Applicants Licensed in Another Jurisdiction

If you are licensed in another state, country or territory based on specific education and examination requirements, and have practiced massage therapy in that state, country or territory for at least two years, you may be eligible for licensure by endorsement.

1. You may be eligible for licensure by endorsement if you:
   • Submit a completed application for licensure to New York State and the appropriate fee
   • Are at least 21 years of age
   • Present evidence of graduation from high school or its equivalent
   • Have not taken and failed the New York State Massage Therapy examination
   • Are a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States
   • Have been determined by the Department to be of good moral character
   • Are in good standing as a licensee in each state, country or territory in which you are licensed to practice massage therapy
   • Received a certificate for completing a course in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation within the three years prior to New York State licensure
      
2. In addition to meeting the requirements of Section A, you must satisfy the following requirements:

   If you have been licensed and practiced 2 - 4 years in another state, country or territory, you must:

   • Meet the New York State 1,000-hour education requirement for licensure
   • Provide evidence of at least two years of acceptable post-licensure professional experience* in massage therapy, including western and/or oriental massage therapy techniques, in the state, country, or territory where you were licensed
   • You must have passed a written examination for licensure in the state, country, or territory in which you are licensed to practice massage therapy, which is satisfactory to the State Board for Massage Therapy and acceptable to the department, based upon the determination that limitations in the examination's scope and content, as compared to the content of the New York State Massage Therapy Examination, were addressed by you through the professional experience in massage therapy which you gained in the state, country, or territory where you are licensed, following your licensure in that jurisdiction. This would be based upon a determination that the professional experience you had in massage therapy included but was not limited to western and/or oriental massage therapy techniques. For example, the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) along with professional experience in massage therapy may be used in making this determination.

   *One year of experience is defined as 52 weeks in which massage therapy is practiced an average of 12 hours each week.

   OR

   You must have passed a written examination for licensure in the state, country, or territory in which you are licensed to practice massage therapy, which is satisfactory to the State Board for Massage Therapy and acceptable to the department, based upon the determination that it is comparable in scope and content to the New York State Massage Therapy Examination.

If you have been licensed and practiced 5 or more years in another state, country or territory, you must:

• Have received a degree, diploma or certificate from an approved program of massage therapy of at least 500 clock hours
• Have completed a total of at least 800 clock hours of classroom instruction, including the classroom instruction completed in the massage therapy program from which you graduated, comprised of:
  • At least 300 clock hours of classroom instruction that includes study in each of the following subjects: anatomy, physiology, neurology, myology or kinesiology, pathology, hygiene, and first aid; and
  • At least 200 clock hours of classroom instruction that includes study in massage theory and technique, including at least 50 clock hours in oriental theory and technique and at least 50 clock hours in western theory and technique; and
  • Other classroom instruction, if needed to complete the 800-clock hour requirement, in subjects that are related to massage theory, technique and practice and satisfactory to the State Board for Massage Therapy and acceptable to the Department.
• Provide evidence of at least five years, within the 10 years immediately preceding your application for licensure, of acceptable post-licensure professional experience* in massage therapy, including western and/or oriental massage therapy techniques, in the state, country, or territory where you were licensed
• You must have passed a written examination for licensure in the state, country, or territory in which you are licensed to practice massage therapy, which is satisfactory to the State Board for Massage Therapy and acceptable to the department, based upon the determination that limitations in the examination's scope and content, as compared to the content of the New York State Massage Therapy Examination, were addressed by you through the professional experience in massage therapy which you gained in the state, country, or territory where you are licensed, following your licensure in that jurisdiction. This would be based upon a determination that the professional experience you had in massage therapy included but was not limited to western and/or oriental massage therapy techniques. For example, the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) along with professional experience in massage therapy may be used in making this determination.

  OR

  You must have passed a written examination for licensure in the state, country, or territory in which you are licensed to practice massage therapy, which is satisfactory to the State Board for Massage Therapy and acceptable to the department, based upon the determination that it is comparable in scope and content to the New York State Massage Therapy Examination.

If you need additional information to determine if you are eligible for licensure by endorsement, please contact the State Board for Massage Therapy at msthbd@nysed.gov, by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 150, by fax at 518-473-1951 or by writing to:

New York State Education Department
Office of the Professions
New York State Board for Massage Therapy
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234-1000