Delaware

Delaware massage establishments are among businesses required to display human trafficking awareness signs due to Senate Bill 43.

The Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork has proposed a continuing education (CE) rule that would allow the required nine hours of hands-on CE to be taken online for the license renewal period ending August 21, 2022.

Governor John Carney announced Phase 2 of Delaware's Reopening, permitting hair salons, barbershops, massage therapy services, nail salons, spas, facials, waxing services, brow services, and similar personal care services to resume business operations June 8, 2020.

Delaware is in the process of finalizing the Public Health Massage and Bodywork Establishment regulations to create a new section of Delaware rules. These regulations require massage and bodywork businesses to comply with health and safety guidelines.

Revised proposed Public Health Rules for Delaware massage therapy establishments have been issued. The revised proposed rules omit some of the objectionable provisions in the prior rules proposal, such as lighting requirements for massage establishments, but contain other problematic provisions, such as lack of clarity regarding sanitation procedures and references to invasive procedures, which MT's of course do not perform.

This is a reminder that the deadline to submit comments on the proposed Public Health Rules for Delaware massage therapy establishments is Friday, May 4, 2018. ABMP is submitting a formal written opposition to the rules, many of which impose onerous and unworkable requirements on massage therapy businesses. Click here to read the proposed Public Health rules.

Please submit your comments on the proposed rules to: 

Applications for the new Delaware massage establishment license are now available on the Forms page of the Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork's website. The deadline for massage businesses to apply for a massage establishment license is June 1, 2018. There is no fee for this license.

The Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork (Board) has finalized the regulations implementing the state's new massage establishment license law. The law and regulations require that massage and bodywork businesses obtain an establishment license in addition to any state or locally required business license, and in addition to the state massage therapist license that must be held by each individual massage therapist. ABMP actively worked with the Board to help shape the regulations and voice our concerns during the regulatory process.

The Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork is drafting rules to fill in the details of the state's new law mandating licensing of massage establishments.