May 11, 2016 Governor Mary Fallin signed into law Senate Bill 687 establishing a statewide regulatory system for the massage therapy practice. Bill 687 includes setting licensing qualifications, procedures for renewing a massage therapy license, regulating massage therapy schools in Oklahoma and sets standards for the massage therapy profession. The effective date of this act will be May 1, 2017.
The State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is the regulatory agency implementing and enforcing the Massage Therapy Practice Act. A license to practice massage therapy will be issued after a complete application is filed, the required fees are paid and the applicant has met the following requirements:
- Is at least 18 years of age
- Has one or more of the following:
- Proof that the applicant maintains liability insurance
- The applicant must provide full disclosure to the board of any criminal proceeding taken against the applicant. (ok.gov / cosmo / 2019 08 01 SB687 pdf)
There is a trend toward increased regulation nationwide. There has been more than one massage therapy bill introduced in Oklahoma in recent years. In 2013, two bills were introduced in the Oklahoma legislature: one that would have placed massage therapy under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Medical Licensure, another that would have placed it under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
Some Oklahoma municipalities do license massage therapists. Prospective massage therapists who live in other parts of the state can prepare themselves by meeting standards that are at least on a par with national standards. The path begins with education. Massage therapists also have the option of seeking national certification.
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