Massage therapy licensing guidelines: South Dakota
The South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy regulates and oversees the licensure of all massage therapists in the state, making sure they have adequate educations and insurance, completed high school and passed national examinations and demonstrate good moral character. South Dakota escorts and other service-oriented professionals may make a successful career from using their talents as massage therapists. However, in South Dakota, they must become licensed in order to use their skills legally. Anyone found practicing massage therapy in South Dakota without a license is subject to class 1 misdemeanor charges.
Applicants must follow these guidelines in order to pursue licensure:
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
Candidates must have completed high school or acquired a GED.
Applicants must have completed a board-approved program or school for massage therapy that consisted of at least 500 hours of instruction. Official transcripts are required for licensure. The curriculum from those 500 hours must consist of:
200 hours of massage and bodywork theory, assessment and application
125 hours of adjunct techniques and methods that theoretically complete a massage therapy program
125 hours of human anatomy, physiology and kinesiology that includes all 11 systems of the body
40 hours of clinical pathology and recognition of various conditions
10 hours of business practices, professionalism and ethics
Candidates must pass one of five certification examinations and provide official test scores as proof.
National Examination for State Licensing (NESL)
National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)
National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCETMB)
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Examination
Massage and Bodyworks Licensing Examination (MBLEx)
Applicants must provide evidence of possession of professional liability insurance worth at least $250,000. A copy of the Certificate of Insurance or the Declaration page is acceptable as proof.
Candidates must possess good moral character.
Applicants must submit a completed, notarized application form that includes self-disclosure of criminal history, license suspensions and drug and alcohol problems.
Candidates must send in an application fee and a licensing fee with their applications.
