Sec. 10.65.01.06. Application for Licensure or Registration

A. An applicant for a license to practice massage therapy shall:

(1) Complete the application provided by the Board;

(2) Pay the application fee as specified in COMAR 10.65.07;

(3) Submit two recent 2 inch by 2 inch passport type photographs on a solid white background of the applicant;

(4) Submit a completed criminal background check;

(5) Provide evidence that the applicant is:

(a) Of good moral character; and

(b) 18 years old or older;

(6) Pass the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Jurisprudence Examination, which is administered by the Board, with a score of at least 75 percent;

(7) Have sent directly to the Board by the administering authority proof of having passed a Board-approved examination;

(8) Have copies of official transcripts sent directly to the Board by the school from which the applicant graduated that documents completion of a program of at least 600 classroom hours in massage therapy education that is:

(a) Approved by the Board and the:

(i) Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC); or

(ii) Higher education commission, or comparable authority, of the state or country in which the applicant’s school is located; and

(b) Either:

(i) Accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA); or

(ii) Approved or accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, with the instructors teaching massage related curriculum who are licensed or registered in the instructors’ state of residence;

(9) Provide documentation of having satisfactorily completed the requirements listed in §§B and C of this regulation.

(10) Provide documentation of current certification in CPR at the Basic Life Support (BLS) level; and

(11) Have verification of status sent directly to the Board by the issuing state, if certified, licensed, or registered to practice massage therapy in another state.

B. To comply with §A(9) of this regulation, an applicant for a license to practice massage therapy shall provide documentation of having graduated with at least 600 hours of education in a Board-approved program for the study of massage therapy that includes the following areas of content:

(1) Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology;

(2) Massage theory, techniques, and practice;

(3) Contraindications to massage therapy;

(4) Professional ethics;

(5) Pathology; and

(6) Research.

C. In addition to §B of this regulation, an applicant for a license to practice massage therapy shall provide documentation of having graduated with at least:

(1) 60 credit hours of education at an institution of higher education as defined in Education Article, §10–101, Annotated Code of Maryland, and as approved by the Board and MHEC of which a minimum of 24 credit hours shall have been in basic and applied science courses related to health care; or

(2) For the purpose of a status change:

(a) 60 credit hours of education at an institution of higher education as defined in the Education Article, §10–101, Annotated Code of Maryland, and as approved by MHEC; and

(b) An additional 24 credit hours or 360 contact hours of advanced massage therapy continuing education as pre-approved by the Board in basic and applied science courses related to health care, which may include, but not be limited to, the following areas of study:

(i) Massage techniques, including advanced Swedish massage and advanced deep tissue massage;

(ii) Anatomy and physiology of the human body;

(iii) Kinesiology;

(iv) Advanced pathology or pathophysiology;

(v) Orthopedic assessment and massage;

(vi) Neuromuscular therapy;

(vii) Manual lymph drainage;

(viii) Oncology;

(ix) Special populations;

(x) End stage of life;

(xi) Gross anatomy; or

(xii) Other Board pre-approved upper level AP courses.

D. To be a registered massage practitioner, an applicant shall:

(1) Complete the application provided by the Board;

(2) Pay the application fee as specified in COMAR 10.65.07; and

(3) Submit two recent 2 inch by 2 inch passport type photographs on a solid white background of the applicant;

(4) Submit a completed criminal background check;

(5) Provide evidence that the applicant is:

(a) Of good moral character; and

(b) 18 years old or older;

(6) Pass the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Jurisprudence Examination, which is administered by the Board, with a score of at least 75 percent;

(7) Have sent directly to the Board by the administering authority proof of having passed a Board-approved examination;

(8) Have copies of official transcripts sent directly to the Board by the school from which the applicant graduated that documents completion of a program of at least 600 classroom hours in massage therapy education that is:

(a) Approved by the Board and the:

(i) Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC); or

(ii) Higher education commission, or comparable authority, of the state or country in which the applicant’s school is located; and

(b) Either:

(i) Accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA); or

(ii) Approved or accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, with the instructors teaching massage related curriculum who are licensed or registered in the instructors’ state of residence;

(9) Provide documentation of having satisfactorily completed the requirements listed in §D of this regulation.

(10) Provide documentation of current certification in basic CPR; and

(11) Have verification of status sent directly to the Board by the issuing state, if certified, licensed, or registered to practice massage therapy in another state.

E. To comply with §D(9) of this regulation, an applicant for a registration to practice massage therapy shall provide documentation of graduation from a Board-approved program of at least 600 hours for the study of massage therapy that includes the following areas of content:

(1) Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology;

(2) Massage theory, techniques, and practice;

(3) Contraindications to massage therapy;

(4) Professional ethics;

(5) Pathology; and

(6) Research.

F. The Board may not issue a license or registration if the criminal history record information required under Health Occupations Article, §6-303(b), Annotated Code of Maryland, has not been received.