California Massage License Guidelines

California has a voluntary certification that is granted by the California Massage Therapy Council. It requires 250 hours for a CMP (Certified Massage Practitioner), with 100 hours in physiology and anatomy, health and hygiene, contraindications, and business and ethics, from approved schools. For the title of CMT (Certified Massage Therapist), California requires 500 or more hours, with 250 from approved schools and the remainder from either approved schools or continuing education providers.

California State Licensing Requirements for Massage Practitioners

No state-wide licensing requirements exist in California; however, each local jurisdiction within the state may have different massage permit requirements or business license requirements.

Liability Insurance Requirements

While no state-wide mandates are currently in place, securing insurance protection is a sound business decision and may be required to work in certain locations by landlords, employers, or local jurisdictions.

As a professional bodyworker, liability insurance coverage is vital to your business. Whether you are working as an employee or as an independent contractor, part time or full time, or even if you work from home, you still encounter risks on a daily basis when you deal with the general public.

Regardless of the quality of your clients or the strength of your skills as a massage professional, someone can come in for a massage and ultimately sue you for damages they claim while in your care. Even if an incident didn’t occur due to your own fault, it is still possible that you may be sued. The truth is that no one can predict what may happen.

While there are many benefits of obtaining massage therapy insurance, a few significant points are listed below:

• It provides you and your customers with peace of mind
• It enhances your professional reputation
• It protects your future business earnings
• It protects you against the day-to-day risks of your job
• It protects your personal assets
• It may be an employer or landlord requirement
• No matter who you know, who you are, or how professional you are, you can be named in a claim, and disastorous outcomes can be avoided with this protection
• It provides you with protection at a low cost

Therapists’ insurance is important, and it should be purchased prior to practicing to ensure maximum peace of mind. The best programs will include professional, general, and product liability coverage, along with additional benefits.

If you practice massage therapy in California and are interested in a solid policy for LMTs, contact Massage Magazine Insurance Plus today! We are the leading company covering California bodyworkers and massage therapists with professional liability (malpractice), general liability (trip and fall), and product coverages.

California Massage Therapy Resources

The following are state resources, including some California employment statistics, to help you determine if being a massage therapist is right for you:
California massage employment statistics as of May, 2017:
Licensed Therapists: 35,004
Mean Hourly Wage: $19.95
Annual Mean Wage: $41,500
Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ca.htm

Education Requirements
Required Education Hours: 500 hours
Written or Practical Exam: Written Exam
Exam Administered: MBLEx
CEUs Required: NONE
Source: https://www.massagetherapylicense.org/state/california-massage-certification.html

For additional information about massage therapy in California, follow these links:
State massage information: http://www.camtc.org/
State employment stats: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ca.htm

Compare California massage therapist employment statistics to other states:
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319011.htm