Subdivision 1.General requirements for registration.
To be eligible for registration, an applicant must:
(1) submit a completed application on forms provided by the board along with all fees required under section147E.40that includes:
(i) the applicant's name, Social Security number, home address and telephone number, and business address and telephone number;
(ii) the name and location of the naturopathic medical program the applicant completed;
(iii) a list of degrees received from other educational institutions;
(iv) a description of the applicant's professional training;
(v) a list of registrations, certifications, and licenses held in other jurisdictions;
(vi) a description of any other jurisdiction's refusal to credential the applicant;
(vii) a description of all professional disciplinary actions initiated against the applicant in any jurisdiction; and
(viii) any history of drug or alcohol abuse, and any misdemeanor or felony conviction;
(2) submit a copy of a diploma from an approved naturopathic medical education program;
(3) have successfully passed the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination, a competency-based national naturopathic licensing examination administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners or successor agency as recognized by the board; passing scores are determined by the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination;
(4) submit additional information as requested by the board, including providing any additional information necessary to ensure that the applicant is able to practice with reasonable skill and safety to the public;
(5) sign a statement that the information in the application is true and correct to the best of the applicant's knowledge and belief; and
(6) sign a waiver authorizing the board to obtain access to the applicant's records in this or any other state in which the applicant has completed an approved naturopathic medical program or engaged in the practice of naturopathic medicine.
Subd. 2.Registration by endorsement; reciprocity.
(a) To be eligible for registration by endorsement or reciprocity, the applicant must hold a current naturopathic license, registration, or certification in another state, Canadian province, the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States, whose standards for licensure, registration, or certification are at least equivalent to those of Minnesota, and must:
(1) submit the application materials and fees as required by subdivision 1, clauses (1), (2), and (4) to (6);
(2) have successfully passed either:
(i) the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination; or
(ii) if prior to 1986, the state or provincial naturopathic board licensing examination required by that regulating state or province;
(3) provide a verified copy from the appropriate government body of a current license, registration, or certification for the practice of naturopathic medicine in another jurisdiction that has initial licensing, registration, or certification requirements equivalent to or higher than the requirements in subdivision 1; and
(4) provide letters of verification from the appropriate government body in each jurisdiction in which the applicant holds a license, registration, or certification. Each letter must state the applicant's name, date of birth, license, registration, or certification number, date of issuance, a statement regarding disciplinary actions, if any, taken against the applicant, and the terms under which the license, registration, or certification was issued.
(b) An applicant applying for license, registration, or certification by endorsement must be licensed, registered, or certified in another state or Canadian province prior to January 1, 2005, and have completed a 60-hour course and examination in pharmacotherapeutics.
Subd. 3.Temporary registration.
The board may issue a temporary registration to practice as a registered naturopathic doctor to an applicant who is licensed, registered, or certified in another state or Canadian province and is eligible for registration under this section, if the application for registration is complete, all applicable requirements in this section have been met, and a nonrefundable fee has been paid. The temporary registration remains valid only until the meeting of the board at which time a decision is made on the registered naturopathic doctor's application for registration.
Subd. 4.Registration expiration.
Registrations issued under this chapter expire annually.
Subd. 5.Renewal.
(a) To be eligible for registration renewal a registrant must:
(1) annually, or as determined by the board, complete a renewal application on a form provided by the board;
(2) submit the renewal fee;
(3) provide evidence of a total of 25 hours of continuing education approved by the board as described in section147E.25; and
(4) submit any additional information requested by the board to clarify information presented in the renewal application. The information must be submitted within 30 days after the board's request, or the renewal request is nullified.
(b) A registrant must maintain a correct mailing address with the board for receiving board communications, notices, and registration renewal documents. Placing the registration renewal application in first-class United States mail, addressed to the registrant at the registrant's last known address with postage prepaid, constitutes valid service. Failure to receive the renewal documents does not relieve a registrant of the obligation to comply with this section.
(c) The name of a registrant who does not return a complete registration renewal application, annual registration fee, or late application fee, as applicable, within the time period required by this section shall be removed from the list of individuals authorized to practice during the current renewal period. If the registrant's registration is reinstated, the registrant's name shall be placed on the list of individuals authorized to practice.
Subd. 6.Change of address.
A registrant who changes addresses must inform the board within 30 days, in writing, of the change of address. All notices or other correspondence mailed to or served on a registrant by the board are considered as having been received by the registrant.
Subd. 7.Registration renewal notice.
At least 45 days before the registration renewal date, the board shall send out a renewal notice to the last known address of the registrant on file. The notice must include a renewal application and a notice of fees required for renewal or instructions for online renewal. It must also inform the registrant that registration will expire without further action by the board if an application for registration renewal is not received before the deadline for renewal. The registrant's failure to receive this notice does not relieve the registrant of the obligation to meet the deadline and other requirements for registration renewal. Failure to receive this notice is not grounds for challenging expiration of registration status.
Subd. 8.Renewal deadline.
The renewal application and fee must be postmarked on or before December 31 of the year of renewal. If the postmark is illegible, the application is considered timely if received by the third working day after the deadline.
Subd. 9.Inactive status and return to active status.
(a) A registrant may be placed in inactive status upon application to the board by the registrant and upon payment of an inactive status fee.
(b) Registrants seeking restoration to active from inactive status must pay the current renewal fees and all unpaid back inactive fees. They must meet the criteria for renewal specified in subdivision 5, including continuing education hours.
(c) Registrants whose inactive status period has been five years or longer must additionally have a period of no less than eight weeks of advisory council-approved supervision by another registered naturopathic doctor.
Subd. 10.Registration following lapse of registration status for two years or less.
For any individual whose registration status has lapsed for two years or less, to regain registration status, the individual must:
(1) apply for registration renewal according to subdivision 5;
(2) document compliance with the continuing education requirements of section147E.25since the registrant's initial registration or last renewal; and
(3) submit the fees required under section147E.40for the period not registered, including the fee for late renewal.
Subd. 10a.Registration following lapse of registered status; transition.
(a) A registrant whose registration has lapsed under subdivision 10 before January 1, 2020, and who seeks to regain registered status after January 1, 2020, shall be treated as a first-time registrant only for purposes of establishing a registration renewal schedule, and shall not be subject to the registration cycle conversion provisions in section147E.45.
(b) This subdivision expires July 1, 2022.
Subd. 11.Cancellation due to nonrenewal.
The board shall not renew, reissue, reinstate, or restore a registration that has lapsed and has not been renewed within two annual registration renewal cycles. A registrant whose registration is canceled for nonrenewal must obtain a new registration by applying for registration and fulfilling all requirements then in existence for initial registration as a registered naturopathic doctor.
Subd. 12.Cancellation of registration in good standing.
(a) A registrant holding an active registration as a registered naturopathic doctor in the state may, upon approval of the board, be granted registration cancellation if the board is not investigating the person as a result of a complaint or information received or if the board has not begun disciplinary proceedings against the registrant. Such action by the board must be reported as a cancellation of registration in good standing.
(b) A registrant who receives board approval for registration cancellation is not entitled to a refund of any registration fees paid for the registration year in which cancellation of the registration occurred.
(c) To obtain registration after cancellation, a registrant must obtain a new registration by applying for registration and fulfilling the requirements then in existence for obtaining initial registration as a registered naturopathic doctor.
Subd. 13.Emeritus status of registration.
A registrant may change the status of the registration to "emeritus" by filing the appropriate forms and paying the onetime fee of $50 to the board. This status allows the registrant to retain the title of registered naturopathic doctor but restricts the registrant from actively seeing patients.