Unlicensed Practice of Massage Laws

Tennessee

0870-01-.04 NECESSITY OF LICENSURE.

(1)

Massage therapy is one of the healing arts and, as such, the practice is restricted to those persons issued a credential by this Board. Persons engaging in the practice of massage therapy without being licensed or expressly exempted by the laws are in

violation of T.C.A. §§ 63-1-123 and 63-18-104. It is unlawful for any person who is not licensed in the manner prescribed in Title 63, Chapter 18 of the Tennessee Code Annotated to present himself or his establishment as a licensed massage therapist or a

licensed massage establishment or to hold himself or his establishment out to the public as being licensed by using a title on signs, mailboxes, address plates, stationery, announcements, telephone listings, calling cards, or other instruments of professional identification. Students may not hold themselves out as licensed massage therapists

until such time as they are licensed.

(2)Use of Titles- Any person who possesses a valid, current and active license issued by the Board that has not been suspended or revoked has the right to use the titles“Massage Therapist (M.T.)” or “Licensed Massage Therapist (L.M.T.)” and to practice as

a massage therapist, as defined in T.C.A. § 63-18-

102. Any person licensed by the Board to whom this rule applies must use one of the titles authorized by this rule in every

advertisement he or she publishes. Failure to do so will constitute an omission of a material fact which makes the advertisement misleading and deceptive and subjects the massage therapist to disciplinary action pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 63-18-104(b) and 63-18-108(5), and rule 0870-01-.19(1)(m).

Washington

RCW 18.108.035

Unlicensed practice—Penalties.

The following penalties must be imposed upon an owner of a massage business or reflexology business where the unlicensed practice of massage therapy or reflexology has been committed:

(1) Any person who with knowledge or criminal negligence allows or permits the unlicensed practice of massage therapy or reflexology to be committed within his or her massage business or reflexology business by another is guilty of a misdemeanor for a single violation.

(2) Each subsequent violation, whether alleged in the same or in subsequent prosecutions, is a gross misdemeanor punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.