Provincial Regulations For Dry Needling
Each provincial physiotherapy college in Canada has their own rules and regulations regarding what requirements both individual physiotherapists and dry needling courses need to provide in order to perform/ teach dry needling treatments in that province. Read on to learn more about what your province requires.
NB it is the individual physiotherapist's responsibility to ensure that they meet their colleges requirements to perform dry needling. We can not be held responsible for any provincial regulatory changes.
Provincial Requirements
British Columbia Requirements
Need to have worked for 2 years as a registered physiotherapist, and have a minimum of 3,900 clinical hours. BC will be reviewing new DN courses, like this one, in 2026.
Alberta Requirements
Physiotherapists must be on the Alberta Physiotherapy general register, and then apply to the college for authorization to complete DN once they have completed an approved training.
Saskatchewan Requirements
Need to have worked for 2 years as a registered physiotherapist, and have a minimum of 3,900 clinical hours. Must complete a DN course which is approved by the college.
Manitoba Requirements
Physiotherapists must first be rostered in acupuncture before they can perform DN. You can take a DN course, but if you are not on the acupuncture roster, you may not complete DN.
Ontario Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, you are able to complete DN if you are on the provisional acupuncture/ DN roster. No specific course is required.
Quebec Requirements
Required to undertake a minimum of 102 hours of training. Our course hours count towards this, but will not be sufficient without additional training.
New Brunswick Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, no specific course requirements required. Must apply to be placed on a sub-register after completing our DN course.
Nova Scotia Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, no specific course requirements required. There is no separate acupuncture/ dry needling roster to apply to.
Prince Edward Island Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, no specific course requirements required. Must apply for a special autharization to perform DN as a reserved activity
Newfoundland & Labrador Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, no specific course requirements required.
Yukon Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, no specific course requirements required. Must apply for a special endorsement for acupuncture/ DN after receiving training.
Northwest Territories & Nunavut Requirements
No minimal hours of practice required, no specific course requirements required.