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| Step 1: Is Massage Right for Me?  Step 2: Get Certified Step 3: Massage Jobs Step 4: Launch Your Business
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USA National Massage License RequirementsQualified massage therapists are in high demand in the USA now days, and where anyone could once set up a bed with a bottle of oil and call them self a professional, most states in the US now have strict requirements. Unlicensed complimentary practitioners are permitted to practice in some states currently, but the NCBTMB is fighting for this to be changed. The NCBTMB are calling for regulation of all areas of massage licensing requirements for all states in the US.
Massage Licensing is Viewed as Consumer ProtectionAlthough no ruling has been made in relation to national massage license requirements, it is on the cards for the future. The variations in laws across the states can mean misleading and even mistreating clients, and the responsibility to ensure everyone is educated to prevent this lies at a national level. A person requesting a massage has the right to presume their massage therapist has been educated appropriately and does meet the requirements of a governing body who can maintain records relating to complaints and past issues. Otherwise you could allow someone into your home who can't help with your problem but can rip you off like they did to ten other people in Colorado, all because there is no record or board for victims to complain to. Having the NCBTMB or the like oversee the practices of massage therapists nationally will help to keep them honest, protect the clients and improve skills and standards of therapists overall.
Table of National Massage License RequirementsYou can look up your state's massage licensing requirements in the table below.
For massage therapists who wish to travel and practice nationally, you will need to complete the requirements for licensing in the areas you wish to practice. This means if you live in Colorado where there is no massage licensing but you wish to work in New York, you will need to complete the 1000 hours of study and the written exam for their state and pay a fee of $55 for two years before you can take any appointments. Regardless of national massage license requirements possibly being introduced, if you are a giving person who wants to help others, it will be worth the work it takes you to get there. Although massage therapy can be draining, hard and grueling work, it is also very rewarding, and nothing beats that satisfied, relaxed glow a person has when they dreamily rise from the massage table. Next Page: Massage Diploma or Degree? Navigation Guide: Home Page / National Massage License
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Alaska, Kansas, Idaho and Michigan are examples of states that don’t currently have any requirements for massage license acquisition. Alternatively, New York, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Ohio already have strict rules in place, so the idea of an enforced national massage license is less unappealing to people in those states. The problem is for the professionals who have been working as massage therapists for ten years or more but don’t have the education levels possibly required by the NCBTMB standards: They will be forced to retire, practice illegally or return to school to re-learn something they have been doing for a long-term career. 
Depending what state you are in, the requirements to currently become a massage therapist differ. New York, as an example, requires prospective therapists to undertake 1000hrs of study along with a written exam, whereas Texas' prerequisite is 250hrs of study with 50hrs internship time along with a written and a practical exam. Most states require around 500hrs of study with a written assessment at the end. On passing, you pay a licensing fee that ranges anywhere from $15 to $100 per year, and payment is commonly made bi-annually. There are also continuing education requirements (CEU's), so the best option is to find out exactly what you need to do in your state to practice legally. 