Virginia § 54.1-2956.9 Unlawful to practice acupuncture without license; unlawful designation as acupuncturist; Board to regulate acupuncturists

Virginia Statutes

§ 54.1-2956.9 — Unlawful to practice acupuncture without license; unlawful designation as acupuncturist; Board to regulate acupuncturists

Virginia § 54.1-2956.9

JurisdictionVirginia

Title 54.1PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

Subtitle IIIPROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS REGULATED BY BOARDS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Ch. 29MEDICINE AND OTHER HEALING ARTS

Art. 4LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION OF OTHER PRACTITIONERS OF THE HEALING ARTS

This text of Virginia § 54.1-2956.9 (Unlawful to practice acupuncture without license; unlawful designation as acupuncturist; Board to regulate acupuncturists) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2956.9 (2026).

Text

It shall be unlawful for a person to practice or to hold himself out as practicing as an acupuncturist unless he holds a license as such issued by the Board. A person licensed to practice acupuncture, when using the title "acupuncturist," shall include therewith the designation Lic.Ac. or L.Ac.

In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person who is not licensed under this chapter, whose licensure has been suspended or revoked, or whose licensure has lapsed and has not been renewed to use in conjunction with his name the words "licensed acupuncturist" or to otherwise by letters, words, representations, or insignias assert or imply that he is licensed to practice acupuncture.

The Board of Medicine shall prescribe by regulation the qualifications governing the licensure of acupuncturists. 

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It shall be unlawful for a person to practice or to hold himself out as practicing as an acupuncturist unless he holds a license as such issued by the Board. A person licensed to practice acupuncture, when using the title "acupuncturist," shall include therewith the designation Lic.Ac. or L.Ac.

In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person who is not licensed under this chapter, whose licensure has been suspended or revoked, or whose licensure has lapsed and has not been renewed to use in conjunction with his name the words "licensed acupuncturist" or to otherwise by letters, words, representations, or insignias assert or imply that he is licensed to practice acupuncture.

The Board of Medicine shall prescribe by regulation the qualifications governing the licensure of acupuncturists. Such regulations shall not restrict the practice of this profession to practitioners regulated by the Board on June 30, 1992, to practice the healing arts. The regulations shall at a minimum require that, prior to performing acupuncture, any acupuncturist who is not licensed to practice medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic or podiatry shall either (i) obtain written documentation that the patient had received a diagnostic examination from a licensed practitioner of medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic or podiatry with regard to the ailment or condition to be treated or (ii) provide to the patient a written recommendation for such a diagnostic examination. The regulations may include requirements for approved education programs, experience, and examinations. The regulations shall exempt from the requirement for Test of Spoken English (TSE) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) any foreign speaking acupuncturist who speaks the language of the majority of his clients.