Retirement Status Information
If a licensee has discontinued the practice of acupuncture and does not anticipate returning to practice, the option to apply for retired status is available.
To qualify for retired status, the license must be active or inactive (current and valid). The license cannot be inactive due to disciplinary reasons. In addition, the licensee must not be actively engaged in the practice of acupuncture or engaged in any activity that requires licensure by the Board.
To apply for retired status a licensee must submit:
- Application for Retired Acupuncture License; and
- An $85 application fee.
While in retired status, the license holder:
- Shall not engage in any activity requiring an active license;
- Is not required to renew the license; and
- Is not required to complete continuing education.
A retired licensee must use the professional title “Retired L.Ac.”
Restoration of a Retired License
A license in retired status may be restored to active status within three (3) years from the date retired status was issued.
To restore within that three-year period, the licensee must:
- Submit an Application to Restore Retired Acupuncture License to Active Status;
- Submit a non-refundable fee of $500;
- Complete 50 hours of continuing education within the last two years prior to applying to restore; and
- Submit fingerprints to the Department of Justice for a criminal history record check if electronic record of fingerprints no longer exists.
Please note, the renewal cycle is based on a two-year cycle set to expire at the end of your second year at the end of your birth month. If you restore your license to active status in the middle of a renewal cycle, your active period will be shorter than 24 months. In these cases, you will still be required to pay the next biennial renewal fee and complete 50 hours of continuing education when that renewal deadline arrives.
If more than three (3) years have passed since retired status was issued, the individual seeking an active license will be required to apply for a new license in accordance with Business and Professions Code section 4967.
Additional information regarding retired status and restoration can be found in California Code of Regulations section 1399.419.3.
Other Options
Placing a license in retired status is voluntary. Licensees who choose to stop practicing may also:
- Allow the license to become delinquent by ceasing renewal. A delinquent license is permanently canceled three years after the date of expiration; or
- Place the license on inactive status and continue to renew biennially by paying the renewal fee (no continuing education is required while inactive).
