Washington State Massage Licensing Requirements:
In order to obtain a massage licensing in Washington State you must:
- Complete a Washington State approved massage program.
- Pass the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam.
- Completion of at least 500 educational hours from an approved program. "These five hundred hours are not to be completed in less than six months and shall consist of the following"
- 130 hours of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology including palpation, range of motion, and physics of joint function. There must be a minimum of 40 hours of kinesiology.
- 50 hours of pathology, including indications and contraindications.
- 265 hours of theory and practice of massage, to include techniques, remedial movements, body mechanics of the practitioner, and the impact of techniques on pathologies. A maximum of 50 of these hours may include time spent in a student clinic. Hydrotherapy is to be included when consistent with the particular area of practice.
- 55 hours of clinical/business practices, minimally to include hygiene, record keeping, medical terminology, professional ethics, business management, human behavior, client interaction and state and local laws.
- Certification in American Red Cross first aid and American Heart Association Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Four contact hours of training in HIV-AIDS in the following six topics: Etiology and epidemiology; Transmission and infection control; Testing and counseling; Clinical manifestations and treatment; Legal and technical issues; and Psychosocial issues. Training can be obtained from local community hospitals and college