To work in most states as a massage professional you need to be licensed or certified.
View this clickable map to learn the massage therapy licensing requirements as well as the contact information for the regulating board that issues licenses in each state.
To see how getting a massage therapy license might work for you in the state of your choice, here is how a recent massage school graduate would attain their initial licensing in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapists (KBLMT) awards Licensed Massage Therapy (LMT) licenses In the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Genesis Career College offers a KBLMT-approved massage therapy program at the Bowling Green, Kentucky campus . After students complete the 600-hour, 30-week program, they are eligible to take any one of the independent licensing exams accepted by the KBLMT.
Those exams are:
- MBLEx or other exam administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
- The State of New York Massage Therapy Licensing Exam
- The National Board Certification Agency Massage Therapy Certification Examination, Level One
Once you graduate from your program and successfully pass one of the exams above, you can apply to the KBLMT to become a licensed massage therapist (LMT) in Kentucky.
Initial LMT license application fee is $125, with renewal fees ranging from $50 – $100. The application process takes at least one month but expect that it will take two, and sometimes longer if the application is incomplete. All applications are reviewed by the Applications Committee and approved by the full board, which meets monthly. Approved licenses are posted on the website.
Once approved, you will receive a letter of acceptance from the KBLMT and a certificate that can be displayed at your place of employment.
Apply for your LMT certification in Kentucky by going to the KBLMT website. Select “Resources” from the yellow navigation ribbon at the top of the page. Next select “Applications and Forms.” From the form library, select and print the “Application for Initial Licensure-Endorsement as a Massage Therapist.”
Before filling out the form, read the KBLMT FAQ and the “Road to Licensure” PowerPoint downloadable on the KBLMT homepage. Both include details on how to fill out the form, all the necessary documentation required including massage school transcripts and exam results, as well as the administrative process your application goes through.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky requires that LMT licenses be renewed every two years. Details about continuing education requirements, fees and renewal procedures are found on the KBLMT website.
If you wish to practice massage in a different state, visit that state’s massage therapy licensure board and review the requirements. A handful of states do not regulate massage therapy, however it is common for cities and counties in unregulated states to have their own local requirements that must be met before a massage therapist can legally work there.
Here in Kentucky, there are over 4,000 LMT licensees registered with the KBLMT. You can do it, too.
Good luck!