The Background Check Process
Applicants must have fingerprint-based criminal background checks carried out by the California Department of Justice and the FBI. Applicants begin by making two copies of the Request for Live Scan Service form. They then take the forms to a Livescan vendor. One form will eventually be sent to CAMTC the other is retained for the applicants records.
Fees will vary by vendor. CAMTC reports that the vendor fee and the background check fees should total $80 to $90. CAMTC refers applicants to the Department of Justice for a list of fingerprinting sites .
California Continuing Education Requirements
Please understand that massage laws change frequently and vary from state to state. We will try to provide you with the most current information possible.
It is our understanding that there are three levels of massage certification in California:
Currently, there are no continuing education requirements for renewal of the CMT or CMP certification.
Therapists holding a CCMP Certification need to complete a minimum of 30 hours of education each year. You may complete ALL 30 CE hours through our home study/online programs.
You can verify this information or ask further questions by contacting the California Massage Therapy Council at 916-669-5336 or visit their website at www.camtc.org.
Please note that all of our courses can be used for NCBTMB recertification, our approved provider number is 409296-00. You may also use any of our CE courses for renewal with organizations such as the AMTA and ABMP .
Jill Kristin Berkana Lmt Bctmb
Professionals RECOGNIZE and RESPECT Board Certification. It symbolizes commitment, dedication, and expertise. Massage therapists who are Board Certified have gone above and beyond licensurethey have achieved more than minimum requirements. You can expect more from professionals who chose to become Board Certified.
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Camtc Approved Massage Schools
- A2Z Health.net, Inc
- American Institute of Massage Therapy
- Bellus Academy
- Burke Williams Academy of Massage Therapy
- California College of Physical Arts, Inc
- California Healing Arts College
- California Institute of Massage & Spa Services
- Calistoga Massage Therapy School
- Diamond Light School of Massage and Healing Arts
- Downey Adult School
- Healing Hands School of Holistic Health
- Healing Oak School of Massage
- Holistic Life Institute
- Institute for Business and Technology
- International College of Holistic Studies
- International Professional School of Bodywork
- Kali Institute for Massage & Somatic Therapies
- Life Energy Institute
- Loving Hands Institute of Healing Arts
- Massage Center
- San Francisco School of Massage & Bodywork
- Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute
- School of Holistic Touch
For Applicants & Certificate Holders:
Unless your city or county requires you to be certified, it is your choice. The State of California does not require massage professionals to be certified by CAMTC. However, many massage professionals find CAMTC Certification to be useful because, as a CAMTC Certified Massage Professional, you will not need a massage therapist permit to provide massage for compensation in any California city or county.
A license is a document issued by the state and is mandatory for the individual to obtain before they can work in their profession in that state. The State of California does not license the massage profession. The California Massage Therapy Council, a private non-profit corporation, issues voluntary certifications to massage professionals that meet the requirements in the Massage Therapy Act. CAMTC Certification is voluntary. CAMTC Certification is not required by State Law in order for a massage professional to practice their profession in the State, though many massage professionals find CAMTC Certification useful. CAMTC Certification is the only credential for massage professionals that is recognized by California State Law.
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Maintaining And Converting Lower Certifications
Although the Council no longer issues Certified Massage Practitioner credentials to new applicants, those who hold the credential may maintain it. They may upgrade by passing an approved examination and completing additional coursework to bring their total education hours up to 500 the additional coursework is to be completed through approved schools.
Individuals with Conditional Certified Massage Practitioner may continue to work toward their CMP if they are making adequate yearly progress .
California Massage Therapy Council
- Course Length: 2 weeks – 6 months
- Price: $400 – $17,000
All information on this page, including but not limited to price, cost, instructions, descriptions, and the content of a certification course, is presented for informational and promotional purposes only, is not legal advice, may be an approximation, is subject to change, and may have been generated by third parties. Nothing on the site is a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding any legal matter. Prior to enrolling in a course for a certification, please contact the proper school or certification administrators for information regarding certification requirements.
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A Vitally Important Opportunity For The Massage Profession
If you would like to express your interest in the legislative process surrounding California licensing, or volunteer to be active in support of that goal, please email with the subject line “California Licensing.”
The California massage therapy community has an opportunity to join 45 other licensed states by instituting professional licensing in place of the current uneven, incomplete voluntary certification process administered by a private organization, the California Massage Therapy Council . ABMPs Government Relations team has been working hand in hand with appropriate legislative committees and the American Massage Therapy Association to advance massage regulation that we believe would best serve the profession and the public going forward.
We believe this is the right path for California massage regulation, and we believe with the support of the massage community we can meet this opportunity and create a better environment for massage and bodywork professionals.
Department Coordination With Camtc
The Chief of Police shall designate a person in the Police Department to coordinate with CAMTC, including maintaining a list of certified therapists and practitioners practicing in the City, maintaining a list of massage establishments operating in the City, receiving notices and information from CAMTC, and notifying CAMTC of any arrest or conviction of Penal Code Section 647 or other act punishable as a sexually related crime .
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Massage Therapist And Massage Practitioner Registration
A. Massage Therapist or Massage Practitioner. No person may practice massage in the City who is not a certified massage therapist, certified massage practitioner or exempt therapist as defined in this chapter under Section 5.60.020, Definitions.
B. All Therapists and Practitioners. A certified massage therapist, certified massage practitioner or exempt therapist providing or offering massage in the City must:
1. Work at a City-permitted massage establishment as an employee or independent contractor or
2. Obtain a massage therapist or massage practitioner registration if providing massage for compensation in the therapists or practitioners own home, or providing outcall massage services.
Exempt massage therapists shall be required to obtain a massage establishment permit, pursuant to Section 5.60.040.
C. Other City Permits. Registrants are advised that they must also obtain a City business license, and a home occupation permit if massage is practiced at the therapists or practitioners home. If a massage therapist is an independent contractor of a massage establishment, he or she must obtain a City business license.
E. Compliance. A person who is a registered massage therapist or massage practitioner shall comply with the requirements of this chapter, except for the massage establishment permit requirement in Section 5.60.040.
Massage Education Requirements In California
Applicants for massage certification in California are required to complete a minimum of 500 hours of in-class instruction from a CAMTC approved school. 100 hours of the approved program must be in anatomy and physiology, contraindications, health and hygiene, and business and ethics. Applicants who attended a massage school out-of-state must have a received education and training substantially equivalent to CAMTC approved schools. CAMTC does not accept out-of-country education.
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What Is The Current State Of The Legislative Process
In spring 2021, your ABMP Government Relations staff sensed an opportunity to seek a transition to required licensure for all California therapists. We began creating a support team and developing necessary analyses and bill drafting. We thought it possible to get a licensing bill passed in 2022.
Events undercut this aspiration. Key legislative committee leadership changed, which in turn delayed making public release of our background work and follow-on conversations with key constituencies. Our focus has now shifted to getting a bill passed in the 2023 legislative session.
If there is a silver lining, it is that in connection with a March 18 Joint Sunset Review Oversight Hearing, ABMP was able to release publicly draft legislation describing how we would see massage licensing working along with a required 60-page Sunrise Questionnaire. Two caveats about the draft legislation: First, it was drafted thinking licensing could begin January 1, 2023, so all the dates in it will now need to be pushed forward one year and second, as is the case with all new legislation, this is a first draft which will be open to discussion and negotiation.
For those ABMP members currently holding CAMTC Certified status, our draft bill provides for seamless transfer of that status to a massage license with no extra payments, no new application, no test requirement, and no repeat of fingerprinting or background checks you already went through with CAMTC.
Why Does Abmp Support California Licensing
ABMP believes that requiring licensure for all California massage professionals would help practicing professionals by providing consistent rules, a level service environment for all practitioners, reasonable fees, and due process protections for therapists accused of improper behavior. Specifically:
Required Licensing Provides Clarity, Consistency, and Safety
Forty-five states license massage therapists, and three of the other four states besides California are considering instituting licensing because it works both for professionals and the public. A standard license provides clear-cut guidance on how to find a true professional, enabling the public to easily find licensed providers and giving law enforcement a simple way to verify a professionals ability to practice legally. Proposed licensing also would enhance public protection by restoring a requirement that new licensees pass a recognized national profession entrance examination as a demonstration of knowledge and readiness to practice. For massage therapists, licensing provides a legally recognized scope of practice and consistent fees, requirements, and ground rules that would level the playing field for all practitioners.
The CAMTC is Outdated and Unjustifiably Expensive
The Proposed Bill Protects the Interest of All Massage Therapy Constituencies
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Military Personnel & Spouse Recertification
If you or your spouse are active duty military personnel and your CAMTC Certification has expired, please read the document linked below, titled:
Thank you for choosing CAMTC Certification. As we work together to protect the public and elevate the profession, CAMTC will continue to operate and support our Certificate Holders.
All CAMTC Certificate Holders will need to click here to register the first time using the new website in order to complete an Online CAMTC Recertification Application.
Please note that some account information is currently under construction. All Certificate Holders will receive an email once they are able to to their dashboard and view their status. Please contact our customer service department with any questions about your login at or call 669-5336.
If you are already registered for this new site, and go to your dashboard. On your dashboard you will be able to view your certification information. You can also update your contact info and add work addresses within 30 days of changes, as required by the Massage Therapy Act. When it’s timely, you can easily login to your dashboard to simply apply for CAMTC Recertification online.
Simply login to your dashboard to apply for CAMTC Recertification online.
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File a Complaint
If CAMTC decides to investigate a complaint against a CAMTC massage professional or applicant, you must be willing to:
Massage Therapy Certification In California
California massage therapists are certified by the California Massage Therapy Council . Certification standards went up in 2015. There is now just one level of credentialing open to new providers, Certified Massage Therapist, or CMT. In order to achieve the credential, a massage therapist must complete an approved educational program, pass an examination, and have an acceptable criminal background check.
Some California massage therapists work under local licenses or permits. The CMT is not a state mandate. However, CAMTC notes that a professional who holds the credential is authorized to work anywhere in the state and will not need to meet additional requirements at the local level . A business license will be required in some cases a license to practice will not.
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Renew Your Board Certification
Thank you for your ongoing commitment and dedication to the massage therapy profession. Many fields throughout the medical and allied health professions recognize Board Certification and the effort it takes to achieve itmassage therapy is no different.
CE Broker is now the official CE tracking system for the NCBTMB. Claim your free Basic Account.
- for more information about CE Broker, .
- For instructions to claim your CE Broker account, .
- For instructions on how to add completed CE courses to your CE Broker account, .
To complete your Board Certification Renewal, please view the requirements below. When you are ready to begin the renewal process, login to your NCBTMB account on www.ncbtmb.org or simply click on the Renew Now button below.
Should you miss your renewal date for any reason, or need additional time to renew, please contact NCBTMB at 1-800-296-0664 or email to discuss your options.
Please Note: NCBTMB Approved Provider courses submitted for Board Renewal must be pre-approved. To check the approval status of an AP course for Board Renewal purposes, utilize the NCBTMB Directory and search for Approved Providers. If a course is approved, it will be listed within the app under the appropriate AP number/name. If the course is not listed, please contact us at or check with the AP for clarification prior to submitting the course for Board Renewal.
Employers And Massage Business Owners
*Legal Notice regarding FAQs: These FAQs are provided as a service to individuals and businesses interested in CAMTC certification. However, these FAQs are not intended as, nor a substitute for, legal advice. Individuals and businesses with questions regarding CAMTC’s enabling statutes, California Business and Professions Code sections 460, 4600 et. seq., Government Code section 51034, and/or the rules pertaining to various local jurisdictions should consult their own experienced legal counsel.
Check the website of your city or county and search for the municipal code for massage. You can also try searching www.courtsystem.org. Be aware that the jurisdiction is likely to have both a massage ordinance, regulating the business, and a zoning ordinance, regulating where the business can be located.
On January 1, 2017, this provision was moved from the Intent to the body of the law which makes it directive, and will limit local government to imposing and enforcing only reasonable and necessary fees and regulations on massage businesses and massage establishments.
You can read the complete State Law know as the Massage Therapy Act.
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Certification By California Massage Therapy Council Required
It is unlawful for any individual to practice massage therapy for compensation within the City unless that individual is a certified massage therapist as defined in Fremont Municipal Code. A certified massage therapist working in the city must:
- Work at a massage establishment permitted by the City
- Indicate on the registration form that he or she does outcall massage services
Health And Safety Requirements
The operator of a massage establishment and a registered massage therapist or practitioner shall conduct the massage establishment business in a safe and sanitary manner, and shall:
A. Comply with all applicable building, fire, safety, health, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, heating and ventilating, sanitation, and other laws applicable to the premises
B. Provide for the regular removal of garbage and refuse, and the safe storage or removal of flammable materials
C. Maintain all equipment used to perform massage services in a safe and sanitary condition, including the regular application of cleansers and bacterial cleaning agents
D. Launder all materials furnished for the personal use of the client, such as towels and linens, before each use
E. Maintain all bathroom and plumbing fixtures in a sanitary condition, provide hot and cold running water, and comply with sanitation requirements of the county health department
F. Provide a wash basin for therapists and employees, located within or as close as practicable to the area devoted to the massage therapy services. Each wash basin shall be equipped with hot and cold running water, soap in a dispenser and sanitary towels. In the case of a massage establishment located in a home, existence of a bathroom meeting this requirement is sufficient
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