How to Become a Touch Therapist
Attend a Massage Therapy School
You can apply to a massage school in any state. Most schools will require you to be 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent. Because the licensing requirements vary widely between states, you should apply to a school that meets the requirements of the state that you plan to get licensed in. An in-state school will always work, but for an out-of-state school you’ll want to make sure that the school not only meets the requirement for total program hours but also meets any requirements for specific topics within the program, such as anatomy, kinesiology, ethics, etc. There is no need to attend an accredited school (except in RI). State requirements (and massage school programs) vary from 500 total hours (including CA, CO, ID, MI, NC, NV, TN, TX) to 1000 total hours (NE, NY), but most are around 600-700 hours (including AK, AZ, OR, MA, NM, PA, WA). If you think you’ll ever live in another state, it’s best to attend a program whose hours will be sufficient for most other states (think 700 hours) as it will be difficult to supplement hours later. To find out requirements for any state, go directly to that state’s website rather than any 3rd party website that may have outdated or incomplete information. For more info on choosing a massage school, check out The Ultimate Guide for Choosing a Massage School.
Take a Massage Exam
Once you graduate from the school, you’ll probably need to take an exam. For most states, that exam is the MBLEx, which you’ll apply for at FSMTB.com. For Hawaii and New York, you’ll need to take their own state-specific exam. There are a very small number of states that don’t require an exam. Once you pass the MBLEx, that passing score is good for the rest of your life. You’ll never need to take the exam again, and you can take it with you as you apply for a license in any state.
Apply for a Massage Therapy License
Once you’ve passed the exam, you can apply for a license in your state (though in Hawaii, steps 2 and 3 are combined). The application can be found on the webpage for whatever agency oversees massage licenses in your state (usually the commerce or health department). The application may be entirely on-line or may involve printing and filling out the old-fashioned way.
All states are going to want to receive the following from your school (usually sent directly from the school at your request):
Your transcript
Proof of your school’s license
Possibly another form or two
What they’ll want from you is:
The completed application
Payment
Depending on the state, they may also want:
Proof of CPR
Proof of First Aid
Background check, including fingerprints
Proof of education or passing an exam on state laws
Statement from others vouching for your moral character
Proof of licenses in other states (if you don’t meet education requirements)
Once you send in your application, you can expect a processing time of 1-3 months, depending on the state, which means that most massage students will get licensed about a year after starting school.
Written by Mark Olson, Ph.D. LMT, the former director of the Pacific Center for Awareness and Bodywork.
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