WSR 25-12-015
PROPOSED RULES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
[Filed May 22, 2025, 12:01 p.m.]
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 24-16-084.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chiropractic fees and renewal cycle updates. The department of health (department) in collaboration with the chiropractic quality assurance commission (commission) is proposing amendments to WAC 246-808-990 to update chiropractic and X-ray technician licensure, registration, renewal, and other fees including clarifying updates.
Hearing Location(s): On July 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., virtual. Register in advance for this webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6Aq2OT0iQyGj23lXlWbYMQ. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information.
Date of Intended Adoption: July 18, 2025.
Submit Written Comments to: Betty Moe, P.O. Box 47858, Olympia, WA 98504-7858, email cqac@doh.wa.gov or hsqafeerules@doh.wa.gov, https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/policyreview/, beginning the date and time of filing, by July 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Betty Moe, phone 360-236-2822, TTY 711, email cqac@doh.wa.gov, by June 24, 2025.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The proposed rule amends several fees which generate revenue for the chiropractic profession. To set fees appropriately, the department considers the financial forecast of the profession and sets a fee amount designed to align revenue with the cost of licensing and regulating the profession. Additionally, RCW
43.70.250 requires that the costs of licensing each profession be fully borne by members of the profession. Rule making is required to update fees for professions that do not have the appropriate fund balance to cover the cost of licensing the profession or are operating in excess of the needed amounts. The proposed rule making is needed to maintain the appropriate balance amounts. The department is also proposing rule amendments for clarity and consistency.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: Current revenue is not sufficient to recover operating expenditures for the commission. State law, RCW
43.70.250 License fees for professions, occupations, and businesses, requires fees to fully fund the work of licensing and regulating health care professions.
The commission ended fiscal year (FY) 2024 with a fund balance of $95,000 and a revenue shortfall of $403,000. The commission is forecasted to continue operating at a deficit, contributing to further decline of the fund balance through FY 2032. Considering the commission's financial forecast, the department recommends a fee increase to bring revenue into alignment with the costs of licensing and regulating chiropractic.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Department of health, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Betty Moe, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, 360-236-2822.
A school district fiscal impact statement is not required under RCW
28A.305.135.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW
34.05.328. The proposed rules amend and set fees and therefore are exempt under RCW
34.05.328 (5)(b)(vi), rules that set or adjust fees pursuant to legislative standards. Further amendments provide clarification and therefore are exempt under RCW
34.05.328 (5)(b)(iv), rules that clarify language without changing the effect of the rule.
This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal:
Is exempt under RCW
19.85.025(3) as the rules only correct typographical errors, make address or name changes, or clarify language of a rule without changing its effect; and rules set or adjust fees under the authority of RCW
19.02.075 or that set or adjust fees or rates pursuant to legislative standards, including fees set or adjusted under the authority of RCW
19.80.045.
Explanation of exemptions: As defined in RCW
34.05.310 (4)(f), the department has determined that no small business economic impact statement is required because the revisions are to set or adjust profession licensure fees not businesses or they clarify language under RCW
34.05.310 (4)(d).
Scope of exemption for rule proposal:
Is fully exempt.
May 22, 2025
Todd Mountin, PMP
Deputy Chief of Policy
for Jessica Todorovich, MS
Acting Secretary of Health
RDS-6259.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 19-13-034, filed 6/12/19, effective 10/1/19)
WAC 246-808-990Chiropractic fees and renewal cycle.
(1) Licenses and registrations must be renewed on the practitioner's birthday every year as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC((, Part 2)).
(2) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged for chiropractic licensure:
Title of Fee | Fee |
Original application | |
| Application | $625.00 |
| Jurisprudence examination and reexamination | 100.00 |
| UW online access fee (HEAL-WA) | 16.00 |
Temporary practice permit | |
| ((90-day))Temporary practice permit | 105.00 |
Preceptorship - Initial and renewal | 155.00 |
| Chiropractic preceptor change fee | 30.00 |
Active license renewal | |
| Renewal | ((550.00)) 800.00 |
| Late renewal penalty | ((225.00)) 300.00 |
| Expired license reissuance | ((302.00)) 300.00 |
| UW online access fee (HEAL-WA) | 16.00 |
Inactive license renewal | |
| Renewal | ((257.00)) 375.00 |
| Late renewal penalty | 190.00 |
| Expired license reissuance | ((157.00)) 190.00 |
| UW online access fee (HEAL-WA) | 16.00 |
Duplicate license | 30.00 |
Verification of license | 30.00 |
(3) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged for chiropractic X-ray technician registration:
Title of Fee | Fee |
Application | ((135.00)) 182.00 |
((Original registration | 47.00)) |
Renewal | ((90.00)) 140.00 |
Late renewal penalty | ((50.00)) 70.00 |
Expired registration reissuance | ((62.00)) 70.00 |
Duplicate registration | 30.00 |
Verification of registration | 30.00 |