Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in Missouri – Schools, Salary, and License Info

Massage therapists in Missouri must follow the rules set by the Board of Therapeutic Massage.

To get licensed, these professionals must first complete their education and pass the exam.

The license in Missouri has several levels, with the lowest one being “student.”

Students can perform therapeutic massage on the public.

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Required Education

The state code required future massage therapists to complete an educational program of at least 500 hours, either at a specialized school or as part of an apprenticeship.

The school may be authorized by:

• *the Coordinating Board of Higher Education (CBHE)
• the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
• a regional accrediting agency
• an agency from a different state

The programs must include:

• 300 hours-theory and practice of massage therapy
• 100 hours -anatomy and physiology
• 50 hours -business practice, hygiene, ethics, and Missouri massage law
• 50 hours – ancillary therapies, including CPR training

Mentoring programs have different standards.

The Exam

There are several Board-approved  exams:

• The Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), offered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
• The National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)
• The National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB)
• The Asian Bodywork Therapy (ABT) Examination
• The American Medical Massage Association National Board Certification Examination (AMMA NBCE)

Some of these exams are no longer offered, and the agencies offering them can supply more information, as the MBLEx is the one most accepted across the country.

The state code may accept other appropriate tests.

Those interested in taking the exam can be issued provisional licenses if they scheduled the exam through Pearson Vue, but have yet to take it.

That being said, applications for the MBLEx are approved within a week and the candidates receive an ATT.

Candidates who have to take the exam have to pay the $195 testing fee.

The results are sent to the licensing agency mentioned in the application form.

Special Requirements

Future massage therapists have to prove they have a clean criminal background, by submitting their fingerprints to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.

Fingerprints can be collected electronically as well, at UPS stores.

This step has to be completed before applying, and the vendor is Cogent 3M.

The background check costs $44.80 and a recent photo is also needed.

Results are sent directly to the agency issuing the license, but applicants have to keep their receipts to attach to the application.

Liability insurance is another request for candidates.

Application

Candidates can find application forms on the Missouri Division of Professional Registration website.

You should know that not everyone applies at the same stage, but they will also find all the materials for the student, provisional and permanent levels.

The last 2 stages require official copies of school transcripts.

If these are not available, the mentor can fill out a part of the application.

Those with some criminal history will need to provide explanations.

License verification will be needed by those who held certification in other states or countries.

The status of the application can be seen online.

Other Information

The license for massage therapists in Missouri has to be renewed every 2 years, like in most other states.

Other information and updates can be found on the Board’s website.

How much you’ll earn once you get hired will depend on your expertise, experience, and certifications.

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