How To Register To Provide Continuing Education In Fl For Massage Therapist

Massage therapy has been around for ages, simply only within the last few decades has the practice been regulated, credentialed, and held to rigorous standing educational activity standards.

In this article, I'll explain the renewal process for Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) as well equally Board-Certified Therapists in Massage and Bodywork (BCTMBs). Both processes usually crave Continuing Education (CE) courses, which you can complete in person or through certain online providers.

Massage Therapy Credential Requirements Vary By State

Because of the recent changes to practise standards, at that place is no federal regulation of massage therapy licensure. Rather, each state can outline the requirements for massage therapy licensing and continuing education. This interactive map is a handy tool for finding your state's requirements (or lack thereof).

In fact, some states do non regulate massage therapy at all. As of this writing, Kansas, Minnesota, and Wyoming take nevertheless to constitute statewide requirements for massage therapists. Even so, local governments in these states may regulate massage therapy at the county or city level, so be sure to cheque before yous get-go your practice there.

For the majority of other states, still, to exist a licensed massage therapist (LMT) means non but accumulating a stringent set of classwork hours and passing a licensing exam, but also regularly renewing your license with continuing education.

What are the licensing requirements to be a massage therapist?

Licensing requirements vary past state, and a few states accept no licensure. To obtain a license, most states require a set number of supervised classwork hours, from 500-yard. You may also demand to consummate a CPR or Ethics form and laissez passer the MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Test). Annotation that if you live in Hawaii or New York, y'all'll need to pass the state-specific licensing test.

Meanwhile, massage therapists in Vermont don't need a license, but they do need to be Registered. And in identify of a license, California offers massage therapists a Certificate for massage therapy practice.

What if I move states?

Renewal discrepancies can pose a problem if you decide to motility to a unlike state. You may be able to accept your license endorsed if your previous state's licensing requirements were equal to or exceeding your current state'south requirements. However, some states are very strict on this, so be sure to check with the country boards.

Yous're non confined to one state, however; it is possible to hold multiple licenses. So if you spend winters in Florida simply summers in New York, a little extra CE research volition ensure y'all can continue your practice wherever you become.

How do I renew my massage therapy license?

Just as licensing requirements vary by state, so exercise requirements for renewal. Contact your st ate board for information on how to renew your massage therapy license.

Requirements for massage therapy license renewal

The specifics for license renewal are all over the map: deadline, renewal flow, and requirements for continuing education courses (hours, topics, and formats) are unique to each country.

Hither's a helpful chart of the renewal requirements past state.

You may notice that several states specify no standing didactics (CE) requirements for massage therapists: CO, HI, IN, ME, MA, OH, UT. These set stipulations for licensure only non for CEs.

Depending on your state, you may only demand to complete five or 6 hours of CEs each year, or you may have to renew every three years with xviii-36 hours.

Despite this wide range of cherry tape, about states require that y'all renew your license biennially past completing 24 hours of continuing education.

NCBTMB and BodyworkSites Partner to Create New Free Website Benefit for Board Certified Massage Therapists | NCBTMB

What is board certification for massage therapy?

Board certification is split from licensure, although you demand a license to exist board-certified.

As a voluntary credential, board certification signifies the highest level of massage therapy practice, and is issued by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

What'southward the difference between a massage therapy license and lath-certification?

Most states require a license, but lath-certification is voluntary. A Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) is considered an entry-level professional in many states, whereas a Lath-Certified Therapist in Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB) holds the highest credentials.

Here are the basic differences:

	Level	Credential	Issuer	Renewal Period
License (LMT)	entry-level	required in 45 states	State	annually, biennially, triennially, or never
Board-Certified (BCTMB)	highest level	voluntary	NCBTMB	every two years

How to become a board-certified massage therapist

Besides completing any state requirements for licensure, to get a board-certified massage therapist you must meet a few additional requirements. Unlike the state requirements, however, these steps are uniform throughout the Usa.

Steps to condign board-certified:

Graduate from an NCBTMB-Assigned School (or undergo a Portfolio Review)
Laissez passer the Board Certification Exam
Laissez passer a criminal background check ($25 fee)
Obtain massage therapy state license (whatever those requirements)
Apply for Board Certification ($250 fee)
Agree to uphold NCBTMB's Standards of Practice and Code of Ideals

Because of these extra steps, such as a criminal background check and the code of ideals, a board-certified massage therapist is better "vetted" than one that is simply licensed. Board certification is a great pick for massage therapists who alive in a state without massage therapy regulation, or for LMTs who desire to set themselves apart and advance their practice.

Besides the extra credentials, being a BCTMB means joining a customs of other massage therapy professionals across the nation. Y'all'll accept access to neat resource and discounts, such every bit a free business relationship and swipe reader from Square, a free website on which to advertise your do, and free access to CEbroker to runway and written report your CEs.

How to renew your lath-certification

The NCBTMB requires that board-certified massage therapists renew their certification periodically by taking standing educational activity courses. Unlike the process for license renewal, however, these steps are compatible regardless of your state:

Complete 24 CEs inside a ii-yr period
Pass a criminal groundwork check ($25 fee)
Apply for renewal ($85 fee)
Agree to NCBTMB'due south Standards and Lawmaking of Ethics

Continuing Education Requirements for Massage Therapists

Whether you're licensed or board-certified, there's a practiced take a chance you need to consummate some CEs every now so.

Continuing teaching courses serve to help massage therapists brush up on skills, learn something new, and review policies pertaining to ideals, privacy, and good business practise.

Y'all tin can observe massage therapy continuing education courses on all kinds of topics: massage techniques, beefcake, physiology, kinesiology, therapy history, population studies, ethics, cocky-care, and even taxes.

CE Requirements for Board-Certification Renewal

If you're renewing a board certification, however, the NCBTMB makes the follow specifications:

A Minimum of 3 hours in Ideals (no maximum)
A Maximum of 4 hours in Self-intendance (no minimum)
All Massage CE providers must be NCBTMB-approved

In other words: of your 24 CEs for certification renewal, iii of them must be from Ethics courses, only 4 from Self-Intendance courses, and all 24 from courses offered past NCBTMB-approved providers.

CE Course Requirements for Land License Renewal

Part of your lath certification renewal includes renewing your state license, and some states are pickier than the NCBTMB on what types of courses will count. Other states make no specifications at all.

For example, to renew a license in Tennessee, you lot must consummate 24 hours of CEs every two years. Of those 24 hours, two must be for courses in Tennessee law and regulation, and two more must be on massage business exercise such every bit ethics and substance corruption.

How to complete massage CEUs: Formats

There are iii full general formats for massage standing education courses: live class, live webinar, or online class.

Given recent events, these latter two formats have lately become much more in-demand; however, some states limit how many online CEs can count towards license renewal.

For example, to renew a license in Delaware, you must complete 24 hours of CEs every two years. Only 9 of these hours may be online – specifically ideals and elective courses. The remaining 15 hours must be from live classes.

To complicate it further, Florida's state board has different requirements for CEs depending on whether this is your first license renewal. For your initial license renewal, you'd need to consummate 2 hours on medical error prevention as well as 24 hours of CEs. For your following renewals, the requirements are more specific: professional ethics, human trafficking, Florida law, and medical error prevention constitute 7 of your required 25 CEs, 12 of which must be in-person.

The bottom line? Bank check with your country board. If you need to renew a license and a board-certification, seek out courses that volition fulfill both sets of requirements.

By choosing online formats, you'll take more flexibility on when and where you complete your continuing instruction. Only make sure you know your state's limits and requirements.

How to discover providers of Massage CEs

For board-certification, all 24 of your CEs must come up from NCBTMB-approved providers. Depending on your state, a certain number of your total CEs may besides fall under this restriction. The best way to earn usable CEs is to detect NCBTMB-approved providers.

AMTA: The American Massage Therapy Clan is a network of massage therapy professionals. As well a directory of Massage Therapy schools, practitioners, and chore postings, AMTA offers lxxx+ Continuing Education courses online. Members can access courses at a 40% discount, and some courses are free.

MassageCeu.com: Panda Massage CEU is another board-certified Continuing Education provider. Approved for license renewal in Florida, New York, Texas, and Louisiana, some of Panda's courses are land-specific. Nonetheless, all are approved for NCBTMB CEs and are administered online. Prices per credit hour range from $7 for bundles to $8.50 for a la carte.

MedBridgeMassage: A leading provider of Continuing Pedagogy courses, MedBridge offers on-demand courses and live webinars that are NCBTMB-approved. With topics ranging from marketing strategies to patient atmospheric condition, MedBridge Massage is the perfect resource for the massage therapist looking to abound their business organisation, refine their skills, or challenge their practise.

MedBridge Massage CEs

Whether you demand to renew your license or recertify as BCMTB, MedBridge ticks the boxes for all your online CE requirements.

For just $79, you lot'll receive unlimited admission to 56 massage therapy continuing education courses. By choosing 1 provider like MedBridge Massage, y'all'll avoid the hassle of multiple providers and save coin on your standing teaching.

If you're worried near your state'south requirements, MedBridge Massage makes information technology easy. Their form catalog includes a filter by state. Then whether yous live in Nebraska or New Jersey, or are recertifying with NCBTMB, MedBridge Massage volition point yous to the courses that will count.

Because how complex state licensing requirements are, this filter feature is more than a convenience. It'll save you time on selecting a course and too aid you avoid taking (and paying for) courses yous can't use.

Once yous've finished a MedBridge Massage course, you can download the document instantly. So fifty-fifty if you're cutting it close on your borderline, MedBridge won't hold yous upward.

All-time Massage CE Provider

The quality of a MedBridge CE course is top-notch. MedBridge films their online content with high-definition video, including multiple camera angles and 3D animations. When learning well-nigh the torso and massage techniques, this attention to detail makes a huge departure on the quality of the grade.

Additionally, MedBridge courses are taught by experts in the industry. Many include patient demonstrations, fifty-fifty in a live setting.

Whatever the topic for your online continuing education form, MedBridge has you covered. From tax nuts to thai massage, MedBridge courses deliver quality content designed for optimal online learning.

For a special discount on MedBridge Massage subscription, click the link below.

This article was written by Naomi Benecasa, a cellist with a Available's in Music Operation and a Master'due south in Music Psychology. Fascinated by fitness and fermentation, she provides copywriting and editing services for PTProgress from her abode in New York.