Ohio Massage Therapy Exam - Steps to Getting Licensed to Practice Massage

Massage therapy licensure in Ohio is governed by the State Medical Board. This is unique. Most states, maybe none, have this kind of governance. If a person graduates from a board-recognized massage therapy program in Ohio, s/he would be eligible to "sit" for the licensure exam. There are also some schools outside of Ohio that one could graduate from and be "permitted" to sit for Ohio's licensure exam.

Beyond this, what would you have to "do" to become an Ohio licensed massage therapist? Follow these steps and you should be well on your way to a legitimate massage therapy practice.

Step #1. Graduate from a board-approved school with a curriculum of at least 750 clock hours and a minimum of a nine month course of instruction. For a list of these schools, go to the State of Ohio Medical Board web site.

Step #2. Get a criminal records check, a requirement for initial massage therapy licensure. You will need both a Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal records checks for initial licensure. The State Medical Board won't be able to complete your application to take the licensure exam prior to having this check completed.

Find a vendor that participates in the "National WebCheck (NWC)." Have the results sent directly to the State Medical Board of Ohio and give the reason for fingerprinting. If you are out-of-state, contact the Medical Board by email to request the appropriate forms. You will be sent these forms for your fingerprints to be processed. See the Medical Board web site for more complete information.

Step #3. Apply to take the State of Ohio Medical Board Exam for Massage Therapy. Ohio students will be given their applications from their school. Out-of-state applicants should email the Board to obtain the Request for Application form and Preliminary Education form OR get these forms from the Medical Board web site. All forms and contact information can be obtained at:

http://med.ohio.gov/mt_about_massage_therapy.htm

Step #4. Purchase study materials or attend a review class to prepare for the exam and what you really need to know to pass it. The Massage Therapy Board exam is a two part exam. The first part of the exam is 110 multiple choice questions on basic science. The second part is the limited branch portion of the exam. It is also 110 questions. A person must pass both parts of this exam to receive their license to practice massage in Ohio. The exam is currently a paper-and-pencil exam administered twice per year, June and December. Deadlines for the $250 exam fee and application are February 1st for the June exam and August 1st for the December exam.

Taking this exam is usually a sizable undertaking for most people. Because it is only offered twice per year, it makes it even more important to be successful. Knowing forms to complete, fees to pay, deadlines to make, can make the process less stressful.