Do I need CALE or NCBAHM?
The two aren't interchangeable, and their rules actually run in opposite directions: If your plan is to practice in California, you take the CALE — and if you studied in Mandarin, you can sit that exam in Mandarin too, no need to requalify in English.
CALE or NCBAHM? It depends where you plan to practice.
The two aren't interchangeable, and their rules actually run in opposite directions:
| CALE (California) | NCBAHM (national) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who requires it | California Acupuncture Board, for a California license | Most other states, for licensure there |
| Languages offered | Mandarin, Korean, English | English only since 2024-01-01 |
| Note | No announced changes to language offerings as of 08/2026 | Renamed from NCCAOM to NCBAHM on 2026-01-02 — same body, new name, no change to standards |
If your plan is to practice in California, you take the CALE — and if you studied in Mandarin, you can sit that exam in Mandarin too, no need to requalify in English. If you might practice in another state, you'll need NCBAHM certification instead, which is English-only regardless of what language you studied in.
The real question underneath "which one" is usually portability: a Chinese-language education-and-licensure route through Five Branches genuinely works — but it ties you to California, since most other states license through NCBAHM's English-only exam. (And separately from either exam, serving the general public in the U.S. in practice calls for English, even where you're licensed.)
Do you know yet whether you're set on practicing in California specifically, or still weighing other states too?
Sources
- Five Branches University — Accreditation Degrees Programs checked 2026-08
- California Acupuncture Board checked 2026-08
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — VA Handbook 5005/100, Acupuncturist GS-0601 checked 2026-08
Last reviewed: