Taking effect on January 1, 2009, the massage therapy certification guidelines in California caused some transitions that required the grandfathering of several professionals who have been working as massage therapists for years. However, as time progressed, the transition into using the new guidelines has smoothed out and now applies to all new applications for massage therapy certifications in California. Escorts who wish to become certified as a massage therapist in California must meet the following guidelines:
Candidates must be at least 18 years of age.
Applicants must submit a completed application along with a non-refundable application fee.
Candidates must submit official transcripts from approved schools showing evidence of completion of at least 500 hours of massage therapy education from an approved school or program. At least 250 hours of the coursework must include: physiology, health and hygiene, business and ethics, anatomy and contraindications.
Applicants must provide proof of passage of one of three certification examinations:
Massage and Bodyworks Licensing Examination (MBLEx)
National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)
National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCETMB)
Candidates who have licenses from another state with equivalent requirements may be certified through a reciprocal process.
Applicants must pass a fingerprint-based criminal background check.
Candidates whose background checks reveal convictions of felonies, violent crimes or sexually-related offenses may be denied certification.
