Learn how to become a chiropractor in Texas 

Education requirements

Chiropractors in Texas must satisfy certain undergraduate and graduate education requirements.  

For the undergraduate requirements, chiropractor applicants must complete at least 90 semester hours from an accredited university with a grade C- or better. That’s about three years of full-time study. These credits must be transferable to the University of Texas at Austin. If you entered chiropractic school before September 1, 2005, then only 60 semester hours are required. 

In terms of graduate requirements, chiropractor applicants must graduate from an approved Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree program. These programs typically take between three and five years to complete and are the foundation of your chiropractic education.  

Exam and licensing requirements

Texas chiropractors must pass Parts I through IV and the physiotherapy exams administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE). These national licensing exams are used everywhere, but not all states require the physiotherapy exam.  

Chiropractors can take the Part I exam as early as their second year of chiropractic school. Once they’ve completed all the required exams and graduated from their chiropractic school, they can apply for a license through the TBCE and submit the required fee. Once the Board determines that you’ve submitted all the required materials (including clearing your background check) they send you instructions on how to complete the jurisprudence exam online. Once you pass that, the Board issues your license.  

Continuing education

Texas chiropractic licenses expire every biennium (two years) on the first day of your birth month. You must complete at least 32 continuing education (CE) hours (16 per year) in order to renew your license. These hours and courses must be approved the by TBCE in order to be eligible for licensure renewal.  

Out-of-state transferability 

The TBCE clearly states that they do not have any automatic reciprocity with any other states or countries. That means that chiropractors licensed in another state are required to meet all new applicant requirements in Texas.  

If you have not taken the NBCE examinations (Parts I-IV and physiotherapy), however, you may qualify to take the Special Purpose Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC) if you have practiced chiropractic or practiced as an educator at a school accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) for the three years immediately preceding the date of your Texas application (provided your license is in good standing). This situation often applies to chiropractors that were licensed in a state that did not require passing the NBCE’s physiotherapy exam, as many do not.  

Out-of-state chiropractors also must pass the Texas jurisprudence exam before they can receive their Texas license. 

Scope of practice

Information about chiropractors’ scope of practice is in the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 201 and in Title 22, Part Three of the Texas Administrative Code  

The Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners also cites that chiropractors cannot:  

Professional conduct and ethical guidelines

Both Chapter 201 of the Texas Occupations Code and Title 22, Part Three of the Texas Administrative Code contain information about the rules for professional and ethical conduct within the practice of chiropractic. They describe what actions are considered grounds for disciplinary action, which could result in the suspension or revocation of that chiropractor’s license. Some of those actions include but are not limited to:  

Liability insurance requirements

It’s generally a good idea for chiropractors, like other healthcare professionals, to consider getting professional liability and malpractice insurance to protect themselves and their business. Many professional membership organizations like the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offer group discounts on insurance for their members. 

Setting up a private practice

Setting up a private chiropractic practice takes a lot of different steps. For example, early on you’ll need to decide the legal structure of your practice such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or professional corporation (PC). You’ll also need to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, even if you don’t plan to hire employees. This number is also necessary for opening a business bank account. 

If you open your own business, you’ll need malpractice insurance. Also, you must apply to become an in-network provider with various health insurance companies if you plan to accept insurance. From there, you need to find an office location, hire applicable staff and market your business.  

These are just some of the most basic components of starting a private practice. For more information and professional guidance, consider contacting a healthcare attorney or business advisor familiar with Texas law.