History of Massage Licensing by State

ALABAMAenacted 1996
ARIZONAenacted 2003
ARKANSASenacted 1951
CONNECTICUTenacted 1993
DELAWAREenacted 1993
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAenacted 1994
FLORIDAenacted 1943
GEORGIAenacted 2005
HAWAIIenacted 1947
ILLINOISenacted 2002
INDIANAenacted 2007
IOWAenacted 1992
KENTUCKYenacted 2003
LOUISIANAenacted 1992
MAINEenacted 1991
MARYLANDenacted 1996
MASSACHUSETTSenacted 2006
MISSISSIPPIenacted 2001
MISSOURIenacted 1998
NEBRASKAenacted 1958
NEW HAMPSHIREenacted 1980
NEW JERSEYenacted 1998
NEW MEXICOenacted 1991
NEW YORKenacted 1967
NEVADAenacted 2005
NORTH CAROLINAenacted 1998
NORTH DAKOTAenacted 1959
OHIOenacted 1916
OREGONenacted 1971
RHODE ISLANDenacted 1979
SOUTH CAROLINAenacted 1996
SOUTH DAKOTAenacted 2005
TENNESSEEenacted 1995
TEXASenacted 1985
UTAHenacted 1981
VIRGINIAenacted 1996
WASHINGTONenacted 1976
WEST VIRGINIAenacted 1997
WISCONSINenacted 1998

1916 – Ohio Massage Licensing

1996 – Alabama Massage licensing

1998 – Wisconsin Massage Licensing

2003 – Illinois creates massage licensing act – http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/pubact92/acts/92-0860.html

March 2003 – Kentucky creates licensing act

June 10th, 2005 Governor Kenny Guinn signed a bill into law establishing regulation of the massage therapy profession in the state of Nevada. Nevada becomes the 36th state plus Washington DC to regulate massage therapy. This new law reflects 15 years of hard work by the AMTA Nevada Chapter and massage therapists throughout the state. The new massage therapy licensing law goes into effect July 1, 2007.

Click here to read the new massage therapy law

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law the Georgia Massage Therapy Practice Act, making his state the 35th to regulate the massage therapy profession. This capped 22 years of effort by the AMTA Georgia Chapter and massage therapists throughout the state.

Click www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/versions/sb110_AP_9.htm to read the new massage therapy practice act.

2007 – Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signed Senate Bill 320, the massage therapy state certification bill, into law on May 9, 2007.  The law takes effect on July 1, 2007.  Indiana becomes the 38th state plus the District of Columbia to regulate the massage therapy profession.  To view the law, please visit http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2007/SE/SE0320.1.html.

2008 –

June 2, 2008 Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed Senate Bill 08-219, a massage therapy registration bill into law, making his state the 39th to regulate the massage therapy profession. The law will take effect July 1, 2008 and require registration beginning April 1, 2009.

The law allows only a person registered by the state as a massage therapist to use the titles “massage therapist,” “registered massage therapist,” “massage practitioner,” “masseuse,” “masseur,” the letters “M.T.” or “R.M.T,” or any other generally accepted terms, letters or figures that indicate that the person is a massage therapist. The law also provides a definition of massage therapy scope of practice, an avenue for consumer complaints and preemption of local ordinances currently in effect.

Click here to read the new Colorado massage therapy registration law.