Board of Chiropractic Examiners: Continuing Education Requirements

All chiropractors with an Active Colorado license must complete a minimum of 30 hours per two-year license period.  

  • If a chiropractor has been licensed for a period of 12 months or less before the first renewal of their license, they are not required to complete CE for that renewal.
  • If a chiropractor has been licensed for longer than twelve months before the first license renewal period, only 15 CE credit hours are required for that renewal.

Standards

  • CE must have as its primary objective the increase of professional competence, and include scientific clinics, forums, or chiropractic educational study consisting of subjects basic to the field of the healing arts. Licensees are responsible for ensuring that CE courses comply with requirements. The Board does not pre-approve CE courses, curriculum or programs.
  • Program sponsors shall present continuing chiropractic education that constitutes a meritorious learning experience. If a sponsor falsifies information regarding a course, the Board may require the sponsor's future courses be pre-approved.
  • Courses in the promotion of practice building, office management, or are outside the chiropractic scope of practice DO NOT satisfy the Board's requirements.
  • The number of CE credit hours may be determined by counting the hours of instruction and rounding to the nearest quarter hour, except as otherwise indicated below for college/university courses:
    • 1 semester hour = 15 CE credit hours
    • 1 quarter hour = 8.5 CE credit hours
  • Any excess CE hours above the minimum requirement in any applicable licensing period may not be "carried over" in order to meet the minimum educational requirements in any succeeding licensing period.

Additional Requirements

  • Each actively licensed Colorado chiropractor is required to maintain "Health Provider Level Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation" (CPR), as provided by the American Heart Association or substantially similar nationally or internationally recognized organization. All active licensees must maintain proof of current and valid CPR certification. The hours necessary to maintain this CPR certification may be used towards the CE hours required by Board Rule.
  • At least four (4) of the 30 required hours shall be in recordkeeping and documentation
  • Chiropractors registered to perform animal chiropractic must complete an additional 20 hours of CE per license period that is specific to the diagnosis and treatment of animals authorized by Colorado statute. Fields of study are listed in sections 12-215-127(4) and (5), C.R.S.

Distance Learning

  • For every license period, up to 10 CE hours may be obtained through traditional distance learning programs. These may include but are not limited to, internet education programs, CDs, DVDs, video and audio tapes. To obtain CE credit for distance learning, successful completion of a proficiency testing component is required. These courses allow no real-time interaction between the instructor and licensee.
  • Online CE courses in which the instructor and licensee are in direct, live communication during the course are not considered traditional distance learning and the CE hours earned count the same as CE hours earned in a live classroom environment. Examples include a live lecture or teleconference in which the instructor and licensee can speak directly with each other, a video presentation in which the licensee and other practitioners discuss with a facilitator‚Äôs assistance, a recorded presentation in which the licensee is able to ask questions and interact with the instructor in real time.

Documentation

Licensees must maintain their own CE files. Records must be kept for a period of four (4) years. Documentation must include the following information:

  • the dates of the CE program
  • a certificate of attendance, including the hours in attendance
  • a synopsis of the course content
  • the identity of the course sponsor

Exceptions

If any licensed chiropractor is unable to comply with CE requirements on account of dire emergency and for good cause shown, the Board may waive the provisions. A licensee requesting waiver must send a written petition to the Board, outlining the reasons for the request. The licensee will be notified of the Board's decision in writing.

**Audits of compliance are conducted after each renewal cycle ends.**

Contact Information

State Board of Chiropractic Examiners: Continuing Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350
Denver, CO 80202
Phone:303-894-2363| Fax: 303-869-0329 | Email:dora_dpo_continuedcompetency@state.co.us