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Interested in Becoming a Massage Therapist

If you’re interested in becoming a massage therapist in Florida, there a few steps you have to follow.  Currently, 37 states and the District of Columbia regulate the practice of massage therapy. These state regulatory boards, education requirements and laws are summarized in the list below. Find out if your state has a board that administers massage practice laws.

In addition to state regulation of massage, quite a few cities, towns and counties also have their own laws regulating the practice of massage. Anyone practicing where there is a local law must meet the local licensing requirements, whether or not there is also a state law. If you live in a place where you are subject to a state law and a local law, you must satisfy both.

Different states have different requirements to become licensed in massage therapy. There are two types of certification tests offered by the NCBTMB:

National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB)

National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)

State boards listed indicate what type of exam they require to practice. In these states, anyone who has passed the appropriate exam in one state can apply for licensing in another state without re-taking the test. In states that do not use the NCE, anyone applying for licensing must either take that state’s test or apply for reciprocity, which is usually on a case-by-case basis. Reciprocity refers to the exchange, recognition or enforcement of licenses, privileges or obligations between states of the US or between nations.

Both exams contain material from the following content areas:

General knowledge of body systems

Detailed knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology

Pathology

Therapeutic massage assessment

Therapeutic massage application

Professional standards, ethics, business and legal practices.

Minimum Qualification for licensure as a MASSAGE THERAPIST

1. Must be at least 18 years of age or has received a high school diploma or graduate equivalency diploma (G.E.D.)

2. Completed a course of study at a Board of Massage Therapy Approved School or completed a Board-approved apprenticeship program

3. Must pass the National Certification Examination

4. Must have completed a 2-hour course on the prevention of medical errors.

5. Must submit an application and fee for licensure as a massage therapist. Some applicants may be required to appear before the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting for determination of licensure therefore it is imperative that all application deadlines are adhered to.