List of State Reciprocity Requirements

PAGE 1 OF 14

Each state establishes licensure requirements for being able to practice massage therapy in their state. States

develop specic requirements for individuals who graduated from a massage therapy school in one state to be

able to become licensed in another state. This process is considered reciprocity or endorsement. We have listed

the requirements for an individual who graduates from a massage therapy program in the United States and who

wants to become licensed in another state.

Please note that the school you are planning on attending has only had their curriculum evaluated by their state

to meet the requirements for licensure and practice. In the eld of massage therapy each state board reviews

the number of clock hours you attended in your home state, the subject areas, and the practical experiences you

completed as a part of the process of determining what, if any, additional requirements you may have to meet in

order to be licensed in their state. We encourage all graduates who are considering becoming licensed in another

state to rst take the licensure exam in their home state, which will make it easier to transfer into another state. If

you are not licensed by your home state, the state you are considering getting licensed in may require you to take

additional training to meet their state minimum hour requirements and/or take their state licensure exam. State

boards do not evaluate the curriculum of schools located in other states, but do, in most cases, recognize training

from other states. Please refer to the requirements below.

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Alabama Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (650 hours).

The massage therapist license requirements are a minimum

of 650 hours from an accredited massage therapy school.

Additionally, an applicant must have taken and passed either the

NCBTMB (National Certication Board for Therapeutic Massage

and Bodywork) exam or the MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork

Licensing Examination). Each massage therapist applicant must

also produce evidence of personal liability insurance coverage of

$1,000,000; certied transcripts; and verication of passing one of

the approved exams.

Alaska Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (625 hours).

Verication of licensure or certication must be sent directly to

the division by the licensing or certication entity from each

state where the individual holds or has held a massage therapy

license. Verication must indicate that the applicant met or

exceeded the current Alaska standards for massage program

educational hours (625 hours from an approved school) and

successfully completed a nationally recognized competency

examination approved by the board.

Arizona Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant successfully completed a course of study in

massage therapy or bodywork therapy consisting of a minimum

of 500 classroom and clinical hours of supervised instruction at a

school outside of this state that is recognized by the board. The

applicant successfully passed an examination administered by a

national board accredited by the certifying agency that has been

approved by the national commission on competency assurance

and is in good standing with that agency; or, the applicant

successfully passed an examination that is administered or

approved by the board.

Arkansas Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant successfully completed a course of study in

massage therapy or bodywork therapy consisting of a minimum

of 500 classroom and clinical hours of supervised instruction at a

school. Must provide a copy of the individual’s state license.

List of State Reciprocity Requirements —Massage Therapy

PAGE 2 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

California Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The California Massage Therapy Council issues voluntary

certications to massage professionals who meet the California

state law requirements (500 hours). Certication is voluntary.

CAMTC certication is not required by state law in order for

massage professionals to practice their profession in the state.

However, some cities and counties locally require CAMTC

certication for massage professionals. To nd out if the city

or county requires CAMTC certication, please contact the city

or county in which you wish to practice. Local permits may be

needed for each city or county where an individual practices

unless you are CAMTC certied. Massage professionals may nd

CAMTC certication useful as it allows certied individuals to

practice their profession in all cities and counties in the state

without the need to get a local permit to provide massage for

compensation.

Colorado Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (400 hours).

Licensure by endorsement based on practice as a massage

therapist requires an individual to demonstrate a minimum of

400 hours of practice during a 12-month period in the two years

immediately preceding receipt of an application for massage

therapist licensure in Colorado.

Connecticut The state allows for individuals

licensed in other states to transfer to

Connecticut under reciprocity.

The state allows for reciprocity as long as the individual has

not been found guilty or convicted as a result of an act which

constitutes a felony under (i) the laws of this state, (ii) federal

law, or (iii) the laws of another jurisdiction and which, if

committed within this state, would have constituted a felony

under the laws of this state; is subject to a pending disciplinary

action or unresolved complaint before the duly authorized

professional disciplinary agency of any state or the District of

Columbia; or has been subject to disciplinary action similar to an

action specied by a duly authorized professional disciplinary

agency of any state or the District of Columbia.

Delaware The state allows for individuals

licensed in other states to transfer to

Delaware under reciprocity.

Upon payment of the appropriate fee and the submission and

acceptance of a written application on forms provided by the

board, the board shall grant a license to each applicant who shall

present proof of current licensure, in good standing, in another

state or the District of Columbia. In addition, the applicant: meets

the criteria for licensure in good standing for all currently and

previously held licenses; has achieved the passing score on a

written, standardized, nationally-prepared and administered

examination in massage or bodywork therapy (the passing score

shall be as established by the testing agency); has practiced

massage and bodywork continually for two years immediately

prior to making application in Delaware; and possesses current CPR

certication.

PAGE 3 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

District of

Columbia

Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

An applicant shall furnish proof satisfactory to the board that

the applicant has successfully completed an educational

program in the practice of massage therapy at an institution

or institutions licensed by the District of Columbia Educational

Licensing Commission or, at the discretion of the board, by the

educational licensing authority of another state, at the time

the applicant graduated. In addition, said institution(s) shall be

approved or accredited.

Of the minimum 500 hours of in-class training, a minimum of

100 hours shall consist of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology.

The remaining 400 hours shall include a majority of hours in

massage therapy theory and practice, as well as discretionary

related course work, including but not limited to professional

ethics, business practices, health and hygiene, contraindications

of massage, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and rst aid.

The applicant must also have: (a) An ocial certied transcript

of the applicant’s successful completion of the required in-class

training; (b) A certicate of graduation from an approved school;

examination; and (d) Current certication in both CPR and rst aid.

Florida Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

Applicants must complete, at a minimum, a 500-clock hour

course of study at a massage school approved by the equivalent

licensing agency or department of education in the state in

which it is located. The license was issued based on the passage

of one of the following board-approved examinations: the

National Certication Board for Therapeutic Massage and

Bodywork Examination; the National Certication Examination

for Therapeutic Massage; the National Exam for State Licensure

option administered by the National Certication Board for

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork; or the Massage and

Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) administered by

the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. If disciplinary

action has been taken against your license, please request the

licensing state to send any disciplinary information (complaints,

nal orders, etc.) directly to the board oce.

Georgia Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

Applicants must complete, at a minimum, a 500-clock hour

course of study at a massage school approved by the equivalent

licensing agency or Department of Education in the state

in which it is located. The license was issued based on the

passage of one of the following board approved examinations:

the National Certication Board for Therapeutic Massage and

Bodywork Examination; the National Certication Examination

for Therapeutic Massage; the National Exam for State Licensure

option administered by the National Certication Board for

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork; or the Massage and

Bodywork Licensing Examination.

PAGE 4 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Hawaii Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (570 hours).

Meet the minimum education and training hours requirement

of 570 hours; pass the state of Hawaii licensure examination;

and possess current infant and adult cardiopulmonary

resuscitation (CPR) certication from the American Red Cross

or the American Heart Association. The applicant attended

and successfully completed a massage therapy program in

a school that was licensed/registered/certied by the state

department of education in the respective jurisdiction or by an

agency authorized by the appropriate government agency of

the respective jurisdiction. The school must have been licensed/

registered/certied while the student attended the program.

Idaho Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

Licensure by endorsement requires proof of being licensed

or certied and in good standing in another state with

substantially equivalent requirements to those in Idaho,

which consists of the minimum of ve hundred (500) in-class

supervised hours of coursework and clinic work.

Illinois Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (600 hours).

Must provide proof of certication, on forms provided by the

division, of successful completion of an approved massage

therapy program or substantially similar massage therapy

program (600 hours) from another jurisdiction. Should an

applicant not meet the required number of classroom/hands-

on hours, the division may require completion of additional

coursework prior to licensure. The proof of certication from

the jurisdiction of original licensure and the state in which the

applicant is currently licensed and practicing, if other than

the original, must state: the time during which the applicant

was licensed in that state; whether the le on the applicant

contains records of any disciplinary actions taken or pending;

and the applicant’s license number. A report of the applicant’s

examination record must be forwarded directly from NCBTMB or

FSMTB. Fingerprinting is required.

Indiana The state accepts training/licensure

from other states.

The applicant’s ocial transcript must be sent directly from the

massage therapy program/school showing that the applicant

has met all requirements for graduation/completion. Proof of

completion and passage of an examination must be sent directly

from one of the following entities: the Massage and Bodywork

Licensing Examination (MBLEx); the National Certication

Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM); the National

Certication Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork

(NCBTMB); or the National Board Certication Agency National

Certication Examination (NBCA NCE). The individual must have a

criminal background check.

Iowa Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The board may receive by endorsement any applicant from

the District of Columbia or another state, who: submits to the

board a completed application; pays the licensure fee; shows

evidence of licensure requirements that are similar to those

required in Iowa (500 hours); provides ocial copies of the

academic transcripts sent directly from the school to the board;

and provides proof of passing any National Certication Board

for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) examination.

The applicant must provide verication of license(s) from every

jurisdiction in which the applicant has been licensed, sent

directly from the jurisdiction(s) to the board oce.

PAGE 5 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Kansas The state does not regulate massage

therapy.

Kansas does not regulate massage therapy.

Kentucky Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (600 hours).

The board may grant a license to any person who is licensed,

certied, or registered in another state that has standards at

least as stringent as those required by Kentucky (600 hours).

The board may grant a license by endorsement to applicants

licensed, certied, or registered in another state that has lesser

standards than Kentucky’s if the board determines that the

applicant’s combined initial training, professional experience,

continuing education, or other credentials constitute an

equivalent to the standards in Kentucky. Applicants who are

not from a state that has standards at least as stringent as those

required by Kentucky may appeal to the board for a hearing to

determine if their experience and education meet the criteria.

Louisiana Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

Applicants with a current massage therapy license which has

been active for more than one year from another state may be

eligible for a Louisiana license through reciprocity. The applicant

must have met similar education requirements (500 hours)

and the following information must be provided: a completed

license verication from each state in which the individual has

been issued a license; documentation of passing a national

exam and/or MBLEx must be provided directly from the testing

agency; an ocial original and certied transcript showing

compliance with the educational requirements of the licensing

state; and a background check.

Maine Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant must pass the examination sponsored by: the

National Certication Board for Therapeutic Massage and

Bodywork, or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards

or their successor, or other organizations approved by the

department; or, the applicant must demonstrate completion of

a course of training consisting of 500 or more hours approved

by the department.

Maryland Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (600 hours).

The applicant must: submit a completed criminal background

check; pass the Massage Therapy Examiners Jurisprudence

Examination (administered by the state board) with a score

of at least 75 percent; have proof sent directly to the board

by the administering authority of having passed a board-

approved examination; have copies of ocial transcripts sent

directly to the board by the school from which the applicant

graduated that documents completion of a program of at

least 600 classroom hours in massage therapy education

recognized by the state’s Higher Education Commission, or

comparable authority; be approved or accredited by an agency

recognized by the United States Department of Education;

provide documentation of current certication in CPR at the

Basic Life Support (BLS) level; and have verication of status sent

directly to the board by the issuing state, if certied, licensed, or

registered to practice massage therapy in another state.

PAGE 6 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Massachusetts Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (650 hours).

The state may issue a reciprocal license without examination to

any person who holds a license, certication, or registration as a

massage therapist, or the equivalent thereof, as determined by the

board, issued by another state provided that the requirements and

standards for that license, certicate, or registration are reasonably

equivalent to or exceed the standards of the state.

The applicant must have successfully completed a board-

approved course of study, including a minimum of 650 classroom

hours of supervised instruction at a licensed massage school,

with 300 supervised classroom hours in massage theory and

technique, 150 hours of which meet the denition of “massage,”

and including 100 hours of unpaid and supervised clinical or

externship experience. He or she must not have been convicted,

in any jurisdiction, of a sexually related crime or a crime involving

moral turpitude for a period of ten years immediately prior to the

date of application. He or she must provide proof of coverage

by an individual professional liability insurance policy of at least

$1,000,000 per occurrence and at least $1,000,000 aggregate.

Michigan Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (625 hours).

If the individual has been licensed in other states for ve years

or more: submit verication by the licensing agency of any state

in which the applicant holds a current registration or license or

has ever held a registration or license as a massage therapist.

Contact the testing organization to have a copy of the passing

exam scores sent directly to the state board. The acceptable

exams are the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards

(FSMTB) and the Massage Bodywork Licensing Examination

(MBLEx).

If the individual has been licensed in other states for LESS than

ve years, in addition to the above, the individual must also have

ocial academic transcripts submitted directly to the board

from the institution conrming the completion of the massage

education program that satises the state’s requirements. The

completed supervised curriculum form needs to be signed by

the program director from the massage therapy school where

the curriculum was completed and then submitted to the board.

Minnesota The state does not have a massage

therapy curriculum.

The state does not have a massage therapy license.

Mississippi Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant: must be licensed and in good standing with

the state regulatory board; must show proof of at least three

(3) years of work experience as a massage therapist; must

show proof of passing scores from a board comprehensive

examination; must take and pass the Mississippi State Law

Examination (MSLE) oered by the board; must submit a

timeline of massage therapy school enrollment and graduation,

when the board comprehensive examination was passed, work

experience, and residency; must submit certied transcript(s)

from a massage therapy school that includes the school’s name,

state license number, physical address, mailing address (if

dierent), and telephone number, and the transcript(s) must be

signed by the owner, director, or administrator of the school.

For a massage therapy school that is nationally or regionally

accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department

of Education, the transcript has a minimum of 500 hours of

in-class academic education. The massage school must provide

evidence of its current accreditation and be in good standing

with the accrediting body.

PAGE 7 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Missouri Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant must submit: a completed, notarized application

and application fee; two (2) sets of ngerprints for the purpose

of conducting a criminal background check; and verication of

licensure, to be submitted to the board oce from the state,

territory, or the District of Columbia’s license authority that

includes the license issue date and expiration date and any

complaints, prior or pending investigations, or disciplinary action

on the license. The individual seeking licensure as a massage

therapist must have completed ve hundred (500) clock hours

of massage therapy training and have successfully passed an

examination approved by the board.

Montana Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

All applicants for licensure with an out-of-state license shall

submit a completed application and fee. Applicants must

also submit verication of an active license, certication, or

registration in good standing from another state or jurisdiction,

whose current requirements include each of the following:

(i) Proof of completing a course of studies that includes, at a

minimum, each of the following:

(A) 200 hours of in-class and instructor-supervised massage and

bodywork assessment, theory, and application instruction;

(B) 150 hours combined of instruction on the body systems

(anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology) and pathology; and

and instruction in an area or related eld that completes the

massage program of study; and

(ii) A passing score on either the MBLEx, NCETMB, NESL, or

the NCETM examination, or a state examination deemed to

be equivalent.

Nebraska Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (1,000 hours).

An applicant who is licensed in another jurisdiction and has not

completed 1,000 hours of training in massage therapy may obtain

hours through a massage therapy program, a college/university,

work experience, and/or continuing education. An applicant

may be credited 100 hours for each year of full-time practice as a

massage therapist and/or up to 100 hours obtained from NCBTMB

or FSMTB approved continuing education programs. An applicant

who is licensed in another jurisdiction must also successfully pass

the board-developed jurisprudence examination. An applicant

who is licensed in another jurisdiction may also submit evidence

of college/university coursework, work experience, and/or

continuing education to count toward the required 1,000 hours.

Nevada Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (550 hours).

The applicant must submit a copy of his/her current massage

license. Ocial transcripts need to be sent directly to the board

from the school or submitted in an unopened envelope with

the school seal. The ocial score report must be submitted from

whichever national exam the individual took, such as NCETMB,

NCETM, NESL, MBLEx, ITEC, or the Structural Integration Exam.

The licensing agency must complete the Certied Statement from

State Licensing Authority form in the application, or the agency

may send a letter stating the individual’s status (i.e., “in good

standing” or “no disciplinary actions are pending”). Applicants

must provide a certied statement of verication from each state

where they are or have ever been licensed previously. Applicants

must also submit a certicate of completion (diploma) showing

that they have completed a massage therapy program with a

minimum of 550 hours of education.

PAGE 8 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

New Hampshire Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (750 hours).

The executive director may waive any requirements for licensure

for any applicant for a massage therapy license who, on the

date of application, holds a valid license issued by any other

state, but only if the other licensing body’s requirements are

substantially equivalent to or not less than New Hampshire’s

state requirements (750 hours). The applicant must not have

been convicted in New Hampshire or in any other state of any

crime involving violence inicted on a person or threatened

against a person, or any sexually related crime.

New Jersey Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

Upon payment to the board of a fee and the submission of a

written application on forms provided by it, the board shall

issue without examination a license to a massage and bodywork

therapist who holds a valid license or certication issued by

another state or possession of the United States or the District

of Columbia which has education and experience requirements

substantially equivalent to the state’s requirements (500 hours).

New Mexico Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (650 hours).

The applicant who has graduated from an out-of-state massage

therapy school or who has attended more than one massage

therapy school must make arrangements for the school to

provide the following items:

(1) The board’s “A” form completed and submitted directly to

the board by the massage therapy school(s) that the applicant

attended.

(2) An ocial transcript submitted directly to the board by the

school(s) that meets the requirements.

(3) Proof that the school is approved to operate as a private

post-secondary educational institution or its equivalent.

Ocial transcripts of massage therapy training: The applicant

shall make arrangements for ocial transcript(s) to be

sent directly to the board by the educational institution

documenting that the applicant has completed the minimum

curricula of 650 hours of massage therapy training.

(1) If more than one massage therapy school was attended, at

least one ocial transcript must document a minimum of 300

class hours of training in massage therapy.

(2) Continuing education (CE) or continuing education units

(CEU) may be accepted toward the educational requirements

for licensure.

New York Must be licensed in a state with at

least 800 hours.

An individual may request licensure in New York through

endorsement of another license if he or she: has been licensed

in another state, country, or territory; has had professional

practice experience as described below for at least ve years

within the past 10 years; has passed a licensing examination in

that district that is acceptable to this department; has satised

the professional education requirements for licensure in that

state; and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which you

are licensed.

For licensure by endorsement, the department requires the

completion of at least 800 clock-hours of specic education

requirements. The experience must include at least an average

of 12 hours of massage therapy a week for 52 weeks to be

considered as one year of experience.

PAGE 9 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

North Carolina Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The board may issue a license to a practitioner who is duly

licensed, certied, or registered as a massage and bodywork

therapist under the laws of another jurisdiction. The practitioner

shall be eligible for licensure by endorsement if all of the

following qualications are met: (1) The applicant submits the

required application and fees to the board. (2) The applicant

currently holds a valid license, certicate, or registration as a

massage and bodywork therapist in another jurisdiction, and

that jurisdiction’s requirements for licensure, certication,

or registration as a massage and bodywork therapist are

substantially equivalent to or exceed the requirements for

licensure. (3) The applicant is currently a practitioner in good

standing, with no disciplinary proceeding or unresolved

complaint pending in any jurisdiction at the time a license is to

be issued in this state. (4) The applicant passes a jurisprudence

examination. (5) The applicant demonstrates satisfactory proof

of prociency in the English language, has submitted ngerprint

cards in a form acceptable to the board at the time the license

application is led, and has consented to a criminal history

record check by the North Carolina Department of Justice.

North Dakota The state accepts training provided by

other states.

Any individual who has been duly licensed in another state or

jurisdiction of the United States to practice massage may, upon

paying a fee of one hundred fty dollars or a lesser fee set by

the board, be granted a license to practice in this state without

being required to take an examination, if the applicant provides

evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant: is licensed

in good standing in any other state or jurisdiction of the United

States; actively practiced for at least two of the last three years;

graduated from a school of massage or a massage therapy

program approved by the board which may be proven by

presentation of a diploma or credentials; passed an examination

acceptable to the board; and has a massage license that is not

subject to suspension, revocation, or otherwise restricted in

any manner for disciplinary purposes. To qualify for licensure

under this section, an applicant shall submit to a statewide and

nationwide criminal history record check.

Ohio Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (750 hours).

An individual can apply for reciprocity by submitting criminal

record checks (FBI and Ohio BCI). The applicant must hold a

diploma or certicate from a school, college, or institution in

good standing as determined by the board, showing either

the completion of the required courses of instruction or

the completion of a course of instruction that meets course

requirements determined by the board (750 hours). The

applicant must also hold, for not less than ve years preceding

the application, a current license, registration, or certicate

in good standing in another state for massage therapy. The

applicant must have passed the MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork

Licensing Exam).

PAGE 10 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Oklahoma The state accepts the curriculum of

other states if the state licenses the

individual; if not, the individual must

show proof of 500 hours of training.

The state board of cosmetology and barbering may grant license

by reciprocity, without examination, to any applicant who shall

qualify and who shall submit the required application and fees

to the board. Reciprocity applicants will request a Certication

of Records from the state board or appropriate licensing agency

where a current license is held. This is a legal document which

contains licensing history, number of hours completed, and

includes appropriate state seal and ocial signature. Applicants

from a state that does not license practitioners must also show

proof of completion of the required number of hours of school

instruction (500 hours). Oklahoma only accepts hours from

other state boards or appropriate licensing agencies. Upon

acceptance of this application, the applicant shall be notied of

the scheduled date and time to appear for the board’s sanitation

and safety examination.

Oregon Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (625 hours).

The state board of massage therapists may license by

endorsement or reciprocity any individual who applies, meets

the requirements established by the board, and, on the date

of application, is a massage therapist licensed under the

laws of any other state or territory of the United States, if the

requirements in the state or territory where the applicant is

licensed are not less than those required by Oregon (625 hours).

The board shall adopt rules for determining the necessity of

an examination based on educational preparation, successful

completion of other examinations, work experience, and the

number of years in active practice of massage.

The board may license by endorsement any individual who

applies and successfully completes a practical examination if the

individual is already licensed under a law of this state to do an

act included in the denition of massage.

Pennsylvania The state accepts the curriculum of

other states if the state licenses the

individual.

An applicant for licensure by reciprocity shall have the

ocial licensing authority of every jurisdiction in which the

applicant holds a license to practice massage therapy provide

the board with verication that the applicant is a licensee in

good standing and documentation of any disciplinary action

taken by the jurisdiction’s licensing authority. An applicant

for licensure by reciprocity shall request that the applicant’s

massage therapy school provide the board with the applicant’s

ocial transcript and verication that the school is recognized

by the jurisdiction’s licensing authority, accredited by a

national accrediting organization, or authorized to operate by

the jurisdiction’s Department of Education. An applicant for

licensure by reciprocity shall provide evidence that the applicant

passed the MBLEx, the NCETM, the NCETMB, or successfully

completed the NESL option, or the applicant shall provide

evidence of obtaining original licensure through qualications

equivalent to those for existing practitioners. An ocial criminal

history record information check must be submitted from the

state police or other state agency for every state in which the

candidate has resided during the past ve years. The reports

must be dated within six months of the date of application. CPR

certication that is valid for at least six months following the

date of application is required.

PAGE 11 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Rhode Island Must be licensed in a state with equal or

greater requirements (500 hours).

A license to practice as a massage therapist by endorsement

may be issued to an applicant if the state or territory in which the

applicant received his or her education is equal to or exceeds the

requirements set forth in Rhode Island. The curriculum shall have

consisted of at least ve hundred (500) hours which included study

and practical training specically designed to provide knowledge

and skills necessary for the practice of massage. The content of

the ve hundred (500) hour program shall include no less than the

following classroom subjects, including practical training:

(A) Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology;

(B) Supervised theory and practice;

(D) Pathology;

(E) Elective subjects, including rst aid and cardiopulmonary

resuscitation (CPR) and any of the following: ethics, boundaries,

regulations and guidelines for professional practice, business

practices/law, and oce procedures.

The applicant successfully completed the Federation of State

Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) Massage and Bodywork

Licensing Examination (MBLEx) or other examination as approved

by the department.

South Carolina Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

To be granted a license to practice in this state without being

required to take an examination, a person shall submit to

the department a duly attested certicate from the licensing

department or board of the state or territory in which they are

licensed and complete a department-approved application

and pay the appropriate fees. The department has the power to

enter into reciprocal relations with other states and territories

whose requirements are substantially the same as those

provided in this chapter.

South Dakota Must be licensed in a state with equal or

greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant must: provide proof of a passing score on an

accepted national certication; provide proof of at least 500

hours of specic training in massage therapy; have a Completed

Verication of Education Form mailed directly to the board;

have an ocial transcript mailed directly to the board; provide

a verication letter from each state where he or she is licensed,

along with a copy of the license; and provide a copy of

malpractice or professional liability insurance of at least $250,000.

PAGE 12 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Tennessee Must be licensed in a state with equal or

greater requirements (500 hours).

Applicants who are licensed or have been licensed in another

state and are seeking reciprocity licensure in Tennessee may

do so by providing one or more transcripts compliant with the

rules outlined below and verication of having successfully

completed an approved competency examination. All

applicants for reciprocity licensure must submit proof of having

successfully completed ve (5) classroom hours of instruction

regarding Tennessee massage statutes and regulations and

must have had at least ten (10) classroom hours of ethics

instruction.

Applicants shall request a transcript from one (1) or more post-

secondary academic institution(s) approved by the Tennessee

Higher Education Commission or its equivalent in another

state(s). The transcript(s) must carry the ocial seal of the

institution(s) and must show that the applicant has successfully

completed a massage, bodywork, and/or somatic therapy

curriculum(s) consisting of no less than ve hundred (500)

classroom hours, specically delineated as follows:

(1) Two hundred (200) classroom hours shall consist of sciences

including, but not limited to, anatomy, physiology (western and/

or eastern), kinesiology, pathology, HIV/AIDS and blood-borne

pathogens, and hygiene (including standard precautions). Other

sciences related to the human body may be included with board

approval.

(2) Two hundred (200) classroom hours shall consist of basic

massage theory and practice including, but not limited to,

history; benets; indications; contraindications; demonstration

and supervised practice; client assessment/evaluation; soft

tissue manipulations including: gliding, kneading, friction,

compression, vibration, percussion, and stretching; joint

movements; draping; positioning; turning; feedback; charting/

documentation; proper body mechanics; and self-care.

(3) Eighty-ve (85) classroom hours shall consist of related

subjects including, but not limited to, business standards of

practice, communication skills, CPR/rst aid, the Americans

with Disabilities Act, referral methods, specialized populations,

and specialized and adjunct therapies/modalities (including

hydrotherapy).

(4) Ten (10) classroom hours shall consist of ethics instruction.

(5) Five (5) classroom hours shall consist of instruction regarding

Tennessee massage statutes and regulations.

PAGE 13 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Texas Must be licensed in a state with equal or

greater requirements (500 hours).

An applicant from another state must provide documentation

that licensure was obtained by standards substantially

equivalent to those of Texas. Degrees, certicates, diplomas,

and course work received at other institutions shall be accepted

only if such institution is approved by an education agency in

that state and the curriculum, the accrediting/credentialing

body of that state, or the course of studies meets the criteria

set out by the state of Texas. Submit a transcript(s) of all

relevant course work acceptable to the department. Provide

proof of successfully passing the required exam. Provide proof

of successfully passing the jurisprudence exam. Successfully

pass a criminal history background check performed by the

department in accordance with the act, the department’s

criminal conviction guidelines.

Satisfactorily complete massage therapy studies in a minimum

500-hour approved course at a licensed massage school which

includes at least:

(A) 200 hours of massage therapy techniques, theory, and the

practice of manipulation of soft tissue, with at least 125 hours of

Swedish massage therapy techniques;

(B) 50 hours of anatomy;

(D) 50 hours of kinesiology;

(E) 40 hours of pathology;

(F) 20 hours of hydrotherapy;

(G) 45 hours of massage therapy laws and rules, business

practices, and professional ethics;

(H) 20 hours of health, hygiene, rst aid, universal precautions,

and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and

(I) A 50-hour internship program.

Utah Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

An applicant who completes equivalent education and training

must provide documentation of: graduation from a licensed or

recognized school outside the state of Utah with a minimum

of 500 hours; completion of the examination requirements;

and practice as a licensed massage therapist for a minimum of

three years. Applicants for licensure as a massage therapist shall

pass the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)

Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx).

Vermont The state does not have a massage

therapy curriculum or requirements.

Vermont does not regulate massage therapy.

Virginia Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

A massage therapist who has been licensed in another United

States jurisdiction with requirements substantially equivalent

to those in Virginia and who is in good standing or is eligible for

reinstatement, if lapsed, shall be eligible to apply for licensure

by endorsement in Virginia. An applicant for licensure by

endorsement shall submit a completed application and required

fee, including a criminal history background. He or she shall:

have successfully completed a minimum of 500 hours of training

from a massage therapy program certied or approved by the

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or an agency

in another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States

territory that approves educational programs; have passed

the licensing examination of the Federation of State Massage

Therapy Boards, or an exam deemed acceptable to the board;

have not committed any acts or omissions that would be

grounds for disciplinary action or denial; and have completed a

criminal history background.

PAGE 14 OF 14

STATE ACCEPTS CURRICULUM RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENTS

Washington Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

The applicant must hold an active massage license in a state

or foreign jurisdiction with substantially equivalent licensing

requirements as Washington state. A massage therapist

applicant holding a license in another state may be granted

a Washington license without examination, if, in the opinion

of the board, the other state’s examination and educational

requirements are substantially equivalent to Washington’s.

However, the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of

the board a working knowledge of Washington law pertaining

to the practice of massage. The applicant shall provide proof in a

manner approved by the department that the examination and

requirements are equivalent to Washington’s.

West Virginia Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements (500 hours).

Applicants must have completed a program of massage

education at a school by a state agency in another state, the

District of Columbia, or a United States territory which approves

educational programs and which meets qualications for the

National Certication Exam administered through the National

Certication Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

This school shall require completion of at least ve hundred

hours of supervised academic instruction. The applicant must

successfully complete the National Certication for Therapeutic

Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB) examination, or other board

approved examination, and submit payment of a reasonable fee

every two years.

Wisconsin Must be licensed in a state with equal

or greater requirements

(500 hours).

An applicant for a license on the basis of a similar license,

registration, or license in another state or territory of the

United States shall submit all of the following to the board: an

application; proof of a current similar license, registration, or

certicate to practice massage therapy or bodywork therapy in

another state or territory of the United States, the requirements

for which are substantially equivalent to the requirements

of Wisconsin; proof as a policyholder of malpractice liability

insurance coverage in an amount that is not less than

$1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 for all occurrences

in one year. He or she must not have not been convicted of an

oense.

The individual must also have either of the following:

(A) Certication by the National Certication Board for

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or any other organization

accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies

to certify massage therapy or bodywork therapy.

(B) Proof of passing an examination: the Massage and Bodywork

Licensing Examination oered by the Federation of State

Massage Therapy Boards; the Board Certication Examination

for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork oered by the National

Certication Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork;

an examination relating to the practice of massage therapy

or bodywork therapy that is administered by a national board

that is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying

Agencies; or, an examination that is substantially equivalent,

as determined by the board, to an approved examination and

completion of at least 500 classroom hours of instruction in

massage therapy or bodywork therapy at a school.

Wyoming The state does not have a state

curriculum.

Massage therapy is not regulated in the state.