Naturopaths

Certification or Licensing

To practice medicine as a naturopathic physician, you must be licensed in the state in which you practice. Currently licensing is available in the District of Columbia, 20 states, as well as in U.S. territories, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. While Florida does have a few licensed naturopaths, the state stopped granting new licenses in the 1960s. As the public's awareness of this field grows and as it becomes more popular, more and more states are considering setting licensing requirements. All state licenses are contingent upon passing the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX), a standardized test for all naturopathic physicians in North America. To maintain their licenses in naturopathic medicine, N.D.'s are required to complete a certain amount of continuing education throughout their professional lives.