08/23/2022
At the July 21, 2022, board meeting, the Indiana State Board of Massage Therapy (Board) made a decision regarding continuing education (CE). All Indiana licensed massage therapists will be required to complete 18 hours of CE before the May 15, 2025, renewal. This requirement applies to all certified massage therapists who rolled over into licensure in summer 2022 and those who obtain their licenses through the legacy pathway by January 2023. Going forward, licensees will be required to complete a total of 24 hours of CE within each four-year renewal cycle.
Continuing Education Requirements
Depending on when you receive your license, you may have different CE requirements for the 2025 renewal (IC 25-21.8-6-2(2)). If you’ve had your license for:
- 12 months or less: No continuing education will be required
(licenses obtained after May 15, 2024)
- 13–24 months: 12 hours of continuing education will be required
(licenses obtained between May 15, 2023, and May 14, 2024)
- 25–36 months: 18 hours of continuing education will be required
(licenses obtained between July 13, 2022, and May 15, 2023)
Indiana licensure rules define approved continuing education subjects (which must include two hours in ethics) that satisfy CE requirements. CE activities must be at least one hour in length and relevant to the practice of massage therapy. CE activites can be formally organized courses, workshops, seminars, symposia, home study correspondence course programs, or distance learning, such as online video instructional programs and webinars. CE credits are only valid for those that are completed in the renewal cycle and cannot be carried forward into the next cycle.
Approved Continuing Education Subjects
Continuing education hours may be from the following topics:
- Massage and bodywork techniques
- Use of thermal modalities, topical preparations, and mechanical assistive devices/appliances
- Stretching and gymnastics that lengthen and shorten soft tissues
- Posture and movement assessment
- Anatomy and physiology of the human body
- Kinesiology of the human body
- Pathology of the human body
- Cultural competency
- Body mechanics
- Somatic education
- CPR/first aid
- Sanitation, communicable disease control, and universal and standard precaution
- Medication
- Research in the field of the massage therapy profession
- Professional ethics, boundaries, safety, or communication
- Indiana state law and rules as it pertains to the massage therapy profession
- Management, administration, or supervision of a business practice that relates to
- The operation of a massage therapy business
- Does not include instruction on computer skills
- Is limited to three hours per quadrennium
- Any other subject approved by the Board
The Board may approve continuing education activities if it is determined the activity:
- Contributes directly to professional education
- Relates directly to the practice, management, or education of massage therapy practitioners
- Is conducted by individuals who have demonstrated expertise in the subject matter of the program
Credit Conversion
The following conversion will be used for continuing education credit:
- One semester hour equals 15 continuing education hours.
- One quarter hour equals 10 continuing education hours
- One trimester hour equals 12.5 continuing education hours
Free CE at ABMP
Continuing education must include the following:
- Formally organized courses
- Workshops
- Seminars
- Symposia
- Home study correspondence course programs or online learning
Visit the ABMP Education Center, where ABMP members have access to over 300 hours of free CE. ABMP Certified members have access to an additional 400 hours of continuing education through the World Massage Conference library of courses. Let us help you learn and earn your CE!