The organization was established in 1963 to standardize chiropractic testing requirements as opposed to each state having its own board exam.

[2] Chiropractic made two unsuccessful attempts to create a national board of chiropractic in the early to mid 1900s, and by 1962 Joseph Janse proposed another attempt at creating an agency comparable to those being established by organized medicine, dentistry, and osteopathy.

[3] The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners provides written and practical examinations that are administered twice yearly at chiropractic colleges in the United States, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand.

The NBCE does not promote a particular philosophy but formulates test plans according to information provided collectively by surveying course content of chiropractic colleges.

The physiotherapy examination can be taken upon completion of 120 hours of PT course work through a chiropractic college program.