The Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy regulates the licensing procedures for massage therapists. Escorts wishing to enhance their career will find several qualifications that need to be met in order to change fields. Qualifications are very similar to other states' guidelines, however there is one exception: Louisiana requires passage of an oral examination prior to applying for a license. Guidelines include:
Massage therapists must acquire at least 500 hours of supervised course instruction from a board-approved program or institution. At least 325 hours of instruction must include the study of basic massage therapy techniques and clinical practicum-related modalities. A minimum of 125 hours are required to cover the study of physiology and anatomy and related courses. Lastly, at least 50 hours must include related coursework that covers such topics as business practices, professional ethics, health and hygiene, CPR, first aid and hydrotherapy.
Applicants must pass a national examination including one of the three:
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCBTMB), or
National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), or
Massage and Bodyworks Licensing Examination (MBLEx).
Massage therapists transferring to Louisiana from another state must provide licensing information from their home state, official transcripts from educational experiences and a completed application and fee.
Applicants for licensure must pass the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy Oral Examination. Tests are given monthly. Applicants who have passed the oral examination (and met other necessary qualifications) may apply for a license.
Massage therapists must submit a fully completed application and non-refundable application fee.
