CNT Course Policies and Procedures

Thank you for your interest in the CCAOM Clean Needle Course. Prior to registering, please review the following information thoroughly. For all other questions, see the Frequently Asked Questions page or contact the office.

Absences: In the case of a documented illness or personal or family-related emergency that results in inability to attend the CNT course, notify the CCAOM office within 7 days after the scheduled course date, providing a written explanation and documentation (medical report, death certificate, etc.) of the reason for the absence. A refund (less application fee) or registration in a later course session may be requested. Additional fees may apply, based on timing of the notification. Refunds will not be issued for absences without a documented emergency, or if an applicant fails to receive acceptance information. If an applicant fails to attend an international CNT class for which they are registered, s/he will not receive a refund.

Acceptance into a CNT Course: Please note the following points as they relate to your application for a CNT course.

After signing up for a CNT course, you will receive an email confirming that the first part of your application was submitted. This email is not an indication of acceptance into the course. You must complete the second step of submitting all required eligibility documentation in order for your registration to be considered complete. (For more information about the full registration process, click here.)
Within one week after your complete application has been submitted and reviewed, you will receive an approval email notifying you that you have been successfully enrolled in the course. This is a critical communication, so if you do not receive this email, you should contact the office to find out why.
Additional information about how to prepare for the course will appear in your CCAOM portal once you have been accepted (login required).
Applicants who show up for a class who are not on the official class roster will be turned away. Therefore it is imperative that you contact us if you don't receive the approval email.
If you fail to attend the CNT class for which you are registered, you will NOT receive a refund and you will have to repay the entire course fee when you re-register. Therefore, be sure to contact the office if you do not receive the approval email.

Attire: Please wear comfortable clothing on the day of the CNT course, and remember that you will need to demonstrate clean needle technique on yourself, typically somewhere on your leg. Be prepared for possible temperature changes, as climate control is unpredictable in the classrooms on weekends. Do NOT wear open-toed shoes, as these present a hazard when working with acupuncture needles.

Certificate of Completion: Applicants who have successfully completed the CNT course may state that they hold a certificate in Clean Needle Technique as administered by the CCAOM, but may NOT state that they are certified in acupuncture, Oriental medicine, or any other modality as a result of completion of the CNT course. Applicants shall NOT use acronyms or subtitles after their names to reference the CNT certificate; neither will the CNT certificate include any acronyms or subtitles after applicants’ names. It is important to state your name on the CNT application exactly as it will be given to licensing boards, the NCCAOM, etc. It should also match your name as it appears on your photo ID. If we need to reissue you a certificate with a different version of your name, you will be charged a $15 fee. It is also your responsibility to make sure that CCAOM has a current address on file to ensure that your certificate is sent to the correct location. If your address has not been updated and your certificate is returned to us as undeliverable, you will have to submit a replacement certificate request through our website, and you will be charged $15 to have it sent out again.

Courses in the U.S.: Successful applicants will automatically receive a CNT certificate in the mail approximately 4-6 weeks after course completion. If necessary, applicants can receive an early certificate by completing the request form on our website. If you do not receive your certificate within 6 weeks after course completion, please call the CCAOM office. You will be charged a $15 replacement fee for your certificate if your request is made more than 6 months after CNT course completion.
International Courses: For logistical reasons, all exams for international CNT applicants will be graded on the day of the CNT course, so these applicants will know if they passed the CNT course that day. International applicants will be given a certificate of completion on the day of the course.

Challenging Written Exam Questions: Any questions or comments regarding examination content or administration must be submitted in writing to the CCAOM no later than seven business days after the course.

Examination Content: If you believe there is an error in a particular question or have comments about other specific aspects of examination content, submit your concern in writing to the CCAOM within seven business days after the course date. Include your name, address, course date and location, and a description of the specific question you are concerned about.
Examination Administration Conditions: Should you experience any environmental difficulties during the administration of the examination (e.g., too hot, too cold, too noisy, problem with examination instructions, etc.), you are obligated to resolve your concern with the instructor during the administration of the exam.
Resolution of Complaint: The CCAOM will evaluate all complaints and a written response will be issued within 45 days of receipt of the complaint.
Appealing Examination Decisions: Candidates may appeal the decision by sending a letter describing the justification for the appeal. The CCAOM must receive the appeal within 30 days of the candidate’s receipt of CCAOM’s initial decision. The CCAOM CNT Committee will review the appeal request, and the candidate will be notified of the committee’s decision within 30 days after receipt of the appeal.

Class Cancellation: A CNT course session may be cancelled by the CCAOM for the following reasons.

Emergencies or Inclement Weather: If a CCAOM CNT course is cancelled due to inclement weather or any other unforeseen emergency, the CCAOM will post the cancellation to the CNT schedule on our website. If the cancellation is last-minute, we will also leave a message on our answering machine. The CCAOM will not assume responsibility for any personal expenses incurred by individuals relating to course attendance, including but not limited to, travel or accommodations. Applicants who are traveling to a CNT course may wish to purchase travel insurance for this reason. (*Please click here for more information about cancellations and other information surrounding COVID-19.) The CCAOM will register individuals for a different CNT course session at no additional charge.
Minimums: A course session may be cancelled if the minimum registration level (typically 25) is not reached. If cancelled, all approved registrants will be notified by email and may select another session or request a full refund.

Confidentiality: CNT course-related records are permanently and securely maintained for all individuals who have taken the CNT course, so that verification is always available upon request. No information will be released without the express written authorization of the applicant. Payment information is not stored and all CCAOM systems and processes are PCI compliant.

Disability Accommodations: The CCAOM provides equal access to the CNT course for individuals with disabilities and does not discriminate on the basis of disability or a serious medical condition in determining admission to the course. As required by law, reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure equal access for persons with disabilities. Individuals seeking accommodations are required to provide current documentation and request specific reasonable accommodations. The CCAOM will not fundamentally alter the nature or learning objectives of the course, lower assessment standards, nor create an unreasonable risk to the security and health of the attendee with a disability or other individuals present at the course session as a result of accommodation implementation. Examinations administered with reasonable accommodations will be taken at the same time as all other course session attendees. To request an accommodation, the following documents must be uploaded during the online registration request process:

Information pertaining to the disability or serious medical condition for which reasonable accommodation is being sought, including identification of the type of disability with an official diagnosis (physical, cognitive, psychological, learning or serious medical condition) from a qualified evaluator;
Documentation of the disability from a professional, unrelated to the disabled individual, who is trained and qualified (i.e. certified and/or licensed) to evaluate/ diagnose/ assess the particular disability or health condition. These professionals include, but are not limited to, medical doctors, psychologists, audiologists, ophthalmologists, and educational diagnosticians. Documentation must include the letterhead of the professional providing the evaluation/ diagnosis and date of diagnosis/ assessment and the name, address, and qualifications of the professional;
Information regarding the limitations imposed by the disability or serious medical condition;
Information about the impact of the disability or serious medical condition on the individual's ability to perform the essential functions required in the CNT course;
Information about previous reasonable accommodations in a higher education setting, if applicable;
A statement outlining the specific reasonable accommodations the individual believes would be helpful in allowing him or her to perform the essential functions of the CNT course.

Documentation should be submitted via the CNT Course Disability Accommodation Upload Form.

*Please note: CCAOM can only honor accommodation requests made at the time of registration. We cannot accept accommodation requests after an application has been submitted.

Dismissal for Reason: The CCAOM maintains non-negotiable policies that include immediate dismissal without refund from any CNT course session for reasons including, but not limited to:

Cheating on the Written Exam: All forms of cheating including the use of electronic devices of any kind, including translation devices or electronic eyewear are forbidden.
Misrepresentation: Any misrepresentation of eligibility to take the CNT course prior to the day of the session will result in cancellation of registration. Photo identification is required upon admittance on the day of the course session and identity misrepresentation will result in immediate dismissal. If the misrepresentation is discovered following the course completion and certificate award, CCAOM will revoke the certificate and notify the course attendee and any entity to which CCAOM sent a CNT verification.
Taping/Photographing: Audio or video taping, recording or photography of any portion of the CCAOM CNT course is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. Any individual observed recording any portion of the CNT course in any format will be dismissed immediately and will not receive a refund.
Inappropriate behavior: Appropriate classroom decorum is expected on the part of all CNT applicants. CNT instructors are authorized to dismiss from the course any applicant who is disruptive or otherwise behaves in an inappropriate manner.

Exams: All course attendees must complete both a 50 multiple-choice question written exam and a practical exam, which consists of demonstrating proper needling technique based on verbal instructions. More information can be found in your portal once you have been enrolled in the course. Only one opportunity to pass the written exam will be provided. Applicants will be given two opportunities to pass the practical exam and will find out their practical exam results on the day of the course.

Courses in the U.S.: Applicants will receive their written exam grade approximately 7-10 days after course completion, along with an evaluation form.
For international courses: For logistical reasons, all exams for international CNT applicants will be graded on the day of the CNT course, so these applicants will know if they passed the CNT course that day.

Failure to Pass: On average, about 90% of all attendees pass the CNT course. While most course failures are due to written exam scores, attendees are required to pass both the written and practical exams in order to pass the course. Individuals who fail either the written or the practical exam must retake the entire course. No refunds will be given for failed courses. Individuals who wish to schedule a retake should do so through our online registration system. For more detailed information about re-registering, click here.

Fees: The early bird registration fee for English language CNT courses in the U.S. is $175. If you register after the early bird cutoff date, which is posted on the website and is generally 2 months before the course date, the fee is $200. If you request a foreign language written exam, or if you register for a foreign language course, the fee is $225 before the early bird cutoff date and $250 after that date. The fee for international CNT courses is $500 before the early bird cutoff date and $525 after that date.

Foreign Language: Some states may require completion of the CNT course in English; check the state licensing requirements. To receive credit for completing the CNT course in English, the course and the written and practical exams must all be taken in English. Please note that the preferred written exam language can only be changed by contacting the office at least 3 weeks prior to the course date.

Late Applications: In order to avoid late fees, which are not refundable, note the application deadline when completing the online registration form.

NCCAOM CNT Policy: Individuals seeking NCCAOM certification must have completed a CCAOM CNT course within the six years prior to their application date for NCCAOM certification. Otherwise, the CNT course must be re-taken, unless the applicant has held a continuous license to practice acupuncture within the last three years before applying to NCCAOM for certification. Please contact the NCCAOM for more information about this policy.

Prerequisites: Current acupuncture school students (or those who are enrolled in an NCCAOM-approved or state-approved tutorial) are required to have at least begun a needling techniques course no later than the date of their CCAOM CNT course. This requirement must be verified by the program’s appropriate authorized officer on the CNT Eligibility Requirements Form.

Space Limitations: Due to fire codes and available seats at CNT course facilities, there are enrollment limitations for all course sessions. Total capacity and number of available seats for each session are shown on the CNT course schedule web page.

Switching Course Dates: Please contact the CNT office if you wish to switch course dates. There are financial penalties for switching class dates, depending on when you notify the office.

Courses in the U.S.:

Check the status of the desired class on our website under the link for the CNT schedule to see if there is space available.
Notify the CCAOM office by phone or email that you would like to cancel your current enrollment and apply for a different course date.
If your request to switch course dates is received by the CCAOM office 15 days or more before the initial CNT course date, the switch fee is $25. If the request is received 8-14 days before the initial CNT course date, the switch fee is $75. If the request is received 1-7 days before the initial CNT course date, the switch fee is $125. You will be invoiced for the appropriate fee. Switch fees are non-refundable.
Note that applications cannot be carried over from one calendar year to the next. If you are registered for a class in one year and you wish to switch into a class the following year, you must cancel your registration and start the registration process over again.

International Courses: Because international courses are offered infrequently, applicants who wish to change class dates must cancel their enrollment, receive the appropriate refund, and reapply at a later time.

Traveling to a CNT Course: Before you purchase an airline ticket and/or make hotel reservations, email the office to make sure that the class you have enrolled in will not be cancelled.

As a precaution, you may wish to purchase travel insurance.
It is advisable to pack the travel kit (which is required for the course) in checked baggage rather than a carry-on bag.
If you cannot travel with needles, please let us know, so that we can make sure that the instructor brings extra needles to the course.

Withdrawing from a CNT Course: Please contact the office if you wish to withdraw from a CNT course. There are financial penalties for withdrawing from a CNT course after you are registered, depending on when you notify the office.

Courses in the U.S.: If you would like to withdraw from the CNT course, you must contact the CCAOM office by phone or email. Applicants will be refunded $150 (a $25 portion of the course fee is a non-refundable application fee) if the cancellation notice is received 15 days or more before the course date, $100 if it is received 8-14 days before the course date, and $50 if the cancellation notice is received 1-7 days before the course date. Refunds will be issued within 30 days of cancellation. Individuals who paid a $50 foreign language exam fee at the time of registration will receive an additional $50 refund. If an applicant fails to attend a CNT class for which they are registered, s/he will not receive a refund, except in the case of a documented illness or personal or family-related emergency. Late fees and switch fees are non-refundable.
International Courses: If you would like to withdraw from the CNT course, you must contact the CCAOM office by email. Applicants will be refunded $300 if the cancellation notice is received 15 days or more before the course date, $200 if it is received 8-14 days before the course date, and $100 if the cancellation notice is received 1-7 days before the course date. Refunds will be issued within 30 days of cancellation.