The admission criteria to attend massage therapy schools vary from State to State. Further, massage certification and licensing requirements are also governed by each State’s independent board. If you are interested in starting your own massage therapy business, or are planning on or intend to in the future, move to another State to practice massage, you will also have to become familiar with that particular State’s massage therapist schooling requirements for doing so.
Because these various requirements may vary significantly from one State to another, we have put together a comprehensive list of requirements for each State. Please click your State on the map below to read about all the requirements that apply to you so that you can quickly get started with whatever it is that you want to do.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inquire some information regarding the Massage Therapist License in order to work in Boston, Massachussets.
I am a certified Massage Therapist in Portugal, where I have studied and achieved the Diploma, and during the past year I have been working as a Massage Therapist for an American company, Steiner Leisure, which is responsible for 5 star Spas in cruise ships all over the world.
I have now been offered a job as a Massage Therapist at the Spa of a hotel chain in Boston and I have been told that I will need a special Massage Therapist License in order to work there.
I would like to know how would I obtain this license and also if my studies here in Portugal have any equivalence for this specific job role there in the United States of America.
Thanking you in advance for your time and consideration.
Yours truly,
Catarina Ferreira
Catarina
Congratulations on a great opportunity. Boston is in the State of Massachusetts (MA). Click on the MA link and read the requirements for licensing. You can contact the State board and request an evaluation of your current credentials and years of experience. They will tell you how much of it they can consider and they will tell you what else you need to do to fully qualify in the State of MA.
Hope this helps
So I’m wondering if I have to go to school in Indiana of i already went to school on florida. I did 750 hours in Florida. I am a licensed and insured LMT here and was thinking about moving to Indiana. What would I have to do?
Thanks
Michelle Hall LMT MA 77189
Michelle – it’s all about state board standards. the two states have to have the same requirements for you to easily transfer your license. read each state’s requirements on our website. you can always make up the aspects you are missing and pursue the licensure once you have satisfied all of the state board’s requirements. example: if you have 750 hrs in FL and IN requires 800, then you have to take an additional 50 before you apply to IN for a license.
My son is interested in massage therapy. He is 20 years old and we are in Ohio. A friend told me that if he wanted to “try” it before investing the tuition for school that he could get a “massage technician” certificate/license by just going to the courthouse, getting background checked, fingerprinted and pay a fee. After some research on your website and the internet, I am not finding this “technician” option in Ohio. Any further info you can provide?
Thank you!
JF – we are not familiar with this option. were you able to find information on this online? if so, please post a couple links here. we will have our volunteers study this option and write about it or clarify/elaborate where needed for the benefit of all readers.
Hello Im a Vodder Trained Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Combined Decongestive therapist and massage therapist. ive been practising in the UK for 18yrs, and hold diplomas in massage, indian head massage, lymph drainage massage from the International Therapy Examining Council and a myofacial Release Technique diploma, can you tell me how i would find out if these are transferable or if I would have to sit an exam to practice in Ohio please
it will depend on the specific institution you are interested in joining. you will have to request and review their reciprocity requirements. a lot of it will be based on the OH reciprocity / license transfer requirements. we have an article coming up on reciprocity.
Greetings. I am a 19 year LMT in the state of WI, in good standing. I am thinking of relocating to Palm Springs, CA. I am wondering what is needed to practice and advertise as a massage therapist. The info I see online, hints CA does not require a license to practice. Any help or information would be appreciated. Thank you. Jim
Jim
Have you read our article on CA requirements? Please have a read and then ask us specific questions about the article. Every state has some type of requirement to legally practice.