Massage therapy licensing guidelines: North Carolina
North Carolina requires relatively basic licensing guidelines for those who wish to practice massage therapy within the state. However, the basic guidelines do require education and the passing of a national examination in order to become licensed and practice the profession of massage therapy legally. North Carolina escorts who wish to practice massage therapy within the state need to become licensed. The following guidelines can be helpful in planning the steps to starting the legal massage therapy practice:
Applicants must submit a completed application, application fee and proper documentation to the North Carolina Board of Massage Therapy and Bodywork (the board that regulates licensing).
Candidates for licensing must pass one of two national examinations:
Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Examinations (FSMTB).
Oriental Bodywork Therapy Examination (OBTE) administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Applicants must complete a massage therapy/bodywork educational program that consists of at least 500 hours of supervised instruction. The program must be administered by a board-approved school or an exempted North Carolina community college and provide an official, sealed transcript to the Board. If the program does not meet these criteria, other qualifying procedures may be used, including:
Verification of education completed at an out-of-state program. The applicant should arrange for documentation including a photocopy of the school's current operating license, copy of the most recent school catalog, copy of the program curriculum (indicating course descriptions and the number of classroom hours of supervised instruction) and an official, sealed transcript for the student to be sent to the Board for review.
Completion of an "Affidavit of Professional Training" for education received from a school that is closed or unable to provide records of study.
Licensees must include their names and license numbers on any advertising they use to promote their business. The only exception to this guideline is for single-line telephone directory listings.
Licensees must use their professional title (and not other self-imposed massage titles). The use of "Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist" or "L.M.B.T." is appropriate.
Applicants must vow to adhere to professional standards, including:
Refraining from initiating or engaging in any sexual activity involving a client, inside or outside of the treatment environment.
Refusing gifts or benefits from clients in order to obtain personal gain.
Avoiding practicing when impaired from drugs, alcohol or illegal substances.
Refraining from engaging in conduct that is harmful or threatening to the safety or general welfare of one's client.
Candidates must not have any convictions for felonies or public offenses involving moral turpitude or narcotics laws.
Candidates must provide four statements of moral character (two of which must be from individuals in the healthcare or massage therapy industry).
