When the Alaska State Legislature passed HB 328 in the fall of 2014 it adopted requirements for licensing both new and practicing massage therapists in Alaska, including education and exam requirements. The new law went into effect on July 1, 2015. Anyone who is not on the exemption list must be licensed before they practice massage in Alaska.

Please read this list to see whether your practice fully falls under one or more of these exemptions. Illegal activity in conjunction with the delivery of massage services remains a crime under Alaska law and will continue to be prosecuted. The exemption list can be found in the Board of Massage Therapists Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and Establishment Standards of Operation.

AS 08.61.080. Exceptions to application of chapter. This chapter does not apply to a
(1) person licensed in the state under a statute outside this chapter who performs massage therapy within the scope of practice for which the person's license was issued;
(2) person who, while acting in an official capacity as an employee of the United States government, performs massage therapy;
(3) person who is licensed, registered, or certified in another state, territory, the District of Columbia, or a foreign country while the person is temporarily
(A) practicing massage therapy in this state in connection with teaching a course related to massage therapy; or
(B) consulting with a person licensed under this chapter;
(4) student enrolled in an approved massage school or course of study who is completing a clinical requirement for graduation under the general supervision of a person licensed under this chapter if the student is clearly identified as a student while performing massage therapy services on members of the public and is not compensated for the massage therapy services;
(5) person only performing massage therapy on members of the person's family;
(6) person only performing techniques that do not involve contact with the body of another person;
(7) person only performing techniques that involve resting the hands on the surface of the body of another person without delivering pressure to or manipulating the person's soft tissues;
(8) person only performing services such as herbal body wraps, skin exfoliation treatments, or the topical application of products to the skin for beautification purposes when the services do not involve direct manipulation of the soft tissues of the body;
(9) person only performing massage therapy for the athletic department of an institution maintained by public funds of the state or a political subdivision of the state or only practicing massagetherapy for the athletic department of a school or college approved by the board using recognized national professional standards;
(10) person engaged only in the practice of structural integration for restoring postural balance and functional ease by integrating the body in gravity using a system of fascial manipulation andawareness who has graduated from a program or is a current member of an organization recognized by the International Association of Structural Integrators, including the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration;
(11) person using only light touch, words, and directed movement to deepen awareness of existing patterns of movement in the body as well as to suggest new possibilities of movement or to affect the energy systems;
(12) person performing only the traditional practices of Native American traditional healers;
(13) person practicing only the manipulation of the soft tissues of the hands, feet, or ears and not holding out to be a massage therapist.

A coalition of massage therapists formed in 2013 to assess whether Alaska should license massage therapists. This coalition included the American Massage Therapy Association-Alaska Chapter (AMTA-AK), the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), as well as chiropractors, Rolfers, reflexologists, physical therapists and many others. This coalition lobbied the Alaska State Legislature for licensure and state licensing legislation was passed in 2014. For more information about AMTA-AK or ABMP and why licensing has been a priority for these massage industry associations, please visit their websites.

It is not a requirement that massage therapists carry liability insurance. However, the Board of Massage Therapists strongly recommends you do carry insurance to protect your clients, yourself, and your business.

Applications can be found on the Board of Massage Therapists Website.

1. Credentials

• You must have a current (active), unrestricted license in good standing in another state or country that allows you to practice massage therapy.
• The state or country that you are licensed in must have licensing requirements that are substantially equal to or greater than Alaska.

OR

2. Examination:

• You completed a course of study of at least 625* hours of in-class supervised instruction and clinical work from a board approved massage school or board approved apprenticeship program**.
• You have passed a national competency exam (NCBTMB or MBLEx).
• Complete at least 2 hours of bloodborne pathogens/universal precautions safety training in the 2 years preceding your application date.

AND

• Submit a FD-258 fingerprint card and pass a state and national criminal history record check
• Have a current CPR certification
• Submit the application and fees



*Anyone completing less than 625 hours may still apply but should be aware that the board will assign remedial hours that must be completed in a in class supervised program that is state approved or nationally accredited before a license will be issued. You may not take continuing education coursed to satisfy this deficit.

** At this time the board has not yet approved an apprenticeship program. Applicants who would like to apply by apprenticeship should submit program information for approval on a case-by-case basis.

The board must receive official transcripts directly from the institution or agency when applying for licensure. If your school has closed, normally state agencies assume responsibility for those transcripts. Please contact the state licensing agency for more information on where they house those transcripts.
In Alaska, the Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education houses transcripts for closed schools. Please use their Trascript Request Form.

No.
The deadline to apply by Transition ended on July 1, 2017 (12 AAC 79.120).

Please plan to wait 3 months for your application to be processed!!*. Applications have many contributors besides the person submitting it. In addition to the portion you submit, the licensing examiner must also receive your transcript and exam scores (if applying by Examination) OR your completed license verification (if applying by Credentials) directly from the institution or organization. These items cannot be accepted from the applicant. Also, your fingerprints must be sent out to the Department of Public Safety to generate your state and federal background reports. Your background reports can take an average of 3 months to be processed so it is recommended you submit your fingerprint card and the $60.00 processing fee 30 days prior to your application submission so your application process will not be held up waiting to receive your background reports.

Here is an idea of what this process looks like:

1. You mail in your application:
   Alaska is BIG and Juneau can be far away from where you are mailing your application from. It could take 5-7 business days for your application to arrive at the State Office Building.
2. Your application arrives at the State Office Building:
   The Licensing Examiner does not personally check the incoming mail or fax machine. All incoming mail goes to a mail room that sorts correspondence for the entire state! It can take up to 10 business days for mail to be sorted and sent to the correct department.
3. Your application is delivered to the correct department:
   All applications are processed in the order they are received. Licensing Examiners strive to do your initial application review within 10 business days. When your application has been reviewed, you will be sent an initial status update to your preferred method of contact that was indicated on your application. This status update will confirm that your application has been received and what documentation is needed for your file to be complete.
4. Your file is complete:
   Once all your documents have been received (including your state and federal background reports from the Department of Public Safety), the Licensing Examiner will do a last review to make sure your file is complete. When this is verified, your application file will be sent to the Board of Massage Therapists for review and vote.
5. Your file is sent to the board for review:
   The Board of Massage Therapists reviews applications twice a month. Please allow them 10 business days to render their votes.
6. The board votes on your application:There are four possible outcomes to this process:
1. Your license is approved! You will receive a status update letting you know the good news and that your license is active as of that day. A hard copy will be mailed to your address within 5 business days.
2. Your license is approved pending… This means the board needs to see additional information in order to make a decision. You will be notified of this outcome by your preferred method of contact. Once you have submitted the requested information, the board will reconsider your application.
3. Your application is “tabled”… This means that the board could not reach a majority vote. Your application review will be put on hold until the next scheduled board meeting. You will be notified of this outcome by your preferred method of contact.
4. Your license is denied. The board decided by a majority vote to deny your license in compliance with a statute from AS 08. You will be given the option to appeal if you choose. You will be notified of this outcome by certified mail.

*If your file needs to be sent to Investigations for further review this time estimate is not applicable. Files sent to Investigations will be put on hold until clearance is has been received. You will be notified by your preferred method of contact by the Licensing Examiner if this happens and you will be contacted by the board’s investigator for follow-up.

The Board of Massage Therapists has not approved specific schools.

AS 08.61.100 defines “approved massage school” as a massage therapy school or program that has:

• an authorization to operate from the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education or a similar entity in another state or
• is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

For an updated list of approved schools in Alaska and online, please contact the licensing examiner.

On June 15, 2015, The Board of Massage Therapists approved the following exams:

• Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (MBLEX) is the only exam currently administered.
• National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB/NCETM) if completed prior to February 1, 2015.

In the meeting on March 8-9, 2018, the Board of Massage Therapists drafted regulations to define what massage curriculum should consist of to be considered for licensure in Alaska. This would allow someone who has deficiencies in education be allowed to complete the rest of their hours (with board approval) to be considered for licensure.

This curriculum breakdown can be found in the 'Important Information' box on the Board of Massage Therapy Webpage.

Or in Statutes and Regulations under 12 AAC 79.140

If you would like to be kept up to date on this regulations project, send your name, email or mailing address, and occupational area of interest to:RegulationsAndPublicComment@Alaska.Gov

$200 application fee:
Used directly to process your applications. Applications and supporting documents will not be reviewed without it. Is non-refundable once an initial status update has been sent.

$290 licensing fee:
Used directly to issue your license. A license cannot be issued until it is received. In most cases, the licensing fee can be requested to be refunded as long as a license has not been issued.

$60 fingerprint processing fee:
Used directly for the processing of your fingerprint card to generate background check reports. Is non-refundable once your fingerprints have been mailed to the Department of Public Safety.

Some additional information about what your fees are used for are:

• The Division must create, publish, and manage licensing application forms and fees, which entail adherence to the state’s recordkeeping, security, payment, and refund policies and procedures.
• Requirement of licensees to meet professional fitness standards, which are evaluated by the license examiner and referred to the agency’s investigative unit, if necessary for further review.
• Enforcement of disciplinary sanctions available to the agency if a licensee violates the state licensing statutes or regulations or individual practices athletic training without a license. Because state law requires all costs of a licensing program to be borne by the licensees of that program (AS 08.01.065), any investigative, attorney, or appeal expenses of the state will be recovered in the licensing fee.
• AS 08.61 defers to the board to adopt necessary regulations for management of the licensing program. This requires board and investigator travel, legal support, and other resources the board and division need to comply with the expectations of law. The Alaska Administrative Code prescribes the requirements for public notice and adoption of agency regulations—the cost of which is borne by the licensing program.
• The law required fingerprinting upon initial licensure, as well as upon renewal of licensure every 6 years (as of 7/1/2019). The Department of Public Safety sets fees and processes fingerprints to obtain a report of criminal justice information under AS 12.62 and a national criminal history record check under AS 12.62.400. This process is more comprehensive than a state background check, so it requires additional cost and time. The FBI does not permit reuse of fingerprints or the resulting background checks.

For more information about the Massage Therapists Board financial breakdown, please review the Board of Massage Therapists Annual Report.

No.
No one may practice as a massage therapist without a current/unrestricted license issued by the State of Alaska.

No.
No one may practice as a massage therapist without a current/unrestricted license issued by the State of Alaska.

All massage therapy licenses expire on September 30 of odd number years. It is not determined by when you were issued your license.

Renewal Application can be found on the Board of Massage Therapists Applications and Forms Webpage.

To renew your license:

• Fill out the current renewal application and pay the licensing fee (if your license was issued on or before September 30th of even numbered years you will pay $290. If your license was issued on or after October 1st of even numbered years then your fee is $145).
• Attest on your application that you have a current CPR Certificate.
• Attest on your application that you have completed the required amount of continuing education for the previous licensing period - 16 continuing education credits.
• Submit a set of fingerprints if indicated on the application (DPS is not allowed to keep your fingerprints on file, therefore a new set is required at chosen renewal) with the $60.00 processing fee

License renewal for the 2019-2021 licensing period will include:

• 2 of the 16 continuing education hours to be in Ethics
• Fingerprint Card submission with a $60.00 fingerprint processing fee

If you did not renew your license by September 30, 2019 your license is currently lapsed. This means you are not legally allowed to work as a massage therapist in Alaska unless you get it reinstated. If it has not been more than 3 years since your license has lapsed, you may still renew/reinstate your license.

To reinstate your license:

• Fill out the renewal application and pay the licensing fee (if your license was issued on or before September 30th of even numbered years you will pay $290. If your license was issued on or after October 1st of even numbered years then your fee is $145).
• Submit proof that you have a current CPR certificate.
• Submit proof that you have completed your 16 hours of continuing education between the dates of October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019 from a board approved school or program, board approved and accredited institution of higher education, or professional organization that serves the massage profession (12 AAC 79.210).
• Submit a set of fingerprints if indicated on the application (DPS is not allowed to keep your fingerprints on file, therefore a new set is required at each renewal) with the $60.00 processing fee.

Continuing Education (2017-2019):
Massage Therapists licenses lapsed September 30, 2019.

• All licensed massage therapists must have completed 16 hours* of continuing education for the 2017-2019 licensing period between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019.
• All continuing education must have been completed prior to the submission of renewal application.
• The “Unacceptable Continuing Education List” is available on the Board of Massage Therapists Website.
• Continuing education must have been completed through a:
• Regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education…approved by the board as directly related to the skills and knowledge required for the practice of massage therapy (and includes a bloodborne pathogens/universal precautions course)
• Local, state, or national professional organization that serves the massage therapy profession such as ABMP, AMTA, FSMTB, NCBTMB)
• CE Certificates must have:
• Name of the licensee
• Amount of continuing education credit awarded
• Description of the continuing education
• Dates of actual participation or successful completion
• Name, mailing address, and signature of the instructor, sponsor, or other verifier.
• There will be a random audit of licensees after the renewal period has ended on September 30, 2019. If the continuing education requirement has not been met, the board could impose disciplinary sanctions such as remedial classes, fines, consent agreements and letters of disciplinary action.
• Records must be kept for 4 years from the date hours were obtained.

*According to 12 AAC 79.210(h), applicants for renewal who have been licensed less than 12 months are not required to submit proof of continuing education.

*Continuing education used to satisfy a consent agreement stemming from an audit or renewal will not count towards the 2017-2019 licensing period requirement*
After all the documents and fees have been received, your reinstatement application will go to the board for review. The board reviews applications twice a month. Please allow them 10 business days to render a decision.

Alaska Statute 08.61.030(5) which pertains to the qualification for licensure and AS 08.61.050(5) that pertains to renewals both state that the applicant must be fingerprinted to qualify for initial licenses and renewals. The reason for this is, in order to protect public safety, the board must review the most up to date criminal background report for individuals. Although you can obtain a copy of your background reports for a nominal fee, those reports are not current. Background reports can only be generated by a fingerprint card which is why they are required by law.

Continuing Education (2019-2021):

• All continuing education must be completed prior to the submission of renewal application.
• All licensed massage therapists must complete 16 hours* of continuing education for the 2019-2021 licensing period between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021. 2 of the 16 hours must be in Ethics.
• Please review the “Unacceptable Continuing Education List” available on the Board of Massage Therapists Website prior to taking courses.
• Continuing education must be completed through a:
• Regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education…approved by the board as directly related to the skills and knowledge required for the practice of massage therapy (and includes a bloodborne pathogens/universal precautions course).
• Local, state, or national professional organization that serves the massage therapy profession such as ABMP, AMTA, FSMTB, NCBTMB)
• CE Certificates must have:
• Name of the licensee.
• Amount of continuing education credit awarded.
• Description of the continuing education.
• Dates of actual participation or successful completion.
• Name, mailing address, and signature of the instructor, sponsor, or other verifier.
• There will be a random audit of licensees after the renewal period has ended on September 30, 2021. If the continuing education requirement has not been met, the board could impose disciplinary sanctions such as remedial classes, fines, consent agreements and letters of disciplinary action.
• Records must be kept for 4 years from the date hours were obtained.

*According to 12 AAC 79.210(h), applicants for renewal who have been licensed less than 12 months are not required to submit proof of continuing education.

*Continuing education used to satisfy a consent agreement stemming from an audit or renewal will not count towards the 2021-2023 licensing period requirement*

If you took a continuing education course that you feel wasn’t up to par, please send the name of the course, the instructor’s name and contact information, the sponsor’s name and contact information, the delivery method (online or in person) and the date(s) you attended the course to BoardofMassageTherapists@Alaska.Gov.

12 AAC 79.210 states that “continuing education must be completed through a board approved massage therapy or bodywork therapy school or training program, regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher learning, or a local, state, or national professional organization that serves the massage therapy profession.”

The board interprets the 1st item (board approved massage therapy or bodywork therapy school or training program) to mean that they can decide if a continuing education course relates to the profession of massage therapy. The course in question must still be approved by an institute of higher learning or a local, state, or national organization that serves the profession of massage therapy.

Licensees who cannot meet their audit or reinstatement requirements will have the option of entering into a consent agreement with the state of Alaska.

A consent agreement is a legal contract which will stipulate that the licensee will be subject to mandatory audits for two licensing periods, pay a fine based on each continuing education hour they are deficient, make up any continuing education they are missing, and have a disciplinary action on their record.

12 AAC 79.910 provides the definition of moral turpitude:
(1) homicide;
(2) manslaughter;
(3) assault;
(4) stalking;
(5) kidnapping;
(6) sexual assault;
(7) sexual abuse of a minor;
(8) unlawful exploitation of a minor, including possession or distribution of child pornography;
(9) indecent exposure;
(10) unlawful distribution or possession for distribution of a controlled substance;
(11) prostitution;
(12) sex trafficking;
(13) murder;
(14) human trafficking;
(15) criminal sexual conduct;
(16) incest;
(17) robbery;
(18) extortion;
(19) forgery;
(20) theft;
(21) endangering the welfare of a child;
(22) endangering the welfare of a vulnerable adult;
(23) reckless endangerment.

The Board of Massage Therapists is tasked by the State of Alaska to protect public safety. If your criminal history is determined by the board to not impact your ability to practice competency and safely, you will not be denied a license for your criminal history if you disclose everything properly on your application.

If you see or hear about someone practicing without a license or practicing outside of their scope of practice, please contact Investigations by filling out a Request for Contact Form located on the Investigations Webpage or calling 907-269-8174.

Using sexual advertising for your massage business is not only unprofessional but undermining to the profession as a whole.

Alaska Statute 08.61.060(3) says that the board may impose a disciplinary sanction under AS 08.01.075 on a person licensed under this chapter if the board finds that the person advertised massage therapy services in a false or misleading manner. The board has also adopted a change to the Code of Ethics that states that “I will not, in any circumstances, initiate or engage in sexual conduct, activities, advertising or sexualizing behavior involving a client, even if the client attempt to sexualize the relationship.” This amendment to the Code of Ethics will go into effect after it has been signed by the Lt. Governor.

If you would like to report anyone who is in violation of AS 61.060(3), please contact our Investigations Department by visiting the Investigations Webpage and filling out a Request for Contact form, or calling 907-269-8174.

The current business licensing laws have not changed. If you are a business owner or independent contractor-operating in Alaska, you must still hold an active state business license. You may apply for an Alaska business license on the Alaska Business Licensing Webpage.

If you are an employee of a massage therapy business owned by someone else, a doctor’s office, a chiropractic office, or similar, an Alaska business license is not necessary. Check with your municipality to see if a municipal business license is required in your area.

The Board of Massage Therapists determined in their March 8-9, 2018 meeting that applicants who only have a Rolfing education do not qualify for a massage license because they do not receive the same education that a massage therapy school or program offers and applicants with a single modality in their qualifying educating do not fully satisfy the education requirements for licensure.

In the same meeting, the board drafted regulations to define what massage curriculum should consist of to be considered for licensure in Alaska. This would allow someone who has deficiencies in education be allowed to complete the rest of their hours (with board approval) to be considered for licensure.

This curriculum breakdown can be found in the 'Important Information' box on the Board of Massage Therapists Website.

Or in Statutes and Regulations under 12 AAC 79.140

If you would like to be kept up to date on this regulations project, send your name, email or mailing address, and occupational area of interest to: RegulationsAndPublicComment@Alaska.Gov.

The board is appointed by the Governor and they fall under the Open Meeting Act. What this means to the public is that the board cannot have contact, discuss board business, and/or correspond with the public in any way.

If you need to get information to the board or have questions that you would like to have the board address, you can do one of 2 things:

1. Write an email to the Licensing Examiner and request that it be presented to the Board at its next regularly scheduled board meeting.
2. Speak at a board meeting during the public comment period. You can call in or be present physically. The board’s meeting agendas are always posted on their home page with the public comment time.

The meeting schedule is posted on the Board of Massage Therapists Meetings and Agendas Webpage. Any licensed massage therapist that attends at least 80% of a regularly scheduled Board of Massage Therapists board meeting can receive 1 continuing education credit once every biennial licensing period. Please contact the licensing examiner for details.

If you would like to attend an in- person meeting, it will be in one of two locations:

1. Juneau- State Office Building, 333 Willoughby Ave, 9th floor, see agenda for room
2. Anchorage- Robert Atwood Building, 550 W. 7th Ave, see agenda for room

If you would like to call in to a teleconference or videoconference, the call in information will be listed on the agenda.

Persons wishing to address the board should reference the agenda for the time allotted for Public Comment.

Ethical considerations and requirements for appointed board members are governed by the Alaska Executive Ethics Act. A wealth of information can be found on the Department of Law website and this information (among other key responsibilities) is included in the board member orientation manual:

• Main Ethics Act Page
• Board Information
• Procedures

Refer to the Board of Massage Therapists Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and Establishment Standards of Operation on the board’s website.

12 AAC 79.900 and Standards of Practice (SOP) #2 is about chart noting and HIPAA compliance.

Therapists must keep chart notes in patient files on patients presenting with a prescription and diagnosis from a Clinician. Charting for files in clinician offices/settings are to remain with the Clinician’s office and should not be removed by therapists. Keeping in compliance with HIPAA, files are kept secure and out of public view.

Board of Massage Therapists Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice

Therapists must keep a daily log of clients and patients. This log will be made available to Legal or investigative staff if requested.

LMT’s are not expected to keep detailed chart notes for walk in/cash paying clients but a log and/or record of daily clients must be kept according to Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

For more information about HIPAA and how it affects LMT’s in Alaska, please go to HHS's HIPAA for Professionals Webpage.

In the December 6-7, 2018 meeting, the board was informed that CBD oil is not officially legal until the regulatory framework established by the passage of SB 6, an industrial hemp bill that is being completed by the Department of Natural Resources*.

The board understands that CBD is currently readily available and is being used in conjunction with massage therapy. The board does not intend to prioritize complaint cases of a licensed massage therapists use of lotions or oils unless a significant impact to life, health, and safety such as a severe allergic or psychotropic reaction has been demonstrated. CBD oil complaint cases are seen as a poor use of Division resources and licensing fees by this board. The board would advise caution until the regulatory process is in place and urge licensees and clients to read the alert issued by the Alaska Department of Law prior to use of CBD oil.
Alaska Department of Law CBD Consumer Alert

If and when a complaint is filed regarding the use of illegal lotions or oils, the board is obligated to uphold the regulation included in the Standards of Practice requiring licensees to obey all applicable local, state, and federal laws when pertaining to massage therapy.

For more information on CBD or the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, please e-mail: IndustrialHemp@Alaska.Gov

Or refer to the following links:

Department of Natural Resources FAQ

Department of Law Consumer Alerts

*In the summer of 2019, this office was notified by the Department of Natural Resources that the regulatory framework being drafted was suspended indefinitely due to budget cuts introduced by the Governor’s office.

Massage Establishments:

On March 25, 2020, regulation 12 AAC 79.930 went into effect requiring any person or business not exempt to register their massage establishment with the state of Alaska. Applications can be found on the Board’s Applications and Forms Webpage.

Per regulation 12 AAC 79.930, Massage Establishments are defined as a fixed or mobile place of business that engages in, conducts, or permits massage or massage therapy to be conducted for any form of compensation or uses the word “massage” in any solicitation or advertisement. This definition also applies to establishments that have employees who are massage therapists.

Am I considered a Massage Establishment?

A business owner who also holds a license in any of the following professions is exempt from having to register as a Massage Establishment:

• Acupuncturist
• Advanced practice registered nurse
• Chiropractor
• Direct-entry midwife
• Massage therapist
• Naturopath
• Physician, osteopath, mobile intensive care paramedic, or physician assistant
• Physical or occupational therapist

This means, if you own or work for an above licensed facility or professional (either as an employee or independent contractor) these businesses do not have to register as a Massage Establishment. If you own a business who has massage therapy employees AND you are NOT on the list of exemptions; you must register as a Massage Establishment.

Who's responsible for costs and paperwork for a Massage Establishment?

The owner of the establishment is responsible for filing, paying for and maintaining any documents necessary to be in compliance with 12 AAC 79.930.