Massachusetts

01/07/2008

Massachusetts Licensing Update The Board of Registration of Massage Therapy is now accepting applications for a state license to practice massage therapy. Municipalities will no longer have jurisdiction over issuing licenses to massage therapists. The state board has sent a letter explaining this change in the governmental oversight of massage therapy to Municipal Health Authorities in Massachusetts. There is a great deal of information on the Board’s website, www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mt. ABMP encourages members to apply as soon as possible. Begin by thoroughly reading the Instructions for License Application located at the link above. This document gives you step-by-step instructions. It does not appear be a difficult process. The quickest route to licensure is via the grandfathering provision. You can qualify under this provision prior to May 1, 2008, if you meet any of these three options:
  1. You have held a massage therapy license in a Massachusetts community within the last 2 years (usually issued by the Municipal Board of Health), or
  2. You are certified by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or
  3. You have provided 500 hours of paid professional practice within the last 5 years.
As previously reported, the Massachusetts law requires that massage practitioners carry professional liability insurance regardless of whether the practitioner is actively practicing. The board has set the policy requirement which includes a minimum of $2,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate. ABMP membership includes professional liability insurance that meets this qualification. Members should submit a copy of the Certificate of Insurance provided in your ABMP membership packet with your application for Massachusetts state license. The following exempt practitioners do not have to obtain a state license to practice as long as they don’t practice massage therapy. They may use the terms "bodywork," "bodyworker," and "bodywork therapist" in their promotional literature. They may not claim to practice massage or massage therapy.
  • Feldenkrais Method
  • Reflexology
  • Trager Approach
  • Ayurvedic Therapies
  • Rolf Structural Integration
  • Polarity; Polarity Therapy, or Polarity Therapy Bodywork
  • Asian Bodywork Therapy that does not constitute massage
  • Acupressure
  • Jin Shin Do
  • Qi Gong
  • Tui Na
  • Shiatsu
  • Body-Mind Centering
  • Reiki
State: 
Massachusetts