| Massage therapy licensure in Ohio is governed by | | | | appropriate forms. You will be sent these forms |
| the State Medical Board. This is unique. Most | | | | for your fingerprints to be processed. See the |
| states, maybe none, have this kind of | | | | Medical Board web site for more complete |
| governance. If a person graduates from a | | | | information. |
| board-recognized massage therapy program in | | | | Step #3. Apply to take the State of Ohio Medical |
| Ohio, s/he would be eligible to "sit" for the | | | | Board Exam for Massage Therapy. Ohio students |
| licensure exam. There are also some schools | | | | will be given their applications from their school. |
| outside of Ohio that one could graduate from and | | | | Out-of-state applicants should email the Board to |
| be "permitted" to sit for Ohio's licensure exam. | | | | obtain the Request for Application form and |
| Beyond this, what would you have to "do" to | | | | Preliminary Education form OR get these forms |
| become an Ohio licensed massage therapist? | | | | from the Medical Board web site. All forms and |
| Follow these steps and you should be well on | | | | contact information can be obtained at: |
| your way to a legitimate massage therapy | | | | Step #4. Purchase study materials or attend a |
| practice. | | | | review class to prepare for the exam and what |
| Step #1. Graduate from a board-approved school | | | | you really need to know to pass it. The Massage |
| with a curriculum of at least 750 clock hours and | | | | Therapy Board exam is a two part exam. The |
| a minimum of a nine month course of instruction. | | | | first part of the exam is 110 multiple choice |
| For a list of these schools, go to the State of | | | | questions on basic science. The second part is the |
| Ohio Medical Board web site. | | | | limited branch portion of the exam. It is also 110 |
| Step #2. Get a criminal records check, a | | | | questions. A person must pass both parts of this |
| requirement for initial massage therapy licensure. | | | | exam to receive their license to practice massage |
| You will need both a Bureau of Criminal | | | | in Ohio. The exam is currently a paper-and-pencil |
| Identification and Investigation (BCII) and the | | | | exam administered twice per year, June and |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal | | | | December. Deadlines for the $250 exam fee and |
| records checks for initial licensure. The State | | | | application are February 1st for the June exam |
| Medical Board won't be able to complete your | | | | and August 1st for the December exam. |
| application to take the licensure exam prior to | | | | Taking this exam is usually a sizable undertaking |
| having this check completed. | | | | for most people. Because it is only offered twice |
| Find a vendor that participates in the "National | | | | per year, it makes it even more important to be |
| WebCheck (NWC)." Have the results sent directly | | | | successful. Knowing forms to complete, fees to |
| to the State Medical Board of Ohio and give the | | | | pay, deadlines to make, can make the process |
| reason for fingerprinting. If you are out-of-state, | | | | less stressful. |
| contact the Medical Board by email to request the | | | | |