Maryland

In May, Governor Wes Moore signed into law two bills affecting massage therapy. House Bill 1497 allows instrument-assisted techniques, amends the license reinstatement process, and adds a new requirement for some licensure applicants. House Bill 1498 addresses unauthorized practice violations.

The Maryland Department of Health is accepting nominations for three positions on the Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners. ABMP has the opportunity to nominate three professional members and is now accepting applications from licensed massage therapists. Apply before March 20, 2023.

Maryland massage therapists must complete implicit bias training by October 31, 2022, to fulfill their continuing education requirements. View a list of approved training resources.

Senate Bill 37 alters the educational requirements for licensure or registration as a massage therapist, creating just one license: an LMT license that has an educational hour requirement of 750 hours.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that personal service establishments, including beauty salons, barbershops, massage therapy establishments, and establishments that provide esthetic services or nail technician services, may resume business operations as of 5:00 p.m. ET on June 5, 2020, per Executive Order 20-06-03-01.

In March we wrote to you regarding Senate Bill 554, which granted power to county-level government entities allowing them to create massage establishment licensure requirements.

Legislators in Maryland are considering Senate Bill 554 (SB554), which would grant more power to county-level government entities to allow them to create massage establishment licensure requirements. 

The State of Maryland is now accepting applications for a professional member seat on the Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners. This is a great opportunity to contribute to the development and vitality of our profession.  This is an unpaid, volunteer position, with a $150 stipend for each meeting plus travel expenses. The Board meets once per month in Baltimore, and members serve for four year terms. This Board position term would begin on July 1, 2019.

In order to qualify for a professional member massage therapist Board seat, you must be:

The Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners has announced that a Public Forum regarding the proposal for a "Massage Therapy Business Establishment Permit" law for the State of Maryland will be held on Monday, July 30, 2018. The purpose of the Public Forum is to share the Board's potential upcoming legislative efforts to require that Maryland massage therapy business establishment owners obtain a state permit in order to provide massage therapy services.

Until now, massage therapists in Maryland have been regulated by the Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy, which also regulates chiropractors. New legislation was enacted on May 28, 2016 separating the regulation of the two professions by creating a new Board of Massage Therapy Examiners, which will regulate only massage therapists, and a separate Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which will regulate only chiropractors.