Massage Practice Laws Information Guide

                                           Information Guide
                                                                                    A state-by-state compendium of actual laws
                                                                                with contact names and other valuable information

California:
Title/Type of Credenture:
State license is not required. Municipal requirements may apply.
Required Education:
Specified prohibitions of activity, written disclosure and record keeping.

Regulatory Board	Education Requirements	Fees	Reciprocity	Continuing Education Requirements	Exam
Alabama Board of Massage Therapy 660 Adams Avenue, Suite 150 Montgomery, AL 36104-0056 (334) 269-9990 (334) 263-6115 (fax)	650 hours: 325 hours of basic massage therapy and clinical practice; 100 hours of anatomy, pathology and physiology; 50 hours of related coursework (after 12/31/97, 650 hours will be required; after 12/31/01, 1000 hours will be required)	Application: $25.00 Licensing: $100.00 Renewal: $100.00	On a state by state basis; each is reviewed by board	Yes; renewal is biannual	NCETMB
Arkansas State Board of Massage Therapy PO Box 20739 103 Airway Hot Springs, AR 71913 (501) 623-0444	500 hours from an accredited massage therapy school or similar institution	Registration: $75.00 Exam: $25.00	No	6 hours a year (by June 30) approved by state board	State exam (written law and practical sections) state or NCETMB
Connecticut Massage Therapy Licensure Department of Public Health 410 Capitol Avenue - MS# 12APP PO Box 340308 Hartford, CT 06134-0308 (860) 509-7570 (860) 509-8457 (fax)	500 hours from a school accredited by an accrediting agency and a curriculum approved by COMTA	Application: $300.00 Annual renewal: $100.00	No	No	NCETMB
Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork 861 Silver Lake Boulevard Dover, DE 19904 (302) 739-4522 (302) 739-2711 (fax)	Two tiers - 100 hours: certified massage technician 500 hours: licensed massage therapist 500 hours of supervised study; 100 hours of anatomy and physiology; 300 hours of technique and theory; 100 hours of electives; CPR required	Application: $25.00 Licensing: $69.00 for 2 years Certification: TBD	Yes	12 hours every two years for technician 24 hours for therapists	NCETMB
District of Columbia Massage Therapy Board Occupational and Professional Licensing Administration Attn: Branch Chief 941 N. Capitol St. NE Ste 7243 Washington, DC 20002 (202) 422-9200	Minimum 500 hours of training	N/A	N/A	N/A	NCETMB
Florida Department of Health Northwood Center 1940 North Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-0774 (850) 488-0595 (850) 922-6959 (fax)	500 hours from state board approved school or completed 1,453 hours apprentice program. 3 hours HIV / Aids ed.	Application: $150.00	No	12 hours every two years and 3 hours HIV/AIDS update classes	NCETMB
State of Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing Division Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs PO Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808) 586-3000 (808) 586-2689 (fax)	570 hours: 50 hours of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 100 hours of theory and demonstration; 420 hours of practical training; must spend a minimum of 6 months as an apprentice in an AMTA or Rolf Institute School	Exam: $80.00 Application: $50.00 License Fee: $60.00/yr	No	Renewal every even-numbered year	State exam
Iowa Department of Public Health Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Lucas State Office Building 321 East 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 (515) 281-6959, (515) 281-7074 or (515) 242-5936 (515) 281-3121 (fax)	500 hours from a state-licensed or accredited school approved by the department; 100 hours of anatomy and physiology; 400 hours of other subjects including first aid and CPR	Application: $100.00 (Bi-annual)	Yes	12 hours by September 30 of odd-numbered years	NCETMB
Louisiana Board of Massage Therapists PO Box 1279 Zachary, LA 70791 (225) 658-8941 (504) 658-8496 (fax)	500 hours supervised course of instruction at an approved school.	Oral exam: $75.00 Professional license: $50.00	Yes, if meets Louisiana's requirements	12 hours/yr	NCETMB, state oral exam
Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation Licensing and Enforcement Division 35 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0035 (207) 624-8612 (207) 624-8637 (fax)	500 hours, Exam or diploma from a massage training program accredited or approved by COMTA	Application: $25.00 Registration (yearly): $100.00	Yes if other states’ requirements are met.	none	NCETMB or diploma from a COMTA training program
Maryland Board of Chiropractic Examiners 4201 Patterson Avenue, 5^th floor Baltimore, MD 21215-2299 (410) 764-4726 (410) 358-1879 (fax)	500 hours that include anatomy and physiology, massage therapy techniques and practice contraindications for massage therapy	$100 application $200 certificate	Yes	No	TBD
Missouri State Board of Therapeutic Massage PO Box 1335 Jefferson City, Mo 65102-1335 (573) 522-6277 (573) 751-0735 (fax)
Mississippi 601-856-6127	700 hours written exam	$125			NCETMB
Nebraska Health and Human Services Credentialing Division PO Box 94986 Lincoln, NE 68509-4986 (402) 471-2117 or (402) 471-4927 (402) 471-3577 (fax)	1,000 hours: physiology: 100 hours, anatomy: 100 hours, massage: 100 hours, pathology: 100 hours, hydrotherapy: 100 hours, hygiene/practical demo: 100 hrs, health service mgmt: 100 hours, clinical practice of massage therapy: 300 hours	Renewal: $252.00 every two years. $102.00 for application	Yes; states with substantially similar rules and laws	18 hours approved by state board every two years	NCETMB
New Hampshire Office of Program Support Health Facilities Administration 6 Hazen Drive Concord, NH 03301-6527 (603) 271-0277 (603) 271-5590 (fax)	High school diploma or GED plus graduation from school of massage; 750 hours: 150 hours of anatomy and physiology; 50 hours of massage; 50 hours of hydrotherapy; 175 hours of Swedish and related modalities; 10 hours of rules and ethics; 50 hours of allied massage techniques; 50 hours of hygiene; 25 hours of health services management; 125 hours of practical massage; 65 hours of electives; CPR certification also required	Initial license: $125 (includes state test); Renewals: $100	No	12 hours every two years should increase with the next 6 months to 24 hours	NCETMB and state practical exam
New Jersey Board of Nursing PO Box 45010 Newark, NJ 07101 Phone: (973)504-6430 Fax: (973)648-3481 Attn: Massage, Bodywork & Somatic Therapy Mailing List	Fact Sheet can be found at: http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/ nursing/mass.htm
New Mexico Board of Massage Therapy Regulation and Licensing Department PO Box 25101 Santa Fe, NM 87504 (505) 476-7090 / 7089 (505) 476-7095 (fax)	650 hours see web site Alternative qualifications: See web application - 500 MT; 150 hours alternative qualifying ed.	Initial application: $50.00 $25.00 before exam (temps) Initial licensing: $150.00 Jurisprudence exam: $10.00 Annual renewal: $125.00	No	16 hours approved by state board every two years	NCETMB and take home jurisprudence
New York State Board of Massage Therapy Cultural Education Center, Room 3041 Albany, NY 12230 (518) 473-1417 or (518) 474-3866 (518) 473-6995 (fax)	H.S. Graduate. Graduate of a New York school program or equivalent program; 1000 hours: 100 pathology, 200 miology, 60 first aid/cpr, 150 oriental/western theory (50 in each)325 theory & practice (including 150 w/patient) see web site	Exam: $180.00 Application: $100.00	Yes; if licensed in a state with substantially similar requirements and practicing massage for at least two years	No	State exam
North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy PO Box 2539 Raleigh, NC 27602 (919) 546-0050 (919) 833-1059 (fax)
North Dakota Massage Board PO Box 701 Dickenson, ND 58601 (701) 225-3906	750 hours COMTA approved school or take NCETMB exam w/500 hrs at non-approved.	Application: $150.00, state board exam: $150.00	No	18 hours per year	State exam
Ohio State Medical Board 77 South High Street, 17^th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 466-3934 (614) 466-4670 (fax)	Certification of high school graduation; 600 hours over 12 months from an approved school	Application: $250.00 Exam: $250.00	No	No	State exam
Oregon Board of Massage Technicians State Office Building 3218 Pringle Road SE. Suite 250 Salem, OR 97232 (503) 365-8657 (503) 378-3575 (fax)	500 hours effective 1/1/99	Renewal: $80.00 Application: $40.00	No	12 hours every two years plus current CPR	NCETMB
Rhode Island Department of Health Division of Professional Regulation Room 104 3 Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02908-5097 (401) 222-2827 (401) 222-1272 (fax)	Graduate of a COMTA accredited or approved training program of at least 500 hours: 100 hours of anatomy and physiology; 300 hours of theory and practice of massage; 100 hours of electives	Licensing: $50.00	Endorsement approved -have to apply to other State	No	NCETMB
South Carolina Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation PO Box 11329 Columbia, SC 29211-1329 or 110 Centerview Drive Koger Business Center Columbia, SC 29210 (803) 896-4494 (803) 896-4484 (fax)	500 hours from an accredited school	Application: $150.00 Licensing: $100.00 Renewal: $200.00/ 2Years	Yes; states with substantially similar rules and laws	12 hours every 2 years	NCETMB
Tennessee Massage Licensure Board 425 Fifth Avenue North First Floor Cordell Hull Building Nashville, TN 37247-1010 (615) 532-5096 or (888) 310-4650 (615) 532-5369 (fax)	500 hours from a state-approved school	TBD License: $335.00 for 2 years	Yes; states with similar rules and laws. -Have to apply to other States	12.5 hours hours each	NCETMB or may qualify by meeting education requirements
Texas Department of Health Massage Therapy Registration Program 1100 West 49^th Street Austin, TX 78756 (512) 834-6616 (512) 834-6677 (fax)	300 hours; 125 of Swedish massage therapy techniques; 50 hours of anatomy; 25 hours of physiology; 15 hours of business practice or professional ethics; 20 hours of health and hygiene; 50-hour internship	Application: $53.00 Exam: $130.00	No	6 hours each year	State exam (written and practical)
State of Utah Department of Commerce Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing Heber M. Wells Building 160 E. 300 South, Fourth Floor Salt Lake City, UT 84144 or PO Box 146741 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741 (801) 530-6628 (801) 530-6511 (fax)	Graduation from an apprenticeship program, IMF or COMTA accredited or approved training program or NCETMB certification or 1,000 hours over 12 months	Application: $75.00 Utah Theory Exam: $65.00 Utah Law and Rule Exam: $55.00	No	No	NCETMB and Utah Theory Exam and Utah Law and Rule Exam
Virginia Board of Nursing 6606 West Broad Street, 4^th floor Richmond, VA 23230 (804) 662-9909 (804) 662-9512 (fax)	500 hours	Application: $40.00 Bi-annual renewal fee $50.00	Yes; license or endorsement certificate	No	NCETMB
State of Washington Department of Health HPQA Division Health Professions 1300 SW Quince St. PO Box 47868 Olympia, WA 98504-7868 (360) 236-4866 (360) 664-9077 (fax)	Board approved program 500 hours: 120 hours anatomy, physiology, kinesiology; 50 hours pathology; 265 hours theory and practice of massage; 55 hours of clinic/business practices	License: $55.00 Exam: $150.00 Annual renewal fee $40.00	Yes; states with substantially similar rules and laws	16 hours every two years	NCETMB
State of West Virginia West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board 1101 6th Avenue, Suite 222 Huntington, WV 25701 (304)528-5551	Graduation from a COMTA-approved or state approved school.	TBD	TBD	TBD	NCETMB
Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing Secretary, Marlene Cummings 1400 E. Washington Ave. Madison, WI 53703 (608) 266-0145 (608) 266-2112 (608) 267-7083 (fax)	600 classroom hours of study in course of instruction at an EAB approved school	Registration: $44.00 Exam: $39.00 2 Year Renewal: $44.00	Yes, but need to meet Wisconsin's requirements	No continued ed requests	NCETMB; State jurispudence exam

Please note: The above listings and the Practice Laws Information Guide reflect information available at the time of publication. Please contact each board directly to obtain the most current information.

There are some 3,100 counties and 7,200 cities, towns, townships, and villages in the United States, as listed in County Executive Directory and Municipal Executive Directory (Caroll Publishing Co., Washington, DC, updated several times a year). Your local public library should have these or similar directories. You can easily and quickly obtain contact addresses and phone numbers for any local or county official, sometimes just by telephoning your library. Usually the city attorney, mayor, or county commissioner’s office is the contact which will provide direct information about the regulation of massage practice.

For additional information, contact the AMTA chapter in the state. It may also be helpful to contact an AMTA massage therapist practicing in the locality.

Local laws may apply even in states with or without statewide licensing. In addition to massage ordinances and statutes, local business and zoning laws must be checked before setting up a massage practice.

If you experience difficulty in contacting any of the above state boards, please call AMTA for assistance at (847) 864-0123.