Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists – Registrants

Full registrants wishing to renew their status to Non-practising, must complete the Non-Practising Registration Application Form for submission in advance of March 31, 2026, to allow sufficient time to renew. Non-practising registration (before March 31, 2026) must then be renewed by March 31, 2026.

Step-by-step Video (Mandarin):

Full Registration – Please note: the renewal dates shown in this video are no longer current.

The CCHPBC registration year for the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Profession is from April 1 to March 31st.

Your registration renewal period this year opens on February 12 and closes on March 31, 2026.

You must renew by March 31, 2026, to ensure your registration is not cancelled. If you don’t renew by the deadline, your registration is cancelled, and, if you want to continue practising in 2026, you will be required to pay your renewal fee and a reinstatement fee.

To be eligible for renewal of registration, a registrant must:

1. complete and submit the Registration Renewal application online;
2. pay the Annual Registration fee (Note: Registration fee is non-refundable);
3. pay any other outstanding fee, debt or levy owed to the college; and
4. attest that they are in compliance with the Health Professions Act, the regulations, the Bylaws, and is in compliance with any limits or conditions imposed under section 39(1)(c) of the Act.

Renewal of Registration in Various Registrant Classes

Full /Non-Practising Registration Renewal : For current registrants who are R.Ac. / R.TCM.H. / R.TCM.P. / Dr.TCM

Registrants must renew on time no later than March 31 deadline every year to avoid interruption to their continuing registration.

When a Full Practising registrant fails to complete the renewal process and pays the registration renewal fee on or before March 31, they cease to be registered and become a former registrant. A former Full Practising registrant may be eligible to apply for “Reinstatement to Full Registration” to practise in B.C., Canada. For the requirements, fees, and forms, please refer to the “Reinstatement” section below. Please pay attention in particular to the reinstatement requirements which are different depending on the duration of time being out of practice.

Please note: As of April 1, 2026, Full/Practising registrants will no longer be able to transfer to the Non-Practising class. Existing non-practising registration may be renewed until March 31, 2027.

When a Non-Practising registrant fails to complete the renewal process and pays the registration renewal fee on or before March 31, they cease to be registered.  A former Non-Practising registrant may be eligible to apply for “Reinstatement to Full Registration” to practise in B.C., Canada. For the requirements, fees, and forms, please refer to the “Reinstatement” section below. Please pay attention in particular to the reinstatement requirements which are different depending on the duration of time being out of practice.

Former registrants are not eligible for registration renewal as they do not hold current valid registration with the College. If you are a former registrant and are interested to reinstate your registration with the College, please visit the “Reinstatement” section below for information.

Former Full Practising or Non-Practising Registrants whose registration is not suspended or cancelled under Part 3 of the Health Professions Act, may apply for “Reinstatement to Full Registration” to practise in B.C., Canada. For the requirements and fees, please refer to the “Reinstatement” section below.

For continuous registration with no gaps in compliance, all registrants must ensure their fully completed renewal application and renewal registration fees are received by CCHPBC on or before March 31. We strongly recommend completing your registration before March 15, this year.

After a Full or Non-Practising registrant cease to be registered due to failure to renew, they may apply for Reinstatement to Full Registration to practise in the province of British Columbia, Canada. For the requirements, fees, and forms, please refer to the “Reinstatement” section below. Please note that only registrants with valid registration should practise the profession. When one ceases to be registered, one cannot practise until the registration has been reinstated.

 

All Full /Non-Practising registrations expire on March 31st every year. To ensure your continuous registration, you are required to renew your registration every year prior to March 31. Current Full / Non-Practising registrants may renew online* through the Registrant Portal  during the Renewal Period – from February 12, 2026 (Thursday) to March 31, 2026 (Tuesday).

Please note that for this year’s renewal,  registration package will not be sent by post. The “confirmation of registration renewal email” can be used to confirm registration status with the College. The public and patients should also use the College’s Licence Verification Tool to verify the latest registration status of a current registered practitioner in the Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture profession.

*  If you have any other outstanding fee, debt or levy owed to the college (if applicable), please contact the College FIRST before renewing and paying registration renewal fee online.

Registration Renewal Fees and Receipt

Please refer to the College Bylaws and also in “fees” section of the College website for registration renewal fees that apply to registrants in the Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture profession.

After your payment is successfully processed, a receipt will be sent to you by email.  Please keep the receipt as a confirmation of payment in a safe place.

Registration Conditions of Full Registration Renewal

The College Bylaws states the requirements and conditions for registration renewal.

The College Bylaws includes the following condition of renewal, among other requirements, for Practising registrants:

Standard First Aid and CPR-C Certifications

• Schedule 5, Paragraph 6.2.1.7: [A full registrant is required to provide]…proof of current certification in standard first aid and Level C cardiopulmonary resuscitation or equivalent certification satisfactory to the Registration Committee.
• The Standard First Aid and CPR-C certificate must be issued by one of the five national organizations: Canadian Red Cross, Canadian Ski Patrol, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Lifesaving Society, and St. John Ambulance.
• If a new first aid and/or CPR-C certification course has been completed since last renewal, registrant has the option to upload a copy of the certificate(s) while renewing their registration. (Please refer to the “Registrant File” information below of what kind of information should be kept in a “Registrant File” and what documents the College may request during an audit.

The renewal form includes declarations. By making “The Declaration for Practising Registrants Only”, a registrant affirm that they are compliant with the requirements of these bylaws – this includes providing “information regarding any criminal conviction or offence committed, past conduct involving the applicant’s incompetence or untrustworthiness, previous limits, restrictions, or conditions on the applicant’s practice that relate to the applicant’s competence or fitness to practise in a regulated profession that the applicant was or is registered in” (Schedule 5, Parapgraph 6.2.1.2); and “that all information and statements submitted are true, complete and correct” (Schedule 5, Parapgraph 6.2.1.10).

Please keep your own “Registrant File” including your current and valid Standard First Aid and CPR-C Certifications, and Professional Liability Insurance.  For details, please refer to “Maintaining a Registrant File” tab below. Each year, the College randomly selects a number of renewed registrants for audit.  If you are selected for an audit, you will receive a written request via e-mail/mail to:

1. send in specific documents, or
2. make an appointment for a site visit

Registration Conditions of Non-Practising Registration Renewal

• Non-Practising (NP) registrants are required to meet the Professional Liability Insurance requirement under Schedule 5, Paragraph 9.2 of the College Bylaws.

The renewal form includes declarations. By making “The Declaration for Non-Practising Registrants Only”, registrants affirm that they are compliant with the requirements of these bylaws. This includes a registrant affirming that they have “not and will not practise traditional Chinese medicine or acupuncture or provide professional service while holding non-practising registration since the last declaration” (Schedule 5, Paragraph 6.5.1.2); provides “information regarding any criminal conviction or offence committed, past conduct involving the applicant’s incompetence or untrustworthiness, previous limits, restrictions, or conditions on the applicant’s practice that relate to the applicant’s competence or fitness to practise in a regulated profession that the applicant was or is registered in” (Schedule 5, Paragraph 6.5.1.2); and  submits “all information and statements that are true, complete and correct” (Schedule 5, Paragraph 6.5.1.9).

The Registrant File is helpful for ALL REGISTRANTS to maintain and readily provide documents to support meeting these college requirements when requested by the College. Please refer to the “Maintain a Registrant File” below for details.

Maintaining a Registrant File

Content of Registrant File

It is each registrant’s responsibility to maintain a record of supporting documents in their own Registrant File to demonstrate meeting the Conditions of Registration Renewal.

The Registrant File should include but not limited to the following documents:

*Limited registrants may have specific conditions to meet for the Registration Committee during their limited registration, and hence the same practice hours to satisfy supervised practice conditions cannot be used simultaneously to meet practice hours for another registration requirement.

Professional Liability Insurance

• Insurance policy or certificate

Criminal Record Check (CRC)

• Record of the expiry date of your current CRC by CRRP
• Registrants can refer to their Registrant Portal’s account online to check the current CRC Expiry Date on their College record.

Other Documents

• Copies of all submitted application forms for initial registration, renewal, supporting documents, payment receipts and correspondences to/from the College.

• Standard First Aid and CPR-C course descriptions and certificates awarded.

Change of Registration Class (From Full Registration to Non-Practising Registration Class)

Please note: As of April 1, 2026, Full/Practising registrants will no longer be able to transfer to the Non-Practising class. Existing non-practising registration may be renewed until March 31, 2027.

Important Note: Registration renewal is a process for current registrants to renew their current status and title. Hence, for example, only a current Non-Practising (NP) registrant can renew their NP registration, and a Full Practising registrant can only renew their Full Practising registration.

If a current full registrant would like to apply to change to the Non-Practising Class, please follow the application process for “Change Registration Class”.

Reinstatement to Full Registration

A former Non-Practising or Full Practising registrant whose registration is not suspended or cancelled under Part 3 of the Act may directly apply for Reinstatement for Full Registration to practise in B.C., Canada in the same title they held before when they would like to re-register after March 31 or in later years.  For the requirements, fees and forms, please refer to the “Reinstatement” section below. Please make sure you understand the Reinstatement requirements.

Change of Registration Title

Registration renewal is a process for current registrants to renew their current title(s) and status. If you are holding Full Registration and wish to have your title changed, please submit a separate NEW registration application in respect to the new title with all the required documents and fees.

Please note that during registration renewal period, additional application processing time is required for the change of registration title. Please apply early. To ensure continuous registration, you are required to renew your registration by March 31.

Please refer to the “Change of Registration Title / Class” section below for further information

Failure to Renew Your Full / Non-Practising Registration on or before March 31st

Registration will be cancelled on April 1 when renewal process (i.e., completion of the renewal form and payment of registration fee) has not been completed by the deadline. When a former registrant’s registration is cancelled, the former registrant is no longer permitted (by law) to practice TCM and acupuncture in British Columbia, Canada or to represent oneself as a practitioner, or to use the titles granted by the College including full titles and abbreviations for R.Ac., R.TCM.H., R.TCM.P., Dr.TCM.

Former Full Practising or Non-Practising Registrants whose registration is not suspended or cancelled under Part 3 of the Act, may apply for “Reinstatement to Full Registration” to practise in B.C., Canada. For the requirements, fees and forms, please refer to the “Reinstatement” section below.

Former registrants are not eligible for registration renewal as they do not hold valid current registration with the College. If you are former registrants and are interested to reinstate your registration with the College, please visit the “Reinstatement” section below for more information.

A former Full registrant or a Non-Practising registrant may apply to be restored to the full register according to the College Bylaws.  A former Full or Non-Practising registrant who ceased to be registered due to late payment of fees may also apply for reinstatement.  If applying within 3 months of their last registration, then the examination and course requirements do not apply.

Please note:

A former CCHPBC registrant, who currently holds full registration or licensure in another Canadian jurisdiction  as a practising registrant, and wishes to apply for full registration in BC to practise TCM / Acupuncture should refer to the “Practitioner Registered in Another Canadian Jurisdiction” for information about registration through the reciprocity process.

A former registrant who wishes to get back on the registry to become a full registrant

• Apply by completing the Former Full / NP Registrant Reinstatement to Full Registration Application Form 
• Statutory Declaration (Form 1)

A former registrant, who wishes to reinstate to practising status, can submit the Former Full / NP Registrant Reinstatement to Full Registration Application Form. Application requirements and instructions can be found on the form. Please note that a valid Criminal Record Check (CRC) authorization is required.

Every reinstatement application to practising status will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Registration Committee. Requirements for an applicant to complete before approving to reinstate to full practising status vary for each applicant with consideration of the duration of time the non-practising registrant has been out of practice.  Some examples of requirements set by the Registration Committee include completion of examinations or courses, and completion of conditions such as supervised practice before reinstated to the full register.  Please refer to the College Bylaws for full details of the reinstatement requirements.

Change of Title

If you currently hold full registration (R.Ac./R.TCM.H./R.TCM.P.) with the College and wish to apply for another registration title, please follow the instructions applicable to your situation:

• New Graduates – BC
• New Graduates – Outside BC
• Internationally Trained Practitioner

Change Registration Class

Current Full registrants, who wish to apply to change their registration class from Full to Non-Practising, must ensure their applications are received by the College no later than March 31, 2026.

• Current Full Registrant Applying for Non-Practising Registration Application Form;
• Non-Practising Statutory Declaration
• And the required application fee as specified in Schedule 1 of the College Bylaws

According to the Bylaws (Revised on November 3, 2025),

• A Non-practising registrant must not practice traditional Chinese medicine or acupuncture or provide professional service anywhere in British Columbia, Canada within the scope of practice as defined in Section 4 of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists Regulation (Health Professions Act BC) and not provide, delegate, or supervise professional service or practise as specified in the Regulation in the Province of British Columbia, Canada.
•  A Non-practising registrant is required to be insured against liability for negligence in an amount of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence in accordance with the Bylaws.
•  A Non-practising registrant may apply to be reinstated to full practising status in accordance with the Bylaws.