Massage therapy licensing guidelines: District of Columbia
An escort who would like to transition or expand her/his services to those of a massage therapist must become licensed if she/he lives in Washington D.C. The District of Columbia Board of Massage Therapy regulates all applications received to become a massage therapist. Here the guidelines for licensure:
Applicants must complete a massage therapy program at an approved school. The school must be licensed by the District of Columbia Education Licensing Commission or approved by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation. Additionally, a school may be accepted by the board if is approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
Massage therapists must complete a massage therapy program that consists of at least 500 hours of instruction. At least three of the hours must include a class covering professional ethics. 100 hours of the 500 must apply to anatomy, physiology or kinesiology; 400 hours must include massage therapy theory, business practices, CPR and first aid. The minimum amount of time to complete the program is 6 months, and the board will not accept correspondence or online courses for education requirements.
Applicants for licensing must present a transcript from their programs, certifications of graduation from their approved schools and certification of CPR and first aid classes.
Applicants must present negative test results for tuberculosis testing.
Massage therapists must maintain liability insurance.
Licensed applicants must complete at least 12 hours of continuing education credits every 2 years. Included in these hours must be three hours of professional ethics and six hours of live classroom instruction.
It is illegal and may result in license revocation for a massage therapist to engage in sexual activity with clients or individuals who have been clients within the previous 12 months. Massage therapists are prohibited from engaging in any activities with the intent to sexually arouse a client.
Massage therapists cannot advertise their businesses or services by using sensational, sexual or provocative language or pictures.
All licensed massage therapists must refrain from practicing under the influence of drugs, alcohol or illegal substances.
