(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, each applicant for a license to practice acupuncture shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Be at least 21 years of age;

(2) Submit a completed application required by the board;

(3) Submit any fees required by the board;

(4) Be certified in acupuncture by a national certification agency accredited by the National Organization of Competency Assurance and approved by the board;

(5) Have successfully completed a nationally recognized clean needle technique course approved by the board; and

(6) Have obtained professional liability insurance in the amount of at least $100,000.00/$300,000.00.

(b) An applicant for a license to practice acupuncture who does not meet the requirement of paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section but who does meet the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of subsection (a) of this Code section and who, in addition, has a minimum of 1,000 hours of training and experience in acupuncture and has registered a business in this state, with the expressed purpose of performing acupuncture, for at least three of the last five years; or has a minimum of 2,500 hours of training and experience in acupuncture and has registered a business in this state, with the expressed purpose of performing acupuncture, for at least one of the last five years may also be eligible for a license to practice acupuncture. An applicant who meets the requirements of this subsection may be issued a temporary license by the board, which license shall have the same force and effect as a permanent license and which shall be valid until the applicant takes an examination administered by a national certification agency accredited by the National Organization of Competency Assurance pursuant to a contract entered into by the appropriate state agency as provided by the board and the board is notified of the results of that examination, at which time the temporary license shall become void. This subsection shall be automatically repealed on July 15, 2002.

(c) Before any person licensed to practice acupuncture under this article, who has less than one year of postgraduate clinical experience, may practice on his or her own, such person must engage in one year of active practice under the supervision of a licensed acupuncturist with a minimum of four years active licensed clinical practice. Such supervising acupuncturist may be licensed in Georgia or any other state or country with licensing requirements substantially equal to Georgia's licensing requirements and may accumulate the required four years of active licensed clinical practice in any combination of states so long as the licensing requirements of such other states or countries are substantially equal to Georgia's licensing requirements.

(d) Each applicant for a license to perform auricular (ear) detoxification therapy shall meet the following requirements: (1) Be at least 21 years of age;

(2) Submit a completed application required by the board;

(3) Submit any fees required by the board;

(4) Have successfully completed a nationally recognized training program in auricular (ear) detoxification therapy for the treatment of chemical dependency as approved by the board; and

(5) Have successfully completed a nationally recognized clean needle technique course approved by the board.

(e) The practice of auricular (ear) detoxification therapy may take place in a city, county, state, federal, or private chemical dependency program approved by the board under the direct supervision of a licensed acupuncturist or a person authorized to practice acupuncture by the board who is also authorized to practice medicine under Article 2 of this chapter.