This page was last updated November 10, 2005

U.S. Laws Regulating Massage

Currently, 35 states plus the District of Columbia regulate the practice of massage:

STATE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
AND STATE BOARD WEBSITES

Alabama requires 650 hours education and U.S. citizenship.
http://www.state.al.us/2k1/agency-list-detail.asp?id=3072

Arizona requires 500 hours.
http://massagetherapy.az.gov

Arkansas requires 500 hours education.
http://www.accessarkansas.org/directory/detail2.cgi?ID=1011

Connecticut requires 500 hours at a COMTA* or U.S. Dept. of Ed.approved school.
http://www.ct-clic.com/detail.asp?code=1730

Delaware requires 500 hours or 300 hours plus 2 years experience for massage therapist,
or 100 hours for massage technician.
http://www.professionallicensing.state.de.us/boards/massagebodyworks/index.shtml

District of Columbia requires 500 hours education.
http://obc.dc.gov/services/profiles_m.shtm#massage

Florida requires 500 hours education.
http://www9.myflorida.com/mqa/massage/ma_home.html

Georgia
Licensing bill signed by Governor of Georgia May 10, 2005

Hawaii requires 570 hours education or 150 hours plus 420-hour apprenticeship. http://www.state.hi.us/dcca/pvl/areas_massage.html

Illinois enacted legislation effective 1/1/03 that has not yet been implemented
http://www.dpr.state.il.us/

Iowa requires 500 hours education.
http:://www.idph.state.ia.us/licensure/massage_therapy_index.html

Kentucky requires 500 hours, increasing to 600 hours in 2005. Law enacted 2003
http://finance.ky.gov/ourcabinet/caboff/OAS/op/massth/

Louisiana requires 500 hours education.
http://www.lsbmt.org/

Maine requires 500 hours and NCE or attendance at a state-approved school.
http://www.state.me.us/pfr/olr/categories/cat26.htm

Maryland requires 60 accredited college hours of education.
http://www.mdmassage.org/

Mississippi requires 600 hours education
http://www.msbmt.state.ms.us

Missouri requires 500 hours education.
http://www.ecodev.state.mo.us/pr

Nebraska requires 1000 hours education.
http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/%20crl/massrulesregs.htm

New Hampshire requires 750 hours education
http://www.nhes.state.nh.us/elmi/licertoccs/massa01.htm

New Jersey requires 500 hours or the NCE for use of term "Massage Therapist" or "Massage Practitioner"
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/nursing/mass.htm

New Mexico requires 650 hours education or 300 hours plus experience.
http://www.rld.state.nm.us/b&c/massage/index.htm

New York requires 1,000 hours education.
http://www.op.nysed.gov/massage.htm

North Carolina requires 500 hours (exam to be determined)
http://www.bmbt.org/

North Dakota requires 750 hours education at a COMTA* or other approved school.
http://www.governor.state.nd.us/boards/boards-query.asp?Board_ID=67

Ohio requires 600 hours education over at least 12 month period.
http://www.state.oh.us./med/limbrch.htm

Oregon requires 500 hours education.
http://www.oregonmassage.org/

Rhode Island requires 500 hours education at a COMTA* or other approved school or 1000 hours.
http://www.healthri.org/hsr/professions/massage.htm

South Carolina requires 500 hours education.
http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/MassageTherapy/

South Dakota
Governor signed licensing law February 25, 2005

Tennessee requires 500 hours education or the NCE.
http://www2.state.tn.us/health/Boards/Massage/index.htm

Texas requires 300 hours education.
http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/hcqs/plc/massage.htm

Utah requires 600 hours education at a COMTA* or other approved school or 1000 hour apprenticeship.
http://www.dopl.utah.gov/licensing/massage.html

Virginia requires 500 hours education.
http://www.dhp.state.va.us/nursing/nursing_laws_regs.htm

Washington requires 500 hours education.
http://www.doh.wa.gov/Massage/

West Virginia requires 500 hours of attendance at a state-approved school.
www.state.wv.us/massage

Wisconsin requires 600 hours from approved school and proof of $1,000,000 liability insurance
http://www.drl.state.wi.us/Regulation/applicant_information/dod2000.html

* COMTA refers to the massage school accreditation program of the American Massage Therapy Association, one of three major professional associations for massage.

Generally, schools in states that require licensing or certification provide training sufficient to become licensed or certified in that state. However, if you train in one state and decide to move to another, you may be required to supplement or even re-do your education to meet the requirements of the licensing authorities in the new state. This problem is minimized in states that use the standardized NCE exam for their licensing test.

States that use the National Certification Exam: All Licensed states except Hawaii, Ohio ant Texas use the National Certification Exam as their written test.

In these 32 states, anyone who has passed the NCE in one state can apply for licensing in another state without re-taking the written test. In Hawaii, Ohio and Texas, anyone applying for licensing must either take that state's test or apply for reciprocity, which is usually on a case-by-case basis. National Certification Exam Home Page