The NCCAOM is a private, voluntary certification organization. It awards certification in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, Oriental Medicine and Asian Bodywork Therapy. It does not award licenses to practice acupuncture or other forms of Oriental medicine. In the United States, licensure laws vary among the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and United States territories and possessions.

It is very important to use the correct terminology when referring to your NCCAOM certification or any license to practice issued to you by a United States jurisdiction. Certification, a form of self-regulation, is a voluntary program by a private nonprofit organization to evaluate practitioners in a particular profession or business. NCCAOM Certifications are usually granted for a 4-year period and must be renewed. Licensure is the process whereby a governmental unit (state or local) grants an individual permission to pursue an occupation or carry out a business subject to regulation under the government’s “police power.” Those who practice without a license, or whose conduct violates a state’s licensing law, risk punishment ranging from criminal prosecution to license suspension or revocation, as well as possible monetary fines. Penalties for violating licensure laws vary from state to state.