Acupuncturist License Renewal
Acupuncturist licenses are renewed annually through MELS (Medical Enforcement & Licensure System), per Mississippi Law.
Fee: $150 annually, plus a convenience fee, payable through MELS. View full fee schedule.
Renewal cycle: Annual. The license is renewed every year; continuing education is measured on a two-year cycle.
CE requirement: 30 hours of acupuncture-related continuing education per two-year cycle (Mississippi Administrative Code, Part 2625, Rule 1.9).
How to Renew
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Log in to MELS
Sign in to MELS using your existing username and password.
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Certify your CE compliance
Confirm you have completed 30 hours of continuing education within the current two-year period.
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Complete your renewal in MELS
Follow the prompts in MELS to complete your renewal.
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Submit the renewal and pay
Pay the annual renewal fee through MELS.
Continuing Education Requirements
Each licensed acupuncturist must complete 30 hours of acupuncture-related continuing education per two-year cycle as a condition of renewal. Excess hours may not be carried over to the next cycle.
Continuing education courses must be sponsored or approved by one of the following organizations:
- Mississippi Council of Advisors in Acupuncture
- Mississippi Oriental Medicine Association
- American Society of Acupuncturists
- National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
- American Acupuncture Council
- The Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine
Courses approved as continuing education by NCCAOM also qualify. (Mississippi Administrative Code, Part 2625, Rule 1.9)
If a licensee does not obtain the required hours, the license may be renewed for just cause as determined by the Board, provided the deficient hours and unpaid fees are made up during the following renewal period in addition to the current requirements. If a licensee fails to make up deficient hours or unpaid fees, the license will not be renewed until all fees are paid and all required hours are completed and documented to the Board.
Exemptions and Waivers
- New licensees: An acupuncturist who receives an initial Mississippi license after June 30 is exempt from the continuing education requirement for the following two-year period. The 30 hours come due in the next two-year cycle.
- Repeated courses: A given course or activity counts only once toward the 30-hour total in a two-year period, no matter how many times it is taken.
- Hardship waiver: The Board may waive or modify the requirement in cases of illness, military service, disability, or other undue hardship. Requests must be made in writing to the Executive Director before the close of the renewal period in which the hours are due.
- NCCAOM recertification: A current four-year NCCAOM recertification may satisfy the two-year Mississippi continuing education requirement, at the discretion of the Executive Director.
Late Renewal
License expired but not lapsed
An expired license may be renewed at any time within 90 days after expiration upon filing of an application for renewal and payment of the renewal fee in effect on the last regular renewal date. If the license is not renewed within 90 days after expiration, the licensee must pay the renewal fees plus a late fee set by the Board.
License Expired More Than Four Years
License cannot be renewed after 4 years
A person who fails to renew his or her license within four (4) years after expiration may not renew that license, and it may not be restored, reissued, or reinstated. The person may apply for and obtain a new license by:
- Taking and passing a suitable examination, or demonstrating continued practice and continuing education acceptable to the Board; and
- Paying all fees that would be required if an initial application for licensure were being made.
Inactive Status
While a license is valid, or expired but not lapsed, the licensee may request that the license be placed on inactive status. While on inactive status, the licensee is not subject to fees or continuing education requirements. To reactivate, the licensee must demonstrate good standing, pay reactivation fees, meet continuing education requirements equivalent to those that would have been met in the preceding two years, and establish that they are qualified to practice.
Questions?
Contact the Board at 601.987.3079 or through the Contact the Board page.
Mississippi Administrative Code: For complete rules governing this license type, see Mississippi Administrative Code, Part 2625 (Acupuncturist rules) on our Laws, Code & Policies page.
