MarinCountyGuide

Top 10 Best Chiropractors in Marin County, California (Updated 2026)

This list shows the best chiropractors near you in Marin County, California, with the address, phone number and website for each.

By town

Chiropractors in California are licensed by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a state board created by a voter initiative, the Chiropractic Initiative Act. Before a first visit, look the chiropractor up through the Board's License Search, which opens the state's DCA License Search. A chiropractic license covers manipulation and adjustment of the spine and other joints. It does not authorize surgery or the use of drugs. Medicare covers only spinal adjustments that correct a subluxation.

Who licenses chiropractors in California

The Board of Chiropractic Examiners regulates the chiropractic profession in California. It was created by an initiative measure approved by the voters. The Governor appoints its seven members: five licensed doctors of chiropractic and two members who represent the public.

Section 5 of the Chiropractic Initiative Act says it is unlawful for any person to practice chiropractic in the state without a license. The Act provides for one form of certificate, called a "License to practice chiropractic."

How to check a chiropractor's license

The Board's License Search page links to the state's DCA License Search. The Board says the information is updated five days a week. A DCA record shows whether a license is current, expired or has been subject to disciplinary action such as suspension or revocation.

  1. Open the Board's License Search page and choose Chiropractor Licenses.
  2. Enter the name. If you search by license number, leave off the DC prefix and enter numbers only.
  3. If the person does not appear, the Board says to try another category. The page has separate searches for satellite certificates, corporation certificates and referral services.
  4. Read the license status and any disciplinary action on the record.

You can also check in person. Board regulations require each licensee to display a current active license in a conspicuous place in the principal office. A chiropractor with more than one place of practice must hold a Satellite Office Certificate for each additional office and display it there.

What a California chiropractor may and may not do

The scope of practice is set by the Act and by California Code of Regulations, title 16, section 302, printed in the Board's Rules and Regulations. The regulation lets a chiropractor treat any condition, disease or injury, and diagnose, as long as the work is consistent with chiropractic methods and does not amount to the practice of medicine.

A licensed chiropractor may A chiropractic license does not authorize
Manipulate and adjust the spinal column and other joints, and the muscle and connective tissue related to them Surgery, or severing or penetrating human tissue
Use air, cold, diet, exercise, heat, light, massage, physical culture, rest, ultrasound, water and physical therapy techniques in the course of chiropractic care Delivering a child or practicing obstetrics
Use vitamins, food supplements, foods for special dietary use and proprietary medicines that are not part of materia medica Using any drug or medicine included in materia medica
Use X-ray and thermography equipment for diagnosis, but not for treatment Practicing dentistry or optometry
Use diagnostic ultrasound for neuromuscular skeletal diagnosis Using a lithotripter, using ultrasound on a fetus, or performing a mammography

Chiropractor titles and unlicensed staff

Section 15 of the Act deals with titles. A licensee who uses the word "doctor" or the prefix "Dr." must put "chiropractor" or "D.C." immediately after his or her name. The same section makes it a misdemeanor to use "M.D.", "physician", "surgeon", "D.O." or any other title that points to a license the person does not hold. Physicians are covered in the directory's doctors category.

Section 302 also limits advertising. A chiropractor may not claim to practice physical therapy, or use the term "physical therapy" in advertising, without holding that license as well. Licensed physical therapists and acupuncturists have their own categories in the health section.

Board regulations also cover office staff. Unlicensed individuals may take a patient's history, but the consultation must be conducted by the licensed doctor. They may give physical therapy treatments as an adjunct to an adjustment only under the supervision of a licensed chiropractor, who must first examine the patient and prepare a written treatment program.

Medicare coverage of chiropractic care

Medicare's chiropractic services page says Part B covers only certain chiropractic services. It covers adjustments of the spine by a chiropractor to correct a subluxation, when the chiropractor uses their hands or a device called an activator. Medicare describes a subluxation as spinal joints that fail to move properly while the contact between the joints remains intact.

Medicare does not cover other services or tests a chiropractor orders, including X-rays, massage therapy and acupuncture.

Chiropractic records and how to file a complaint

Board regulations require a chiropractor to keep patient records for five years from the date of the last treatment, unless state or federal law requires longer. The records must include the date of every visit and a signed written informed consent. California's patient records law covers chiropractors too. Health and Safety Code section 123105 lists a chiropractor licensed under the Chiropractic Initiative Act as a health care provider, and section 123110 gives patients the right to inspect and copy their records.

The same regulation makes each chiropractor responsible for accurate billing, even when someone else does the billing. A licensee who fails to fully reimburse an overbilling within 30 days of discovering it, or being told of it, commits unprofessional conduct.

The Board's File a Complaint page offers an online form, which it prefers, and a Consumer Complaint Form that goes to its Enforcement Unit by mail, email or fax. All complaints must be in writing. The Board gives priority to complaints that allege sexual misconduct, gross negligence or incompetence, and insurance fraud. It does not have jurisdiction over fee or billing disputes, general business practices or personality conflicts. Its Consumer Complaint Hotline is (866) 543-1311.

Questions about chiropractors in Marin County

Who licenses chiropractors in Marin County?

The California Board of Chiropractic Examiners regulates the chiropractic profession across the state, including in Marin County. Its staff handle licensing, continuing education and enforcement. The Board was created by an initiative measure approved by California voters, and it has seven members: five licensed doctors of chiropractic and two members who represent the public.

Does a chiropractor need a license in California?

Yes. Section 5 of the Chiropractic Initiative Act says it is unlawful for any person to practice chiropractic in California without a license. Board regulations add that unlicensed individuals, including students and graduates of chiropractic schools, are not permitted to diagnose, analyze or perform a chiropractic adjustment.

How do I check a California chiropractor's license?

Open the License Search page on the Board of Chiropractic Examiners website and choose Chiropractor Licenses. It opens the DCA License Search. Enter the name, or the license number without the DC prefix. The same page has separate searches for satellite certificates, corporation certificates and referral services.

How do I file a complaint against a chiropractor in California?

Use the Board of Chiropractic Examiners' online complaint form, which the Board prefers, or send its Consumer Complaint Form to the Enforcement Unit by mail, email or fax. All complaints must be in writing. The Board does not have jurisdiction over fee or billing disputes, general business practices or personality conflicts.

Can a chiropractor prescribe medication in California?

No. The Chiropractic Initiative Act says a license to practice chiropractic does not authorize the use of any drug or medicine included in materia medica. Board regulations allow a chiropractor to use vitamins, food supplements, foods for special dietary use and proprietary medicines, as long as those substances are not included in materia medica.

Does Medicare cover chiropractic care?

Only in part. Medicare says Part B covers adjustments of the spine by a chiropractor to correct a subluxation, when the chiropractor uses their hands or a device called an activator. Medicare does not cover other services or tests a chiropractor orders, including X-rays, massage therapy and acupuncture.

How this list is put together

Listings come from public business profiles and from businesses that add themselves. We leave out profiles that show signs of being lead-generation fronts and not local firms, and businesses that have closed. Listings marked "Claimed" are run by the business itself, which checked its own details, and they appear first. If your business is missing, add it here.

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