the board decides.
- No disqualifying criminal offense under Ohio's law for the profession. Section 4796.10 lets a board issue a restricted license instead when an offense would otherwise disqualify.
Will Ohio make me take the jurisprudence exam?
It can. Section 4796.08(A) says that if a board requires a state laws-and-rules exam for its regular license, it may require it of applicants under Chapter 4796 too. Ohio's chiropractic law requires one for regular applicants: § 4734.20(B)(5) requires passing the board's jurisprudence examination, and § 4734.22 says the board administers it on the statutes, rules and other legal topics governing chiropractic in Ohio, with the board setting the passing score. Plan on it. Section 4796.08 also carries over the criminal records check and any financial responsibility requirement from the regular license.
What does the regular Ohio license require, for comparison?
Section 4734.20 is the route for new graduates and anyone who does not fit Chapter 4796. It requires a $250 application fee, age 21 or older, two years of college before chiropractic school, a DC from a board-approved college, the jurisprudence exam, and NBCE results that depend on graduation date:
- graduated 1970 through 1988: Parts I and II and Physiotherapy;
- graduated 1989 through 2001: Parts I, II and III and Physiotherapy;
- graduated January 1, 2002 or later: Parts I, II, III and IV and Physiotherapy.
Under § 4734.20(C), the burden is on the applicant to prove eligibility by clear and convincing evidence, and the board may investigate using FBI and state criminal records.
Does Ohio decide quickly?
Section 4796.20 requires a licensing authority to give a written decision within 60 days after receiving a complete application, and an application is not complete until any required exam or criminal records check is done. If a complaint, allegation or investigation is pending elsewhere, the timing rules in that section change. We do not promise a date, because completeness is the board's call.
What about chiropractors licensed in another country?
Section 4734.23(A) and (B) cover them separately. The fee is $500, and the board may for good cause waive all or part of the education and testing requirements if the other country's requirements were substantially equivalent when the license was issued. If it does not waive them all, it may require specific tests from the board, the NBCE or another testing body. Canadian-trained chiropractors should read licensing in the US for chiropractors trained in Canada.
How does White Glove handle an Ohio file?
We confirm your one-year and one-in-five dates, collect good-standing verifications from every state, line up the background check, and prepare you for the jurisprudence exam. License by Endorsement is $499; Jurisprudence & State Law Exam Support is $249. Board and background check fees are separate, and the board decides. Ohio is one of several states with a universal licensing statute; see universal license recognition laws and chiropractors and our Ohio page.
Common questions
- Does Ohio have chiropractic reciprocity?
- Ohio uses its universal licensing law instead. Ohio Rev. Code § 4734.23(C) sends chiropractors licensed in another state through Chapter 4796, which requires one year of licensure, practice in one of the last five years and good standing in every state.
- Do I need the Ohio jurisprudence exam if I am licensed elsewhere?
- The board may require it. Ohio Rev. Code § 4796.08(A) allows a board to require its state laws exam from universal licensing applicants when the regular license requires one, and § 4734.20 requires it for regular chiropractic applicants.
- Which NBCE parts does Ohio require?
- For the regular license under § 4734.20, graduates since January 1, 2002 need Parts I, II, III, IV and Physiotherapy. Earlier graduates need fewer parts, depending on graduation date.
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