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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 191
Chapter 191
(Senate Bill 419)
AN ACT concerning
Health Occupations – State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners – Revisions
FOR the purpose of authorizing an individual registered by the State Board of Massage
Therapy Examiners to practice massage therapy in the State to continue to practice
massage therapy beyond a certain date; altering the requirements an individual
must meet to qualify for a license to practice massage therapy; repealing obsolete
qualifications for registered massage practitioners; repealing the requirement that
the imposition of a certain administrative penalty be subject to certain hearing
requirements; altering certain reinstatement and reactivation requirements; and
generally relating to massage therapists.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Health Occupations
Section 6–301(a), 6–302, 6–305(d), 6–306, and 6–306.2
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Health Occupations
6–301.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, before an individual may practice
massage therapy in the State, the individual shall be:
(1) [On or before October 31, 2026:
(i)] Licensed by the Board; or
[(ii)] (2) Registered by the Board to practice massage therapy in a
setting that is not a health care setting[; or
(2) On or after November 1, 2026, licensed by the Board].
6–302.
(a) In this section, “contact hour” means 50 minutes of actual instructional time
per each 60–minute hour.
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Ch. 191 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(b) To qualify for a license, an applicant shall be an individual who:
(1) Is of good moral character;
(2) Is at least 18 years old;
(3) [Has] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION,
HAS graduated from an institution of postsecondary education, as defined in § 10–101 of
the Education Article and approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, with
at least 750 contact hours of education in a curriculum:
(i) Approved by the Board;
(ii) Endorsed by:
1. The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation; or
2. An equivalent entity that accredits both institutions of
higher education and programs offering instruction in massage therapy; and
(iii) Accredited by an institutional accreditation agency recognized by
[the]:
1. THE United States Department of Education; OR
2. ANOTHER ENTITY THAT ACCREDITS PROGRAMS
OFFERING INSTRUCTION IN MASSAGE THERAPY;
(4) [Has] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION,
HAS completed 750 contact hours of education in a Board–approved program for the study
of massage therapy that includes the following areas of content:
(i) Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology;
(ii) Massage therapy theory;
(iii) Contraindications and pathology;
(iv) Professional ethics;
(v) Health and hygiene;
(vi) Research;
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 191
(vii) Supervised hands–on techniques; and
(viii) Clinical assessment and documentation;
(5) Has passed an examination approved by the Board; and
(6) Submits to a criminal history records check in accordance with § 6–303
of this subtitle.
[(c) On or before September 30, 2024, to qualify to be registered, an applicant shall
be an individual who:
(1) Is of good moral character;
(2) Is at least 18 years old;
(3) Has graduated from a program for the study of massage therapy with
a curriculum:
(i) Approved by the Board;
(ii) Endorsed by:
1. The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation; or
2. An equivalent entity that is an accrediting agency or
organization that accredits both institutions of higher education and programs offering
instruction in massage therapy;
(iii) Accredited by an institutional accreditation agency recognized by
the United States Department of Education; and
(iv) That requires at least 600 contact hours of classroom instruction
that includes the following areas of content:
1. Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology;
2. Massage therapy theory;
3. Contraindications and pathology;
4. Professional ethics;
5. Health and hygiene;
6. Research;
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Ch. 191 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
7. Supervised hands–on techniques; and
8. Clinical assessment and documentation;
(4) Has passed an examination approved by the Board; and
(5) Submits to a criminal history records check in accordance with § 6–303
of this subtitle.]
(C) (1) AN APPLICANT WHO HAS GRADUATED FROM AN OUT–OF–STATE
PROGRAM FOR THE STUDY OF MASSAGE THERAPY SHALL HAVE GRADUATED FROM A
PROGRAM FOR THE STUDY OF MASSAGE THERAPY THAT:
(I) HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE’S HIGHER EDUCATION
COMMISSION OR SIMILAR ENTITY THAT REGULATES INSTITUTIONS OF
POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION;
(II) HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY:
1. THE COMMISSION ON MASSAGE THERAPY
ACCREDITATION; OR
2. AN EQUIVALENT ENTITY THAT IS AN ACCREDITING
AGENCY OR ORGANIZATION THAT ACCREDITS BOTH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS OFFERING INSTRUCTION IN MASSAGE THERAPY;
(III) IS ACCREDITED BY AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION
AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY:
1. THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION;
OR
2. ANOTHER ENTITY THAT ACCREDITS PROGRAMS
OFFERING INSTRUCTION IN MASSAGE THERAPY; AND
(IV) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION,
REQUIRES AT LEAST 750 CONTACT HOURS THAT INCLUDES THE AREAS OF CONTENT
REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(4) OF THIS SECTION.
(2) AN APPLICANT WHO HAS GRADUATED FROM AN OUT–OF–STATE
PROGRAM FOR THE STUDY OF MASSAGE THERAPY THAT DOES NOT MEET THE
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 191
CONTACT HOUR REQUIREMENT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION MAY SUPPLEMENT THE
REQUIRED HOURS WITH:
(I) CONTACT HOURS FROM A BOARD–APPROVED PROGRAM OF
STUDY OF MASSAGE THERAPY, ON A 1–HOUR TO 1–HOUR BASIS;
(II) BOARD–APPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS, ON A
1–HOUR TO 1–HOUR BASIS; OR
(III) DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF HAVING COMPLETED AT LEAST
1,000 LICENSED, OUT–OF–STATE HOURS OF HANDS–ON MASSAGE THERAPY
EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING 2 YEARS.
(d) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Board may waive any
requirement of this subtitle for an applicant who is licensed, certified, or registered to
practice massage therapy in another state.
(2) The Board may grant a waiver under paragraph (1) of this subsection
only if the applicant:
(i) Pays the application fee set by the Board; and
(ii) Provides adequate evidence that the applicant:
1. Has completed educational requirements that the Board
determines to be equivalent to the Board–approved educational requirements in this State;
2. At the time the applicant became licensed, certified, or
registered in the other state, passed in that state or any other state an examination that
the Board determines to be equivalent to the examination required in this State; and
3. Is of good moral character.
(e) On or after October 1, 2024, the Board may not issue an initial registration to
practice as a registered massage practitioner.
(f) [On or before October 31, 2026, the] THE Board shall convert the registration
of an individual registered by the Board as a registered massage practitioner to a license
to practice massage therapy if the individual complies with regulations adopted by the
Board.
6–305.
(d) (1) Each licensed massage therapist or registered massage practitioner
shall notify the Board in writing of any change in the name or address of the licensed
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Ch. 191 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
massage therapist or registered massage practitioner within 60 days after the change
occurred.
(2) [Subject to the hearing provisions of § 6–309 of this subtitle, if] IF a
licensed massage therapist or registered massage practitioner fails to notify the Board
within the time required under this subsection, the Board may impose an administrative
penalty of $100.
6–306.
(a) If a licensed massage therapist or registered massage practitioner fails for any
reason to renew a license or registration, the Board shall reinstate the license or
registration if the former licensed massage therapist or former registered massage
practitioner:
(1) Applies to the Board for reinstatement of the license or registration
within 5 years after the license or registration expires;
(2) Meets the renewal requirements of § 6–305 of this subtitle;
(3) Submits to the Board satisfactory evidence of having completed a State
and national criminal history records check in accordance with § 6–303 of this subtitle; and
(4) Pays to the Board the reinstatement fee set by the Board.
(b) (1) [The] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OR (3) OF THIS
SUBSECTION, THE Board may not reinstate the license of a former licensed massage
therapist or registration of a former registered massage practitioner who fails to apply for
reinstatement of the license or registration within 5 years after the license or registration
expires.
(2) [If the Board does not reinstate a license or registration under
paragraph (1) of this subsection, a] A former licensed massage therapist [or former
registered massage practitioner] may apply for a new license [or registration] by meeting
the licensing [or registration] requirements in effect at the time of application for obtaining
a new license [or registration] under this title and any additional requirements determined
by the Board.
(3) A FORMER REGISTERED MASSAGE PRACTITIONER WHO FAILS TO
APPLY FOR REINSTATEMENT OF THE REGISTRATION WITHIN 5 YEARS AFTER THE
REGISTRATION EXPIRES MAY BE REINSTATED ONLY BY MEETING THE LICENSING
REQUIREMENTS IN EFFECT FOR OBTAINING A NEW LICENSE UNDER THIS TITLE AND
ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.
6–306.2.
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 191
(a) The Board shall place a licensed massage therapist or registered massage
practitioner on inactive status if the licensee or registration holder submits to the Board:
(1) An application for inactive status on the form required by the Board;
and
(2) The inactive status fee set by the Board.
(b) A licensed massage therapist or a registered massage practitioner on inactive
status may reactivate the license or registration if the licensee or registration holder:
(1) Complies with the continuing education and CPR requirements that
are:
(i) Established in regulations adopted by the Board; and
(ii) In effect for the current license or registration renewal period in
which the licensee or registration holder seeks to reactivate the license or registration;
[and]
(2) SUBMITS TO THE BOARD SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE OF HAVING
COMPLETED A STATE AND NATIONAL CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS CHECK IN
ACCORDANCE WITH § 6–303 OF THIS SUBTITLE; AND
[(2)] (3) Pays the reactivation fee set by the Board.
(C) A REGISTERED MASSAGE PRACTITIONER ON INACTIVE STATUS WHO
FAILS TO REACTIVATE A REGISTRATION WITHIN 5 YEARS OF FIRST BEING PLACED
ON INACTIVE STATUS MAY REACTIVATE THE REGISTRATION ONLY BY MEETING THE
LICENSING REQUIREMENTS IN EFFECT FOR OBTAINING A NEW LICENSE UNDER THIS
TITLE AND ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.
–7–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.