Massage Therapy Licensing

WA State Massage Licensing is overseen by the WA State Board of Massage Therapy. It is a division of the Board of Health meaning massage therapists are licensed as health care practitioners in the state of Washington.

Massage therapists need special training to massage animals, to do intra-oral work (inside the mouth) and can not date clients.

You must also graduate from an approved massage school. You can find a list of those massage schools here.(pdf)

NRS 640C.060 "Massage therapy" defined. (From the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy )

1. "Massage therapy" means the application of a system of pressure to the muscular structure and soft tissues of the human body for therapeutic purposes, including, without limitation:

(a) Effleurage;

(b) Petrissage;

(c) Tapotement;

(d) Compressions;

(e) Vibration;

(f) Friction; and

(g) Movements applied manually with or without superficial heat, cold, water or lubricants for the purpose of maintaining good health and establishing and maintaining good physical condition.

2. The term does not include:

(a) Diagnosis, adjustment, mobilization or manipulation of any articulations of the body or spine; or

(b) Reflexology.

Currently there are no licensing requirements for massage in Montana. There is a bill being considered SB 287.

To find out more please see the Montana League for Massage and Bodyworkers

Oregon Massage Licensing is handled by the Oregon State Board of Massage. You can read more on my website atwww.massage-career-guides.com

There are now two different tests that are used by different states to license massage professionals. The MBLex created by the Federation of Massage State Boards which was just started in 2008 and the National Certification Exam created by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

Today AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) who created the NCBTMB announced that it was now supporting the MBLeX test and will be changing over to accepting that test for entry into AMTA!
You can read more on the www.amtamassage.org website.