How to Start a Chiropractic Practice in Georgia: Board License, Renewal and CE

October 29, 2026

Opening a chiropractic practice in Georgia starts with one requirement: a license from the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners. The Board is part of the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Georgia Secretary of State, and applications and renewals are filed online through the GOALS portal. Until that license is issued, you cannot practice, so everything else in this guide, from the entity you form to the payroll you set up, comes second. The steps below follow that order.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and deadlines change. Confirm every figure with the agency named before you spend money or sign a lease. If your setup is complex, such as a partnership with other clinicians or the purchase of an existing practice, talk to a Georgia attorney and a CPA before you commit.

What You Need Before You Apply

Gather these materials before you start the online application. A missing item is the most common reason a file stalls, and the Board's processing clock does not start cleanly on an incomplete file.

• National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) score reports for Parts 1 through 4
• An official transcript from your doctor of chiropractic program
• Certification for therapeutic modalities
• The application fee, paid at the amount shown on the Board's current fee schedule
• The secure and verifiable document and citizenship affidavit
• A signed background consent
• For endorsement or reinstatement: verification of any license you hold or have held in another state
• For examination applicants: a passing score on the Georgia jurisprudence examination

Step 1: Choose Your License Route

The Board offers three routes. Pick the one that matches your history before you start the application, because each route asks for a different set of documents.

Route A: License by examination

This route fits new graduates. The Board's checklist asks for a completed application with the fee, NBCE scores for Parts 1 through 4, an official transcript from your doctor of chiropractic program, certification for therapeutic modalities, a passing score on the Georgia jurisprudence examination, the secure and verifiable document and citizenship affidavit, and a background consent. Study the jurisprudence material early. It is the Georgia-specific portion of your file, and it is the piece most applicants underestimate.

Route B: License by endorsement

This route fits a chiropractor who holds a license in another state and has been in active practice for at least three years. You submit the same kind of documents as the examination route, plus license verification from the state or states where you are licensed. Start the verification requests early, because they depend on another state's office and you do not control their timing.

Route C: Reactivation or reinstatement

This route applies if your Georgia license has lapsed or is inactive. The Board requires proof of 40 hours of continuing education completed within the previous two years, a jurisprudence examination, and verification of any license you hold in another state. A license that has been lapsed for a long period may trigger additional coursework under a Board policy. Ask the Board about this before you assume your case is routine, since the extra work can add weeks to the timeline.

Step 2: File Through GOALS and Plan for Processing

Create your account in the GOALS portal, upload your documents, and pay the fee. Fees are listed on the Board's fee schedule, and this guide does not print a fee figure because schedules change. Read the current schedule before you pay.

The Board says it generally processes applications within 20 business days of receipt. If the Board sends a deficiency letter, the 20 business days restart once you answer it. An incomplete application can be withdrawn after 60 days, so answer every deficiency letter promptly and check your GOALS account at least weekly while your file is open.

Step 3: Calendar Your Renewal and Continuing Education

Georgia chiropractic licenses renew every two years, and the renewal deadline is December 31 of each even-numbered year. The late renewal period runs January 1 to 31. Do not assume the deadline matches your original license date. Put the even-year December 31 deadline on your calendar the day your license is issued.

The Board requires continuing education (CE) for both renewal and reinstatement. For reactivation, the Board counts 40 hours completed within the previous two years. For regular renewal, read the Board's current rule on the number of CE hours required and which courses qualify, because the rule is the controlling source and this guide does not restate the hour count. Keep course certificates for every CE hour you claim, with the provider name, course title, date and hours, and store them for the full renewal cycle.

Step 4: Clear the Items the License Does Not Cover

A chiropractic license lets you practice. It does not settle every approval your clinic needs. Work through these items with the right agency before you lease or equip a space.

• Facility approval: Nothing in the Board's materials describes a separate state facility license for a chiropractic office. Ask the Board whether any facility requirement applies to your clinic, and ask your local building department about permits for the space, the build-out and the signage.
• X-ray equipment: X-ray equipment and radiation registration are regulated separately from your chiropractic license. Before you buy an X-ray unit, ask which state registration applies to your equipment and your staff, and get that registration in hand before you start imaging patients.
• Medicare enrollment: Medicare enrollment is a federal process. It takes time, so start it early if you plan to bill Medicare. Do not wait until your first patient is scheduled.
• National Provider Identifier (NPI): You need an NPI from the federal system. It is free through NPPES, the federal NPI registry. Apply early, because insurers and Medicare enrollment often ask for it.

Step 5: Form the Business Entity

Once you know your license is coming, choose how the practice is organized. The most common options are a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation. For the LLC process, see how to start an LLC in Georgia.

The Secretary of State's fees for an LLC are as follows. Articles of Organization cost $110 in total, which is the $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, whether you file online through the Georgia eCorp portal or on paper. Online filings take about 7 to 10 business days, and paper filings take about 15 business days. Expedited review costs $120 for 2 business days, $275 for same-day review if the filing is received by noon, or $1,200 for a one-hour review on business days. A name can be reserved for 30 days for $35. Your name must include an LLC designator, such as Limited Liability Company, LLC or L.L.C., and must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records. Check the name rules before you file.

A corporation files Articles of Incorporation at the same $110 total cost. Corporations and LLCs taxed as corporations owe a net worth tax of $0 to $5,000 depending on net worth, which is set by the Department of Revenue. A typical single-member or partnership LLC pays no franchise tax in Georgia. The annual registration for either entity is $60 ($50 plus a $10 service charge), due between January 1 and April 1. A new LLC files its first annual registration in the year after it forms. A new corporation files within 90 days of incorporating. Confirm the current window and the $25 late penalty with the Secretary of State before you set a reminder.

Two rules apply to professional practices. First, many states require a professional entity for licensed clinicians, but whether a Georgia professional entity is advisable for your situation is a question for a Georgia attorney or CPA, not this guide. Second, if your clinic will operate under a name other than your entity's legal name, that trade name is filed with the Clerk of Superior Court of the county where the business is chiefly carried on, not with the Secretary of State. Publication is required once a week for two weeks in the county legal organ. The clerk fee is about $165 plus the newspaper charge, so confirm both with your county clerk. Reference: Secretary of State business division FAQ.

Step 6: Get Your EIN

Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS once your entity exists, because your bank, payroll provider and Department of Revenue registration all use it. The process is free and takes minutes online. Read the Georgia EIN guide for the steps that apply in this state.

Step 7: Obtain the Local Occupation Tax Certificate

Georgia issues no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and sales tax registration is not a business license. The local license that most businesses call a business license is an occupation tax certificate issued under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. A city issues it for businesses inside city limits. The county issues it for businesses in unincorporated areas. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so for many clinics the county is the issuer, but a clinic inside a city pays the city, not the county.

Each of Georgia's 159 counties and about 537 cities and towns sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites. The Department of Revenue does not set them, so ask the issuing office for its current schedule before you open. Expect the city or county to ask for proof of your state license before it issues the certificate under O.C.G.A. 36-60-6(c). If you have more than 10 employees, a private employer must also file an E-Verify affidavit to get the local certificate, under O.C.G.A. 36-60-6.

The professional fee election. For professions on a statutory list, a locality may offer a fee it sets, not above $400 per licensed practitioner, in place of its normal formula. The $400 is a ceiling, not a flat state fee. Whether chiropractors appear on a given locality's list, the amount it sets, and any administration fee all depend on the city or county that issues your certificate. Ask the issuing office directly, and get the answer in writing.

Step 8: Register With the Department of Revenue If Needed

Register with the Georgia Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center if your clinic sells taxable products, such as supplements or braces, or if it has employees. Sales tax registration is free. The state sales tax rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% depending on county and city, with Atlanta at 8.9%. Georgia issues no separate resale permit. A buyer who resells a product uses Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption. Out-of-state sellers face collection duties at $100,000 of Georgia sales or 200 separate transactions, so an online supplement store can reach that threshold. For the full sales tax process, read the Georgia sales tax guide for new businesses and online sellers.

If you plan to hire staff, read hiring your first employee in Georgia. Georgia has no state paid sick leave or family leave mandate, but federal wage rules still apply.

Step 9: Plan Workers' Compensation at Three Workers

Workers' compensation insurance is required once you have three or more workers, and part-time workers count toward that number. Many new clinics undercount because they hire a part-time front desk employee and a part-time assistant and assume the requirement does not apply yet. Count every worker before you decide. The full requirements are in the Georgia workers' compensation insurance requirements guide.

Step 10: Plan for State Income Tax

Georgia income tax is a single flat rate, and the corporate rate is the same as the individual rate. Income from an LLC generally passes through to the owner's individual return, while a corporation pays under the corporate rules. Read the Georgia business taxes guide for the current rate and filing details, and confirm the treatment of your entity with a CPA.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Signing a lease or buying equipment before the license is issued. The license is the gate. Spend on the space and equipment after your file is approved, unless the agency has confirmed the timing.
• Treating the renewal date as your license anniversary. Renewal is due December 31 of each even-numbered year, with the late period January 1 to 31.
• Letting a deficiency letter sit. The processing clock restarts when you answer, and an incomplete application can be withdrawn after 60 days.
• Skipping course certificates. Keep proof for every CE hour you claim, because the Board can ask for it.
• Assuming a flat $400 occupation tax. The $400 is a local ceiling for listed professions. Ask the issuing city or county what applies to you.
• Looking for a state business license. Georgia has none. Your state license comes from the Board, and your local certificate comes from the city or county.
• Buying an X-ray unit before checking registration. Confirm the applicable state registration first.
• Undercounting workers. Part-time workers count toward the three-worker workers' compensation threshold.

What to Expect From This Process

A complete application, an on-time renewal and an organized CE record are the steps most likely to keep a new practice open without interruption. Expect the Board to take about 20 business days to process a typical complete file, and expect the local certificate and the Department of Revenue registration to add their own timelines. Build those timelines into your opening date rather than planning around the earliest possible launch.

This guide does not make claims about the results of any treatment. Discuss what your practice can and cannot claim about its services with your attorney, and keep patient-facing marketing consistent with the scope of your license.

Next Steps

Start with the Board. Confirm your route, assemble your materials, and file through GOALS. While you wait, form your entity, get your EIN, and call the city or county that issues your occupation tax certificate. For help with the broader plan, the Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia offers free advising, and the Secretary of State Corporations Division is the starting point for entity questions.

Reminder: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Confirm all fees, deadlines and rules with the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue and your local issuing office before you act, and consult a qualified Georgia attorney or CPA for your specific situation.