You must make a written request, and pay a $20.00 fee to receive the emailed application instructions. Click on the Application Process link under the Therapist tab for more information on how to request an online application.

Once the application is deemed to be complete and all required documentation has been received from other parties, it will take approximately 1-2 weeks for the Board to issue a new license.

Please do not call the Board Office to inquire about the status of your application. You can check your application status anytime by going to the Application Process link located under the Therapist tab.

You will receive a certificate of licensure and wallet card to display in your place of practice, along with an orientation handbook to inform you of your responsibilities as a licensee.

No. Each applicant must request and pay for their own application. You can assist your colleagues by making them aware of the licensure process and encouraging them to send their own request for an application to the Board.

Yes, you can contact the Board office to resend the emailed instructions for the online application.

No. However, you may be eligible for Licensure by Endorsement.

The Board meets every other month in Raleigh. All meetings are open to the public. Click on Board Information and Board Meetings for a list of the upcoming meeting dates, as well as the Board agenda and past meeting minutes.

Licensure is a legal requirement in the State of North Carolina. Those who are practicing massage and bodywork therapy without a license after January 1, 2001 will be in violation of G.S. 90-634 of the Practice Act, and may be subject to disciplinary action or prosecution.

Although you did not graduate from a NC board-Approved School, you may still qualify for a license. You must submit additional documentation which is listed in Licensure by Endorsement, for review on a case-by-case basis.

Pursuant to Rule Section .0203, the Board considers persons who are utilizing certain Therapeutic techniques may claim exemption from licensure if they meet the following criteria: 1) such persons are practicing techniques that are defined by national organizations that meet the criteria for exemption set forth in either G.S. 90-624 (6) or (7); or 2) such persons are practicing techniques that do not involve any contact with the body of the client; or 3) such persons are practicing techniques that involves resting the hands on the surface of the clients body without delivering pressure to or manipulation of the soft tissues. Services such as herbal body wraps, skin exfoliation treatments or the topical application of products to the skin for beautification purposes are not considered to be the practice of massage and bodywork therapy, as long as such services do not involve direct manipulation of the soft tissues of the body. Anyone who is utilizing exempt techniques or treatments along with the practice of massage or bodywork therapy is not considered exempt and will be required to be licensed.

No. It is not required by the Practice Act. It is a business decision left up to each licensee.

The expiration date of your license is listed on your certificate of licensure. Although your license will expire on December 31 of a given year, you must send your renewal application to the Board office by November 1 of that same given year.

The application process is dictated by the requirements for licensure specified in G.S. 90-629 of the Practice Act, and accompanying Rules. Because the Board has a legal mandate to protect the public, applicants for licensure must demonstrate that they meet all requirements.

Licensees will have to submit a renewal form, pay a $100 renewal fee, and submit documentation of required continuing education. Once you are licensed, you will receive information from the Board on the guidelines for approved continuing education courses and providers.

The Practice Act does not require insurance companies or other managed care organizations to provide coverage for massage and bodywork therapy services. That is left up to each company or organization to determine.

No, as long as their work is limited solely to animals. The legal definition of massage and bodywork therapy in the Practice Act refers to systems of activity applied to the human body for therapeutic, educational or relaxation purposes.

No. The Board will not regulate the practice of that modality. The legal definition of massage and bodywork therapy in the Practice Act refers to: complementary methods, including the external application of water, heat, cold, lubricants, and other topical preparations. You may review the document List of modalities requiring a licensure in North Carolina located in the Document Center for a list of modalities that the Board has determined is within the scope of practice of a licensed massage and bodywork therapist.

The Board does not currently publish a directory.

Mailing lists are currently available in electronic form only. More information and a mailing list request form can be obtained on the Mailing Lists page under the Consumer tab.

This is a "self-funded" regulatory program. All costs involved with operating the Board Office, paying professional staff, and carrying out the licensure program must come from fees collected for this purpose. No State, County or Municipal money may be provided to support this program.

Complaints about licensees, approved schools, or persons practicing massage and bodywork therapy without a license must be submitted in writing to the Board Office, and must include the name, address and phone number of the person submitting the grievance. These reports will be investigated by the Board pursuant to a formal disciplinary procedure established to address violations of the Laws and Rules. Click the link for Complaintsfor more details.

Once you become a licensee, it is your ethical responsibility to assist the Board in policing the profession to assure quality services and care to the public. If you have knowledge of or observe a possible infraction of the Laws and Rules, you should report it to the Board.

There are seven members on the Board, five therapist members, one public member and one physician. The General Assembly appoints four of the therapist members; the Governor appoints one therapist member, the public member and the physician. Board members serve three-year terms, and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. There is a Board Member Code of Conduct which serves as a guide for the proper discharge of duties. Click the link for Board Information for more details.

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All inquiries should be directed to the Board Office, rather than to individual Board members. The office is located in Suite 1910 of the Wells Fargo Building, at 150 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh NC 27601. The phone number is 919-546-0050; the e-mail address is admin@bmbt.org, and the Board's mailing address is: Post Office Box 2539, Raleigh NC 27602.

The hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm. Elizabeth Kirk is the Administrative Director, Julia Arnette is the Assistant Administrative Director and Charles P. Wilkins and Benjamin E. Thompson are the Legal Counsel to the Board.

As specified in Rule .0404, there are three basic elements which you are required to include in all advertising and promotion of your professional services:

1. Your First and Last Name;

(You may use a nickname or initials for your first name, as long as the last name is consistent with your license.)

2. Your Professional designation;

Using either the initials LMBT, or the full version - Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist;

3. Your North Carolina License Number; Use one of the below formats.

Allan R. Campbell

Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (NC #395)

or

Diane Martinez, LMBT

NC License #2810

About Trade Names or Assumed Names:

If you are using any other name to promote your professional services other than the name on your license, you are using what is known as a TRADE NAME. Examples of this would be Midtown Massage Therapy Center, or Bobs Bodywork Studio. North Carolina General Statute 66-68 requires you to register all assumed names with the Register of Deeds in the county in which you are doing business. You are also required by Rule .0402 to send the Board a photocopy of all assumed name certificates you have filed with the Register of Deeds.

A Business Advertising on Your Behalf; Group Advertising:

A business which employs or contracts with a licensee may advertise massage and bodywork therapy services on their behalf - as long as the above requirements are met. That means the full name, North Carolina license number, and professional designation for all licensees working in such a facility MUST appear in all advertisements and promotional materials.

As an Alternative, the business may use the exact phrase: Services provided by North Carolina Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapists if the names and license numbers of each practitioner are not included. Group advertisements or promotional materials which include the services of more than one licensee may also use this alternative phrase.

Additional Notes:

You are allowed to identify and promote areas of clinical speciality in your practice, but this must be in addition to your primary identification as an LMBT.

You may not use any other letters or abbreviations after your name when promoting yourself as a licensee, except those credentials granted by: 1) accredited academic degree programs, 2) other occupational licensing boards, or 3)the National Certification Board.

Consistent with Rule .0502, you may offer and promote only those services your are qualified to perform. You are responsible for ensuring that you have achieved a professional level of knowledge and skill in every area of practice which you promote to the public. You must be able to provide documentation of professional training for any speciality or service offered.

The abbreviation LMBT can be used with or without periods, at your discretion. Extra zeros in front of your North Carolina license number are not necessary. Use #693, rather than #00693.

No, the Board received official notification from the NC Department of Revenue (NCDOR) that the privilege license tax will no longer be required beginning July 1, 2024. LMBTs are no longer required to apply to the Secretary for a privilege license, or renew an existing privilege license. The last license period will be for the fiscal year, July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. If you have questions regarding this change, please contact the NCDOR at ncdor.gov.