How to Find and Vet a Naturopathic Doctor

To find a naturopathic doctor (ND) you can trust, start with your state's rules. In 23 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, NDs are licensed or registered, so you can look a practitioner up with the state board. In New York and the other states without an ND license, there's no license to check. Confirm the practitioner's training and board exams instead. Before you book, ask what the visits, tests and supplements will cost, and how the plan will be reviewed.

Is a naturopathic doctor right for you?

Many people look for an ND after standard care hasn't explained ongoing symptoms. What they often value most is time: a long first visit and a practitioner who listens. An ND can offer that. A licensed ND is not a replacement for a medical doctor, though, and the evidence base is mixed.

• What the evidence says. A 2019 scoping review found 33 studies of whole-practice naturopathic care, mostly for chronic conditions. The authors reported benefits for conditions including musculoskeletal pain, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety. However, the review included small case series, which weakens those conclusions (Myers and Vigar, 2019).
• Where the evidence is weakest. A 2011 study of 53 naturopathic clinic websites in Alberta and British Columbia found that commonly advertised services, including homeopathy, chelation and colon cleanses, had no evidence of efficacy beyond placebo (Caulfield and Rachul, 2011). Our article on whether naturopathy is legit covers the research in more detail.
• What federal health agencies say. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes naturopathy but does not assess whether it works. It separates licensed NDs from traditional naturopaths (NCCIH).
• What organized medicine says. The American Academy of Family Physicians opposes ND licensure and scope expansion (AAFP). Our article on why many medical doctors are skeptical of naturopaths covers both sides.

A reasonable approach is to treat an ND as an addition to your regular care, not a substitute for it. Keep your primary care clinician involved.

Step 1: Check credentials

The word "naturopath" covers very different levels of training. These are the credentials to look for, and how to confirm each one.

To see your state's status and board, use our list of which states license naturopathic doctors. It also has step-by-step verification instructions.

In New York, there is no ND license. The sponsor's memo for a 2026 licensing bill states that, because New York doesn't regulate NDs, anyone may claim the title (S8714). Ask a New York practitioner where they trained, whether they passed NPLEX, and whether they hold an active ND license in another state. If they hold another New York license, such as nurse practitioner or acupuncturist, check it with NYSED.

For how ND training compares with an MD's, see whether a naturopathic doctor is a real doctor.

Step 2: Build a shortlist

• Use a directory. You can find a naturopathic doctor near you on our directory, then check each practitioner's credentials yourself. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians also runs a Find an ND search. It lists only AANP members who graduated from an accredited naturopathic school and passed a national exam (and hold a license where their state issues one), and it says it is not a complete list.
• Ask for referrals. Ask your primary care clinician, and friends who have seen an ND. Ask what the care cost in total, not only whether they liked it.
• Read reviews for specifics. Useful reviews say whether the practitioner listened, explained tests, gave a clear plan and quoted costs up front. Reviews that mention surprise bills or pressure to buy are worth noting.

Red flags to watch for

People who have used naturopathic and functional medicine often describe the same problems. Watch for these:

• Long prepaid programs. You're asked to pay for months of care up front, before anyone knows whether it helps. Ask whether you can pay per visit and stop at any time.
• Supplements sold in-house. The practice sells its own supplements and recommends many at once. Ask what each product is for, how long you'd take it, and whether you can buy it elsewhere.
• Surprise fees. Charges you weren't told about, for phone calls, messages, lab draws or "review" visits. Ask for a written fee list before the first visit.
• Tests without a clear purpose. Many tests ordered at once, or tests the practitioner can't connect to a treatment decision. For each test, ask what it measures, how accurate it is for that purpose, how the result will change the plan, and whether your regular doctor could order it through insurance. Many patients prefer to start with one or two tests. Some popular tests have weak support: allergy societies in Europe and Canada advise against food-specific IgG tests for diagnosing food reactions (CSACI, 2012), and the American College of Medical Toxicology recommends against "provoked" urine metal tests done after a chelating drug (ACMT, 2017). See which tests have weak evidence behind them.
• Credential problems. Claiming a New York ND license (none exists). Using "physician" in a state that bars it, such as Kansas, Maine or Massachusetts. A fully online "ND" degree.
• Practicing where it's banned. Naturopathy is illegal to practice in Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. In Florida, unlicensed practice is a felony (Fla. Stat. 462.17).
• Promises and pressure. Talk of curing or reversing disease. Advice to stop a prescribed medication without involving the prescriber.

What to expect at a first visit

A first visit with an ND usually starts with an intake. Expect questions about health history, symptoms, diet, sleep, stress, medications and supplements. Ask how long the first visit lasts and what it costs before you book.

The ND may suggest lab tests. What an ND can order depends on the state; see which lab tests naturopathic doctors can order. In Colorado, a registered ND must give each patient a written statement before the first exam, signed by both, that says among other things that the ND is not a medical doctor and is registered rather than licensed (C.R.S. 12-250-106(3)(b)), plus a separate written disclosure whose signed acknowledgment the ND keeps for seven years (C.R.S. 12-250-112).

Bring:

• a list of all medications and supplements, with doses;
• copies of recent lab results and relevant records;
• a short symptom timeline and your questions, written down;
• a partner or friend, if it helps you remember details.

Leave with:

• a written plan, with what each recommendation is for;
• the expected cost of tests, supplements and follow-ups;
• when and how you'll judge whether it's working;
• how the ND will share information with your primary care clinician.

Questions to ask about cost and insurance

Ask these before you book:

1. What does the first visit cost, and what do follow-ups cost?
2. Are lab tests, supplements, calls and messages billed separately?
3. Is care sold as a package or program? Can I pay per visit instead?
4. Do you take my insurance? If not, do you give an itemized receipt (a superbill) for out-of-network claims?
5. Can I pay with an HSA or FSA, and for which charges?

Some points to know when you ask:

• Licensing matters for coverage. Plans that cover NDs generally require a licensed provider. New York has no ND license, so ask before booking whether anything will be covered.
• Medicare. Medicare doesn't list NDs among the providers it defines as physicians (42 U.S.C. 1395x(r)). Medicare Advantage plans set their own terms, so check with the plan.
• Supplements and HSAs. Supplements count as a medical expense only if a medical practitioner recommends them to treat a specific condition diagnosed by a physician (IRS Publication 502). The IRS doesn't say whether an ND's diagnosis meets that test, so ask your plan administrator.

For typical price ranges and coverage details, see what naturopathic visits cost and whether insurance pays. For tax-advantaged accounts, see using an HSA or FSA for a naturopath.

How often will you need to go?

How often you return depends on the reason for the visits and the plan. Ask the ND at the first visit:

• How many visits do you expect, and how far apart?
• What will we measure to tell whether it's working?
• When will we decide whether to continue, change course or stop?

Ask for a written plan with a review date. A clear answer, paid visit by visit, is easier to judge than a long prepaid plan.

When to see a medical doctor instead

• Emergencies. For chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke or a serious injury, call 911.
• New, severe or worsening symptoms. See a medical doctor for symptoms that need a diagnosis, imaging or a specialist.
• Prescription drugs. Prescribing rules vary by state. No ND in New York has state authority to prescribe, and Connecticut's licensed NDs have none either (Conn. Gen. Stat. ch. 373). See what naturopathic doctors can prescribe by state.
• Ongoing conditions under treatment. If you take medication for a chronic condition, keep the prescribing clinician in charge of it. Tell every provider about the supplements and complementary care you use, as NCCIH advises.

Even where NDs are licensed, they aren't automatically primary care providers. New Mexico, for example, limits licensed NDs to primary care in collaboration with a physician (NMSA 61-12G-6).

Next steps

• Check your state on our state-by-state licensing list.
• Browse naturopathic doctors in our directory and shortlist two or three.
• In New York, see naturopathic doctors in New York, and use the New York checks above.
• Call each practice with the cost questions before you book.

Last reviewed: October 2026.