Massage Therapy is governed by the District of Columbia Board of Massage Therapy.
To obtain a Massage Therapist License, the following are required:
- Successful completion of min. 500-hours program of in-class supervised instruction and clinical work from a board-approved Massage Therapy school or program.
- Successful completion of a national exam:
- National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCETMB) OR
- MBLEx OR
- National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA)
- Current CPR and First Aid certification.
- Criminal background check.
New applicants as of June 16, 2024 will have a license expiration date on the last day of the birth month of the license holder. For those currently licensed and renewing, this will go into effect in September of 2024.
Massage Therapists in The District of Columbia* are required to complete fourteen (14) hours of approved CEUs, including the following:
- Three (3) CEs in ethics;
- Two (2) CEs in LGBTQ cultural competency;
- Nine (9) CEs in massage-related course work; six (6) of which shall be in massage technique course(s) and be completed in a live classroom setting;Â
- 10% (1.5 hours) of Public Health Priorities; and
- Current CPR and First Aid Certification.
The District of Columbia accepts courses for continuing education hours from providers approved by the NCBTMB as long as they meet all regulatory and policy requirements set by the Board.Â
Dexterity PD is a proud Approved Provider with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB). The most current list of our courses approved by the NCBTMB can be found on our NCBTMB Approved Provider Profile Page.
*Licensees submitting NCBTMB-approved courses must ensure that CE’s also meet all the regulatory and policy requirements set by the Board
