What are massage therapy licensing or certification requirements in my state?

Most people who are looking to get started in the world of massage need to know exactly what is required in order to get licensed. This is not as easy to answer as it may seem. While there are some things which will help you to get a job or get hired - National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) certified – the actual requirements to make you a licensed massage therapist will variy from state to state. It is important to become familiar with the rules for your state in order to understand what is expected of you.

The great thing about the massage license or certification in most states is that you will not need to do much more than just attend school and pay the fee in order to get the license. It is important to note that this is not the case in all states. In some states you will have to show certification of completion from an accredited massage school. This will cause you to either have to enroll in school or to make sure that you finish school before you try to get a job for some extra cash.

It is best for those who are already in school to just go ahead and get the certification which they will receive at the end of class. This will make sure that you have the training necessary to be a good licensed or certified massage therapist. You will also have everything you need to get a job working in your industry. You will not have to worry about any of the laws of your state getting in your way if you have covered all of your bases all the way around.

The risk that you face if you try to work as an unlicensed massage therapist is steep fines, sometimes ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. It is dangerous to be an untrained and unlicensed massage therapist, and highly unethical to perform these services on unknowing clientele. If you are ever unsure about what the massage therapy licensing requirements by state are, check with the NCBTMB about what the regulations for you state may possibly be. One you get your job as a massage therapist, enjoy your new career field as you have paid your dues to get where you are at.