Rules in Progress

Rules are created through a public process involving open public meetings and hearings. While each rule is in various stages of rule writing, you're welcome to comment at any time.

Rules are also known as regulations, Washington Administrative Code, or WAC.

The Washington Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission (CQAC) has authority (RCW18.25) to update and change chapter 246-808 WAC.

Current rules in progress

Rule	Filing Information
Subject of possible rule making:
Rulemaking is necessary to achieve the statute’s goals and objectives by providing updated requirements that are clear, concise, and necessary to ensure patient safety. Rulemaking establishes enforceable credentialing requirements and safety mechanisms for patients receiving chiropractic services.
Chiropractic Credentialing Requirements. The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission is considering revisions to WAC 246-808-010, 246-808-105 through 246-808-140, 246-808-190, 246-808-510, 246-808-535, and 246-808-801 through 246-808-830 to clarify, streamline, and modernize the rule language to be consistent with current laws and practice standards. The commission is also considering technical amendments to implement Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5496 (Chapter 43, Laws of 2022). SSB 5496 updated terminology, definitions, and references for chiropractors. SSB 5496 also made clarifications to confidentiality protections in RCW 18.130.070 for health professional monitoring programs.	CR101 23-05-053 Filed February 10, 2023 (PDF)
Classification of Chiropractic Procedures and Instrumentation. The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission is considering amending WAC 246-808-505, Classification of chiropractic procedures and instrumentation, to better align the rule language with the statutory language and to modernize and streamline current language. The commission may also consider further amendments based on research and interested party input.	CR-101 25-10-041 Filed April 30, 2025 (PDF)

Workshops

Rules	Date and Location
The commission is considering revisions to WAC 246-808-010, 246-808-105 through 246-808-140, 246-808-180, 246-808-190, 246-808-510, 246-808-535 and WAC 246-808-801 through 246-808-830 to clarify, streamline, and modernize the rule language, and to be consistent with current laws and practice standards. The commission is also considering technical amendments to implement Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5496 (Chapter 43, Laws of 2022). SSB 5496 updated terminology, definitions, and references for chiropractors, and also made clarifications to confidentiality protections in RCW 18.130.070 for health professional monitoring programs. Except for the revision of individual rule sections, a comprehensive review of chapter 246-808 WAC has not been conducted since 1996. The commission will review WAC 246-808-130, Temporary permit: Issuance and duration; WAC 246-808-133, Background Check Temporary Practice Permit; WAC 246-808-140, Thirty-Day Permit; WAC 246-808-051, Military spouse or military-related temporary practice permit (New Section); and WAC 246-808-010, Definitions.	July 10, 2025 Department of Health TC2 Room 166/167 111 Israel Rd. S.E. Tumwater, WA 98501. This meeting is also available virtually via MS Teams. Agenda (PDF)

Hearings

Rules	Filing Information	Hearing Details
The hearings are open to the public and will be announced here, as well as through GovDelivery. To get announcements subscribe to GovDelivery.

Rules Recently Filed

Rule	Filing Information
CR-103 Permanent Rule Announcement The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission (commission) works with the Department of Health (department) to protect and improve the health of all people in Washington State. The commission protects the health, safety, and welfare of Washingtonians by ensuring that practitioners credentialed by the commission meet all licensure requirements, administering the disciplinary process promptly, fairly, and efficiently, and providing regular communications with the public and profession. The commission accomplishes this work, in part, through regulation of chiropractors and chiropractic x-ray technicians (chapter 18.25 RCW). State law, RCW 43.70.250 requires license fees for professions, occupations, and businesses, to fully fund the work of licensing and regulating health care professions. The current fee amounts in WAC 246-808-990 - Chiropractic fees and renewal cycle does not generate sufficient revenue to recover operating expenditures for the commission. 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 FY2032. Considering the commission’s financial forecast, the department is adopting a fee increase to bring revenue into alignment with the cost of licensing and regulating chiropractic professions.	CR-103 – WSR 25-16-076 – Filed August 1, 2025 – Effective December 1, 2025 (PDF) Chiropractic Fee Narrative (PDF) Concise Explanatory Statement (PDF)

Rule

Filing Information

CR-103 Permanent Rule Announcement

The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission (commission) works with the Department of Health (department) to protect and improve the health of all people in Washington State. The commission protects the health, safety, and welfare of Washingtonians by ensuring that practitioners credentialed by the commission meet all licensure requirements, administering the disciplinary process promptly, fairly, and efficiently, and providing regular communications with the public and profession. The commission accomplishes this work, in part, through regulation of chiropractors and chiropractic x-ray technicians (chapter 18.25 RCW).

State law, RCW 43.70.250 requires license fees for professions, occupations, and businesses, to fully fund the work of licensing and regulating health care professions. The current fee amounts in WAC 246-808-990 - Chiropractic fees and renewal cycle does not generate sufficient revenue to recover operating expenditures for the commission.

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 FY2032.
Considering the commission’s financial forecast, the department is adopting a fee increase to bring revenue into alignment with the cost of licensing and regulating chiropractic professions.

Comment on Rules

The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission values your input and we sincerely encourage you to send us your comments on any rule in progress. You may send your comments to:

Department of Health
Attn: Chiropractic Commission Rules
P.O. Box 47858
Olympia, WA 98504-7858

E-mail: cqac@doh.wa.gov
Phone: 360-236-2868

You may also submit comments using the online rules comment page.

Rules in Progress

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