(a) Acupuncturists licensed under the Act shall register biennially and pay a fee. An acupuncturist may renew an unexpired license by submitting the required form and by paying the required renewal fee to the acupuncture board on or before the expiration date. The fee shall accompany a written application which legibly sets forth the licensee's name, mailing address, the place or places where the licensee is engaged in the practice of acupuncture, and other necessary information prescribed by the acupuncture board.     
      (b) Falsification of an affidavit or submission of false information to obtain renewal of a license shall subject an acupuncturist to denial of a license renewal or to discipline pursuant to §205.351 of the Act.     
      (c) If the renewal fee and completed application form are not received on or before the expiration date, penalty fees will be imposed as outlined in §175.3(3) of this title (relating to Penalties).     
      (d) If an acupuncturist's permit has been expired for 90 days or less, the acupuncturist may obtain a new permit by submitting to the board a completed permit application, the registration fee, as defined in §175.2(3) of this title (relating to Registration and Renewal Fees) and the penalty fee, as defined in §175.3(3)(A) of this title.     
      (e) If an acupuncturist's permit has been expired for more than 90 days, but less than one year, the acupuncturist may obtain a new permit by submitting to the board a completed permit application, the registration fee, as defined in §175.2(3) of this title and the penalty fee, as defined in §175.3(3)(B) of this title.     
      (f) If an acupuncturist's registration permit has been expired for one year or longer, the acupuncturist's license is automatically canceled, unless an investigation is pending, and the acupuncturist may not register for a new permit.     
      (g) Practicing acupuncture after an acupuncturist's permit has expired under subsection (c) of this section, without obtaining a new registration permit for the current registration period, has the same effect as, and is subject to all penalties of, practicing acupuncture without a license.     
      (h) A military service member who holds an acupuncture license in Texas is entitled to two years of additional time to complete any other requirement related to the renewal of the military service member's license.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §183.5 adopted to be effective May 16, 1994, 19 TexReg 3366; amended to be effective September 21, 2000, 25 TexReg 9217; amended to be effective January 6, 2002, 26 TexReg 10866; amended to be effective January 4, 2007, 31 TexReg 10799; amended to be effective July 7, 2016, 41 TexReg 4826; amended to be effective September 16, 2018, 43 TexReg 5777