State Board of Massage Therapy

You can apply online at www.pals.pa.gov.

The following applications are online applications in PALS:

• •  Massage Therapist Licensure by Examination
• •  Massage Therapist Licensure by Reciprocity
• •  Massage Therapist Temporary Practice Permit
• •  Massage Therapist Reactivation of Expired/Inactive License

Only recent graduates of a massage therapy program are eligible for a temporary license. The Board may issue a Temporary Practice Permit during the six-month period after completion of your massage therapy program. For more information refer to the Massage Therapy Law at Section 5(c). Applicants for temporary licensure must still meet all the licensure requirements with the exception of the exam, before a temporary license may be issued.

• Applicants who have taken the exam are not eligible for a temporary permit.
• Applicants who have taken the exam and failed it are not eligible for a temporary permit.

As of November 1, 2014, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCBTMB) longer offers an examination. Individuals who previously took the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM) or National Certification Examination or Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCETMB) examination including the NESL option, offered by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage Boards (NCBTMB) shall contact the NCBTMB directly at www.ncbtmb.org to request their results be released to the Pennsylvania Board of Massage Therapy.

Individuals planning to take the MBLEx offered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) shall contact the FSMTB directly at www.fsmtb.org to apply for the examination.

Exam scores received prior to the submission of your application will be filed under your name and will not be added to your online application until the application is reviewed by an evaluator.

Basic Adult CPR is required. On-line CPR course are not acceptable. You may take additional training as long as the adult CPR is included in your class.

Courses must be hands-on, taken through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross or an agency substantially similar approved by the Board. CPR certification is not counted towards fulfillment of the required credits. A list of approved providers is posted under the Announcements section of the Board’s website.

You need to locate the custodian of records for the school and have them complete the verification of education form and submit your official transcripts. If you are not able to locate the custodian of records, you can contact the Department of Education for this information. If your education was outside of PA, you will have to check with the Department of Education for that state to see who holds the records for that school.

No. You must submit a state level CHRC from the state in which you reside. Then you can submit either a state level history check for any additional state(s), or an FBI history summary report to cover the rest of the states. FBI will not be accepted for the state in which you reside.

Any documents received separate from the application are maintained and matched to the applications as they are received or during the time of review.

You will need to submit a reactivation application by logging into your account on www.pals.pa.gov and clicking the pencil icon to the left of your license number. The application provides detailed instructions on what documentation is required to be submitted with the application. You must have all 24 hours of continuing education completed, as well as a current certification in CPR, prior to reactivating the license. The continuing education cannot have been completed more than 2 years prior to the date of reactivation.

A licensee, whose license has been inactive/expired for 5 or more years, may be required to meet competency requirements as outlined in the Board’s regulations at Section 20.31(j). Continued competency is defined as licensed practice in another state for at least 2 of the last 5 years or retaking the exam.

The Board staff and Counsel cannot provide legal advice or advisory opinions regarding practice questions or interpretations. You may contact your personal or business attorney or a professional massage therapy association.

The Board cannot predetermine if someone is qualified for licensure. The Board's Laws and Regulations are available on our website at www.dos.pa.gov/massagetherapy for your review. If the existing endorsement/reciprocity options do not provide a means of licensure, applicants who hold an active license in another state or country, who have practiced for at least 2 of the last 5 years will be given Act 41 consideration on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about Act 41.

To apply for licensure as a massage therapist in Pennsylvania, an individual must have completed at least 600 “contact hours” of in-class, postsecondary education instruction approved by the State Board of Massage Therapy Board at a regionally accredited college or university, Pennsylvania private licensed school or its equivalent. Contact hours is defined as in the physical presence of an instructor. No webinars or online courses acceptable.

All licenses expire January 31 of the odd numbered years. Licensees must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education. 16 of the 24 hours must be contact hours, 4 hours must be in professional ethics and 2 hours must be in ACT 31 recognizing and reporting child abuse from an approved provider as outlined under the Announcements section on the Board’s website.

Under the Board's Regulations, all licenses expire January 31st of the odd-numbered years. If your initial license is issued during the biennial period, you would be exempt from the CE credits for the biennial period during which your initial license was issued with the exception of the 2 hours in recognizing and reporting child abuse CE.