Senate Bill 676 was signed into law to grant the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering a one-year extension. This safeguards licensing standards and regulatory oversight for massage therapy and related professions.
Oklahoma
State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
2401 NW 23rd Street, Suite 74
Shepherd Center
Main Entrance E
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
Phone: 405-521-2441
Fax: 405-521-2440
Title: Licensed Massage Therapist
Requirements: 500 hours and passing the MBLEx or NCBTMB; liability insurance required prior to licensure, background check
Renewal: 5 CEU hours/1 or 10 CEU hours/2 based on current license
The Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (Board), which oversees massage regulation, was up for sunset law in 2024. The board will be terminated unless it is reapproved by the Oklahoma legislature. A bill that seeks to reapprove the Board was vetoed by the governor and we need your help to save massage regulation.
Find out how often and how much your license renewal fee will cost you, and the circumstances under which a licensee may receive disciplinary action.
The Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering has adopted rules that identify a list of crimes that will disqualify a person from being licensed as a massage therapist. The crime(s) or criminal charge(s) has to be largely related to the practice of massage therapy and pose a sufficient threat to public safety, health, or welfare. The rules became effective January 16, 2023.
Senate Bill 750 and House Bill 1652 have been introduced in Oklahoma this legislative session. The ways in which these bills will impact massage therapists include establishment licensing, fee increases, grandfathering, and more.
Under Oklahoma’s new massage therapy law, every massage therapist must hold a state-issued massage therapy license by May 1, 2017 in order to practice after that date. If you do not have a license by May 1, 2017, you will not be able to legally practice in Oklahoma until you get your license. We had expected that the Cosmetology Board would issue regulations filling in the details of the new massage law prior to making license applications available, but the Board has instead issued application forms before issuing regulations.
Two bills have been introduced in the Oklahoma state legislature which would require that all massage therapists in Oklahoma have state licenses in order to practice, and that all massage schools have state licenses in order to operate. Neither bill has been set for hearing in the legislature. ABMP is opposed to both of these bills unless significant changes are made.