§ 63-18-105 — License requirements - Issuance

(a) The board shall establish procedures and criteria for the issuance of licenses to persons and establishments engaged in massage for compensation. (b) No person or establishment shall be issued a license until the applicant and each person engaged in massage at such massage establishment has provided evidence satisfactory to the board that: (1) The applicant is eighteen (18) years of age or older; (2) The applicant has not been convicted of the offense of prostitution or sexual misconduct; (3) The applicant has: (A) Successfully completed the curriculum or curricula of one (1) or more post-secondary academic institutions for massage, bodywork or somatic therapy as defined by board regulations, totaling six hundred fifty (650) hours or more, such institutions being approved by the board pursuant to § 63-18-115 , and either authorized by the Tennessee higher education commission, or its equivalent in other states, or approved, or under the governance of, the Tennessee board of regents; (B) Received a passing score on a competency examination approved by the board; (C) (i) Any person who has completed a program of study as required by subdivision (b)(3)(A) in a post-secondary academic institution located in Tennessee and receives a diploma or certificate prior to September 1, 2005, shall be issued a license without completing the examination requirement of this section; (ii) Any person who meets the requirements of subdivision (b)(3)(C)(i) shall have until January 1, 2006, to apply for such a license; (iii) Persons licensed under this subdivision (b)(3)(C) shall not be considered to have national certification and shall not hold themselves out to be nationally certified; and (4) All required fees have been paid. (c) Notwithstanding the requirements of this part, no establishment license is required for the office of a physician licensed under chapter 4, 6, or 9 of this title if a massage for compensation is provided within that office by a licensed massage therapist.

Legislative History

Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 718,s 1, eff. 4/16/2024. Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 357, s 1, eff. 5/10/2019. Acts 1995, ch. 480, § 6; 1996, ch. 1059, §2; 1997 , ch. 51, §1; 1997 , ch. 475, §§1, 2; 2001, ch. 251, §1; 2003 , ch. 137, § 1; T.C.A. § 63-18-205; Acts 2004, ch. 729, § 3; 2005, ch. 232, §§1, 4; 2006, ch. 737, § 1.