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

   1. (1) Complete the application provided by the Board;
   2. (2) Pay the application fee as specified in COMAR 10.65.07;
   3. (3) Submit one recent 2 inch by 2 inch passport type photograph on a solid white background of the applicant;
   4. (4) Submit a completed criminal background check;

   5. (5) Provide evidence that the applicant is:

      1. (a) Of good moral character; and
      2. (b) 18 years old or older;
   6. (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. (7) Have sent directly to the Board by the administering authority proof of having passed a Board-approved examination;

   8. (8) Have copies of official transcripts sent directly to the Board by an institution of postsecondary education, as defined in Education Article, §10-101, Annotated Code of Maryland, and approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, from which the applicant graduated that documents completion of a program of at least 750 contact hours of massage therapy education in a curriculum that is:

      1. (a) Approved by the Board;

      2. (b) Endorsed by:

         1. (i) The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA); or
         2. (ii) An equivalent entity that accredits both institutions of postsecondary education and programs offering instruction in massage therapy; and
      3. (c) Accredited by an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education;
   9. (9) Provide documentation of having satisfactorily completed the requirements listed in Regulation .07 of this chapter;
   10. (10) Provide documentation of current certification of qualification in CPR, at a minimum at the Basic Life Support (BLS) level; and
   11. (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.

2. B. On or before September 30, 2024, to be a registered massage practitioner, an applicant shall:

   1. (1) Complete the application provided by the Board;
   2. (2) Pay the application fee as specified in COMAR 10.65.07; and
   3. (3) Submit one recent 2 inch by 2 inch passport type photograph on a solid white background of the applicant;
   4. (4) Submit a completed criminal background check;

   5. (5) Provide evidence that the applicant is:

      1. (a) Of good moral character; and
      2. (b) 18 years old or older;
   6. (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. (7) Have sent directly to the Board by the administering authority proof of having passed a Board-approved examination;

   8. (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:

      1. (a) Approved by the Board;

      2. (b) Endorsed by:

         1. (i) The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA); or
         2. (ii) An equivalent entity that accredits both institutions of postsecondary education and programs offering instruction in massage therapy; and
      3. (c) Accredited by an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education;
   9. (9) Provide documentation of having satisfactorily completed the requirements listed in Regulation .07 of this chapter;
   10. (10) Provide documentation of current certification of qualification in CPR, at a minimum at the Basic Life Support (BLS) level; and
   11. (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.
3. C. 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.
4. D. On or after October 1, 2024, the Board may not issue an initial registration to practice as a registered massage practitioner.
5. E. On or before October 31, 2026, on a request made on an application approved by the Board, the Board shall convert the registration of an individual registered by the Board as a registered massage practitioner to a license to practice massage therapy if the individual complies with regulations under this subtitle.

6. F. Conversion.

   1. (1) In order for an individual to convert from a registered massage practitioner to a licensed massage therapist, a minimum of one of the following shall be met by the conversion applicant:

      1. (a) Has held a registration continuously in good standing for a minimum of 10 years preceding the conversion request;

      2. (b) Attest to the accumulation of 1,000 hours of hands-on experience within the practice of massage therapy over the previous 2 years between:

         1. (i) Work hours; and
         2. (ii) Board-approved continuing education hours; or

      3. (c) Provide documentation verifying a total of 750 hours of massage therapy education which may include:

         1. (i) Contact hours from a Board-approved program of study of massage therapy; or
         2. (ii) Board-approved continuing education hours.
   2. (2) It is the burden of the conversion applicant to demonstrate that the applicant is eligible for conversion.

   3. (3) The Board:

      1. (a) May request additional documentation from the conversion applicant to substantiate or clarify the applicant’s conversion application; and
      2. (b) May not convert the registration of an applicant whose registration has been suspended or revoked.

Authority: General Provisions Article, §4-333(c); Health Occupations Article, §§6-101, 6-102, 6-201—6-206, 6-301—6-306, and 6-504;
Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01 and .02 adopted effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1446)

Regulations .01, .05, and .07 recodified from COMAR 10.43.17 to be Regulations .03, .07, and .09 effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1446)

Regulations .02—.04, .06, and .08—.10, amended and recodified from COMAR 10.43.17 to be Regulations .04—.06, .08, and .10—.12 effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1446)

Regulation .04B amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .05B amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .06 amended effective December 31, 2018 (45:26 Md. R. 1247); December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .06F amended effective August 18, 2025 (52:16 Md. R. 847)

Regulation .07 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .07A amended effective December 31, 2018 (45:26 Md. R. 1247)

Regulation .08 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .09 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .10 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulations .11 and .12 recodified from COMAR 10.43.17 to be Regulations .13 and .14 effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1446)

Regulation .11 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .12 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .13 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .14 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .15 adopted effective April 9, 2018 (45:7 Md. R. 345)

Regulation .15 amended effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)

Regulation .16 adopted effective December 31, 2018 (45:26 Md. R. 1247)

Regulation .16 repealed effective December 25, 2023 (50:25 Md. R. 1088)