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Home : Massage Therapists : Massage Therapists' FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions

Professional Licenses

Q: Do I have to have a license to perform massage therapy in Louisiana?

A: Yes. In the state of Louisiana, you must have a professional license to perform massage therapy services. It is illegal to practice massage therapy in the state of Louisiana without a professional license administered by the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy.

Q: How do I obtain a professional massage therapy license?

A: (1) You must attend and graduate from an accredited school with a total of 500 contact hours. (Read more under rules and regulations on the website. LAC 46:XLV Chapters 1-61. http://www.lsbmt.org/rules.pdf)

(2) You must pass a national examination that is approved and/or accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, an accrediting arm of the National Organization for Competency Assurance. These examination agencies contact information and websites are provided to you by your school and can be found on the board website. The board does not administer or proctor these examinations and has no affiliation with these agencies. You must contact the agencies to know when examinations are administered.

 

Q: If I do not meet the educational requirements for professional licensure, can I make up the lack of hours with continuing education units hours?

A: No. Educational requirements are defined as courses of instruction that must be provided by a proprietary massage therapy school licensed by the State Department of Education or the Board of Regents unless otherwise approved by the board. Continuing education units do not meet these requirements and will not be accepted as a substitute for formal schooling.

Q: When does my license expire?

A: March 31 of each year.

Q: What is the cost of a professional license?

A: A professional license costs $125.00 per year and expires on March 31 of each year.

Q: If I receive my license in the middle of the year does it still expire on March 31?

A: Yes. Example: If you become professionally licensed on February 23, 2011, you will still have to pay a renewal fee of $125.00 for your 2012 professional license on or before March 31, 2011.

Q: Where should I post my professional license?

A: Your professional license must be posted where it is visible to the public.


Professional License Renewal

Q: When must I renew my professional license?

A: You application for professional license renewal must be postmarked on or before March 31 of each year.

Q: What happens if I do not have my professional license renewal form postmarked on or before March 31 of each year?

A: It will be considered late and you must pay a late fee of $100.00 in addition to the professional license fee of $125.00 and 12 hours of continuing education units (CEU's).

Q: What else is required to renew my license each year?

A: You must have 12 hours of continuing education units (CEU's), approved by the board, each year in order to get your professional licensed renewed.