To get licensed in Maryland, massage therapists are required to take a massage exam that covers such subjects as anatomy, physiology, pathology and kinesiology. Whether you live in Annapolis, Baltimore, or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started on the path to receive your massage license.
Need of a Massage License: A massage therapist needs a license to practice massage therapy in Maryland.
Who Grants a License: Licenses are granted by the Maryland Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Examiners.
Qualifications to receive a License: Maryland has two levels of certification for massage therapists, licensure and registration.
A candidate for licensure needs to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of college courses and 500 hours from an accredited massage therapy program. Additionally, the candidate must pass a Maryland Jurisprudence Exam and an exam given by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM Exam).
Candidates seeking registration, not licensure, do not need to complete 60 credit hours of college courses.
Applying for the Massage Exam: The Board requires the candidate to pass the NCCAOM Exam prior to taking the Jurisprudence Exam.
The application to take the NCCAOM Exam can be found at NCCAOM application. More information can be found on the NCCAOM Exam in the Certification Handbook. Information on NCCAOM’s Asian Bodywork Therapy can be found in the ABT Certification Handbook.
Jurisprudence Exam: Maryland requires applicants to take a Jurisprudence Exam at the Board offices. To prepare for the exam, candidates are to study the laws and regulations that govern massage therapy in Maryland. For more information, see Jurisprudence Exam.
Test Content: The NCCAOM exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and test takers have two hours and thirty minutes to complete the computer based exam. The exam uses an adaptive testing process, where the computer based exam determines the level of the candidate based on whether a correct answer is given to a specific question. If a question is answered correctly, the next question is a bit more difficult. If the answer to a question is incorrect, the next question will be a bit easier. You are unable to return to a previous answer in the adaptive testing process. The adaptive testing process determines a candidate’s knowledge level and a certain level must be attained to pass the exam.
The exam is divided into eight content areas:
- Practice Management
- Assessment
- Analysis and Differentiation of Syndromes/Patterns
- Treatment Principle
- Evaluation/Adjustment of Treatment
- Client Education
- Apply Treatment
How to Apply for the License: Candidates must provide Board the following: (1) completed application; (2) transcript of completed course of study; (3) CPR and First Aid certification and (4) verification of passage of the NCCAOM. The documents should be sent to:
Maryland Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Examiners
Massage Therapy Program
4201 Patterson Avenue
Suite 301
Baltimore, MD 21215-2299
Phone: (410) 764-4738
Fees: There are fees to apply to become a licensed massage therapist.
Who administers the Massage Tests: The NCCAOM Exam is administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.
License Renewal Requirements: A massage therapist must renew their license every two years and complete at least 24 hours of continuing education in the two year time period.
Applicable Regulations: Massage therapists in Maryland are regulated by the Maryland Code of Regulations 10.43.17 et seq.
_________________________________
For more information on licensing and exam preparation, go to Tests.com’s MBLEx Test Guide and BCETMB Test Guide.
And take Tests.com’s Massage Therapist Practice Tests:
For massage therapy exam preparation products, such as study guides, flashcards and courses, go to Tests.com’s MBLEx and BCETMB listings.
DWS 0128
