Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4604
Massage Therapy Act
Redline — January 1, 2011 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2025
As of January 1, 2011
(a) Notwithstanding Section 4601, the council may grant a massage practitioner certificate to any person who applies on or before January 1, 2012, with one of the following:
(1) A current valid massage permit or license from a California city, county, or city and county and documentation evidencing that the person has completed at least a 100-hour course in massage at an approved or registered school, or out-of-state school recognized by the council as providing comparable education, has been practicing for at least three years, and has provided at least 1,000 hours of massage to members of the public for compensation.
(2) Documentation evidencing that the person has completed at least a 100-hour course in massage at an approved or registered school, or out-of-state school recognized by the council as providing comparable education, has been practicing for at least three years, and has provided at least 1,750 hours of massage to members of the public for compensation. For purposes of this subdivision, evidence of practice shall include either of the following:
(A) A W-2 form or employer’s affidavit containing the dates of the applicant’s employment.
(B) Tax returns indicating self-employment as a massage practitioner or massage therapist or any other title that may demonstrate experience in the field of massage.
(3) Documentation evidencing that the person holds a current valid certificate of authorization as an instructor at an approved massage school, or holds the position of a massage instructor at a school accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or colleges and universities of the state higher education system, as defined in Section 100850 of the Education Code.
(b) (1) After reviewing the information submitted under subdivision (a), the council may require additional information necessary to enable it to determine whether to issue a certificate.
(2) If an applicant under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) or paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) has not complied with Section 4601.3, or its equivalent, when obtaining a license or permit from the city, county, or city and county, the council shall require the applicant to comply with Section 4601.3 prior to issuing a certificate pursuant to this section.
(c) (1) A person applying for a massage practitioner certificate on or before January 1, 2012, who meets the educational requirements of either paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a), but who has not completed the required number of practice hours prior to submitting an application pursuant to this section, may apply for a conditional certificate.
(2) An applicant for a conditional certificate shall, within five years of being issued the conditional certificate, be required to complete at least 30 hours of additional education per year from schools or courses described in paragraph (5) until he or she has completed a total of at least 250 hours of education, which may include massage education hours previously completed in a massage course described in either paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a).
(3) Upon successful completion of the requirements of this subdivision, the council shall issue a certificate to the person that is not conditional.
(4) A conditional certificate issued to any person pursuant to this subdivision shall immediately be nullified, without need for further action by the council, if the time period specified in paragraph (2) expires without proof of completion of the requirements having been filed with the council.
(5) Any additional education required by this section may be completed through courses provided by any of the following:
(A) An approved school.
(B) A registered school.
(C) A provider approved by, or registered with, the council or the Department of Consumer Affairs.
(D) A provider that establishes to the satisfaction of the council that its course or courses are appropriate educational programs for this purpose.
(d) Nothing in this section shall preclude the council from exercising any power or authority conferred by this chapter with respect to a conditional certificate holder.
(a) In order to obtain certification as a massage therapist, an applicant shall submit a written application and provide the council with satisfactory evidence that the applicant meets all of the following requirements:
(1) The applicant is 18 years of age or older.
(2) The applicant has successfully completed the curricula in massage and related subjects totaling a minimum of 500 hours, or the credit unit equivalent, that incorporates appropriate school assessment of student knowledge and skills.
(A) Of the 500 hours, a minimum of 100 hours of instruction shall address anatomy and physiology, contraindications, health and hygiene, and business and ethics.
(B) All of the 500 hours shall be from approved schools. The council shall accept the 500 hours if, at the time all of the hours were completed, the school or schools were approved. The 500 hours may be completed at more than one approved school. Notwithstanding any other law, pursuant to its policies and procedures for approval of schools, the council shall accept hours earned by an applicant for certification as a massage therapist if those hours were completed before July 1, 2016, and were earned from a school providing education in this state that was unapproved by the council after July 1, 2016, based solely on the fact that the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork took denial or disciplinary action against the school. For purposes of this section, “unapproved” means that the council determined that it will not accept hours from a school toward certification.
(C) (i) Any applicant who meets all of the other requirements for certification and who received instruction required by this paragraph at an approved school that was not under formal investigation at the time at which the applicant began instruction but was subsequently placed under investigation by the council shall, as a condition of certification, have the opportunity for an interview pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4615 or an educational hearing determined by the council, provided that their application for certification was submitted to the council no more than 90 days from the date of a final decision by the council to revoke the school’s approval. Any interview or education hearing provided pursuant to this clause shall be completed no later than 12 months from the date that the council deems the application packet complete.
(ii) The council shall issue a certificate to any applicant who successfully passes the interview or education hearing described in clause (i), provided that the school at which the applicant completed the instruction was a school approved by the council within 90 days from the date an applicant submitted their application for certification and was considered to be in good standing according to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at the time the applicant passed the interview or hearing.
(3) (A) The applicant has passed a massage and bodywork competency assessment examination that meets generally recognized psychometric principles and standards and that is approved by the council. The successful completion of this examination may have been accomplished before the date the council is authorized by this chapter to begin issuing certificates. This subparagraph shall be inoperative commencing on January 1, 2019.
(B) Beginning January 1, 2026, an approved massage school shall, upon each student’s completion of curriculum at the massage school, provide notice to the student that the massage and bodywork competency assessment examination described in subparagraph (A) is not a requirement for certification pursuant to this chapter but may be required for licensure or certification as a massage therapist in any other state.
(4) The applicant has successfully passed a background investigation pursuant to Section 4606, and has not violated any of the provisions of this chapter.
(5) All fees required by the council have been paid.
(6) The council may issue a certificate to an applicant who meets the qualifications of this chapter if the applicant holds a current and valid registration, certification, or license from any other state whose licensure requirements meet or exceed those defined within this chapter. If an applicant has received education at a school that is not approved by the council, the council shall have the discretion to give credit for comparable academic work completed by an applicant in a program outside of California.
(7) If an applicant has received education at a school located outside of California or a school located in a country outside of the United States that does not meet the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 4601 to be an approved school, the council shall have the discretion to give credit for comparable academic work completed by an applicant toward certification.
(b) A certificate issued pursuant to this chapter and any identification card issued by the council shall be surrendered to the council by any certificate holder whose certificate is suspended or revoked.
Official source: California Legislative Information. Reproduced from public-domain California statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.