You trained for hours and hours in a massage therapy program and passed a test for your license, but did you know that some massage therapists still can’t call themselves licensed massage therapists?
Forty-five states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico require massage therapists to be licensed. California offers a voluntary certification. Vermont mandates a massage registration. Licensure, certification, registration: What are the notable differences? Let’s peel back the layers to uncover the distinctions between these types of massage therapy regulation.
Registration (only Vermont)
Registrations are issued by a government agency. In Vermont, the massage registration is issued by the Secretary of State Office of Professional Regulation. Applicants in Vermont are entered into an official register. There are no minimum-education hours, exams, or additional requirements to receive a registration. Registrations must be renewed every two years along with a fee. A Vermont registration does not give massage therapists a nationally recognized credential for portability.
This form of regulation provides a minimal amount of professional accountability and offers few safeguards for the public against bad actors. It is a step above zero regulation.
Certification (only California)
Next up—and a level above registration—we have certification. In the massage therapy world, certifications are issued from a non-governmental association/organization. In California, the voluntary massage certification is issued from the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). Although voluntary, some local municipalities require certification to practice. Certification requires a minimum of 500 education hours, a background check, and no exam (to date). Because certifications can be issued by a municipality, a local jurisdiction may ask for additional requirements. Certifications must be renewed every two years along with a fee. A CAMTC certification does not give massage therapists a nationally recognized credential for portability.
This form of regulation provides a standardized educational requirement, and the background check does aid in screening out bad actors. However, this only applies to those who voluntarily apply for certification. There are still areas of California with no municipal requirement for certification, meaning someone could practice massage therapy with zero education or experience. The lack of an exam to test for basic, entry-level competence is another reason why certification is a distant runner-up in this regulatory race.
Licensure
Rounding out the three tiers of massage regulation is licensure. Massage licenses are issued at the state level by a government agency. There is a statewide scope of practice that defines what is considered “massage” and what is not; some states allow different techniques and methods than others. States require applicants to complete a minimum number of education hours, pass a nationally recognized exam, and may require applicants to pass a jurisprudence exam and submit a background check to earn a license. Some states require continuing education units to renew a license. A state license gives massage therapists a nationally recognized credential for portability.
In a state with licensure, the title and practice of massage therapy are protected by law. Licensure ensures all massage therapists are educated and vetted to practice safely and competently. Ethical violations are addressed in practice acts—a key component to protecting the good name of massage therapy, the therapeutic benefits its professionals provide, and the vibrant community of enthusiastic healers.
Our Stance and Support
Most of the country requires massage therapy licensure, and with good reason. Without statewide licensure, many local jurisdictions create municipal requirements, which often lead to excessively high costs. With a local model in place, LMTs are often required to apply and pay for several local fees because many practitioners travel city-to-city to see clients—this is financially onerous and creates a patchwork approach that could increase criminal activity. How? Because criminals masquerading as massage therapists could close doors in one city and move to a neighboring town with little or no consequence. Without massage therapy regulation and oversight, the public is left vulnerable with no protection from harmful or fraudulent services.
Although there are differences between massage registration, certification, and licensure, it’s important to remember that each aims to protect the public and the profession. However, data shows, and ABMP agrees, that licensure is the best avenue to meet the needs of the public and the massage profession. Fair licensing laws and rules increase public safety and minimize undue regulatory responsibilities on practitioners.