Currently,
14 states and the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands
as well as four Canadian provinces have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic
doctors are required to graduate from an accredited four-year, residential naturopathic
medical school and pass and extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX)
in order to receive a license.
Licensed naturopathic physicians must fulfill state-mandated continuing
education requirements annually and will have a specific scope of practice
defined by their state’s law. The states that currently have
licensing laws for naturopathic physicians are:
Alaska
Arizona
California (Became law as of
Jan. 1, 2004)
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
(Became law as of July 1, 2005)
Kansas
Maine
Montana
New Hampshire
Oregon
Utah
Vermont
Washington
US Territories: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands