Massage Therapy License Requirements

People are choosing massage therapy to sustain good health. It relieves stress and calms the nervous system allowing for a "time out" from the hustle and bustle of the busy lifestyles of today. According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the massage industry will grow 70 percent by the year 2016. The demand for Certified Massage Therapists is growing. The requirements are inconsistent to becoming a massage therapist.

State by State Requirements

• Requirements for practicing massge vary from state to state

  There are 37 states in addition to Washington D.C. that regulate the profession of practicing massage. Each of these states is governed by a regulatory board that oversees educational requirements and laws that need to be adhered to. States that have no requirements are California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wyoming. The requirements can vary in the amount of required educational hours and hands-on experience; as well as the amount of money it costs to get started practicing. Renewal fees vary from how often and how much each state charges. New York State has the highest amount of hours required: 1,000 hours minimum of education. North Dakota and Ohio require 750 hours. Kentucky, Utah and Wisconsin require 600 hours. Hawaii requires 570 hours. All other states with requirements have a 500-hour minimum with the exception of Maryland that requires 60 college credits in addition to the 500 hours and Texas which requires 250 hours plus 50 hours of internship.

Licensing Fees

• Fee requirements are different in each state.

  The cost of registering as a licensed massage therapist can be $100 per year or less. Contrary to having the highest requirement of education hours, New York has one of the lowest registration fees; charging $55 every three years. Washington State is the lowest of all at $10 per year. Nebraska is next lowest at $27 every two years. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, washington D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin all cost less then $100 per year or every two years. States with no requirements have no set costs and this again varies for each state. Some fees are broken down further and can vary from county and/or city.

Exams

• Continuing Education is Required To Keep License Current

  The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) is an organization that holds highly the standards, ethics and responsibilities of the massage profession. The NCBTMB offers two types of exams for certification; these are the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) or the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM). Each one of these exams has an additional one time cost and thereafter a specific number of continuing education credits.

Controversy

• A controversy has existed for a long time with differences in opinion of what the requirements for licensing should be. the NCBTMB is fighting to make it mandatory that all aspects of the massage profession must be licensed. On the other side of the issue many massage therapist do not agree and believe that there is no need to have such strict regulations. It is believed that the licensing would protect the consumer from therapists who are not properly trained and cannot be held responsible for mistreating the consumer. This is an ongoing battle.

  Only time will tell what will happen in this disagreement. In the meantime regulations and laws already established within a state, county or city must be met in order to practice the profession of massage therapy.

Summary

• The massage profession is rapidly changing. It is getting more respect in the medical community . Not seen as just a luxury any longer, it is prescribed by some doctors for well being and homeostasis. Fees and educational requirements keep changing. It is best to check with local communities to see what exact requirements are.