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Frequently Asked Questions

Note: watch this page for revisions and updates.

About Us | General Public | Local Agencies | Massage Business Owners

About CAMTC

Q: What is CAMTC and what is its purpose?

SB 731 called for voluntary statewide certification of massage therapists and was chaptered into California law on September 27th, 2008. The first board meeting of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) was held in February 2009.

The purpose behind CAMTC's creation was to serve the interests of the public and the massage profession by making the process of certification the same throughout the state, rather than different in each city and county. Currently, a massage therapist might have to register and get a permit with two different cities or counties to simply work in two locations a few blocks apart. Statewide certification through CAMTC will streamline massage therapists registration procedures, help local governments keep track of whether a massage therapist is actually licensed or certified elsewhere, and will increase transparency for the general public about what "certified" stands for in a title.

Q: What is CAMTC authorized to do?

CAMTC is authorized to evaluate qualifications of massage therapists and issue certifications in the State of California. There are two levels of certification: CMT (Certified Massage Therapist) and CMP (Certified Massage Practitioner). There will also be a conditional certification for the CMP category.

Q: What are the limits on CAMTC's responsibilities and authority within the massage therapy industry?

These limits are outlined within statute (SB 731), but generally CAMTC only has authority to implement the statewide certification program. In order to do this there are a number of activities which must occur, particularly in the evaluation of qualifications and performance of background checks.


General Public and Consumers

The ‘Certified’ Massage Therapist (CMT) or ‘Certified’ Massage Practitioner (CMP) title signifies to consumers that the CMT or CMP meets or exceeds quality standards established by SB 731. CAMTC provides oversight to the application, certification, and renewal processes to assure consumers that these standards have been met.
For spas and other massage employers, hiring a ‘Certified’ Massage Therapist (CMT) or ‘Certified’ Massage Practitioner (CMP) will make a statement of quality reflecting a commitment to best serve customers. For anyone not certified by CAMTC, SB 731 makes it an unfair business practice for a person to use the titles "Certified Massage Therapist", "Certified Massage Practitioner", "CMT" or "CMP".

Q: Are there different levels of certification?

Yes. There are two levels of certification: CMT (Certified Massage Therapist) and CMP (Certified Massage Practitioner). There will also be a conditional certification for the CMP category.

The levels of certification relate to the amount of education the massage therapist has completed. Generally speaking, the CMT category requires 500 hours of massage education, while the CMP category requires 250 hours.

Q: Why should I care whether my massage therapist is certified?

There are many reasons why you should care. But the most important one is that you will know that your certified massage therapist has met requisite CAMTC standards of preparation and education to merit their designation. Certified Massage Therapists also undergo background checks, fingerprinting and other procedures to ensure they are legitimate bodyworkers.

Q: How can I find out if a massage therapist is certified?

You can check in two different ways:

Local Agencies

CAMTC will require the submission of fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice and will request current and subsequent arrest notification services as provided under Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code. Based on the findings, CAMTC has the authority to deny an application for a certificate or to suspend and revoke a certificate for any violation of subdivision (b) of Section 647 of the Penal Code or any other offense described in subdivision (h) of Section 4603. Additionally, SB 731 prohibits a city or county from regulating the practice of massage by a certificate holder. In fact, some municipalities are enacting ordinances to require that massage practitioners providing services within their jurisdictions obtain massage certification from CAMTC. Click here for a few samples of ordinances.

Some general information is included in our City FAQ Sheet.

Q: How will I know if a certificate is official?

You can verify the status of a certification by contacting. the CAMTC or looking up the information on this web site (you will need secure login access.) Generally, however, you can view a sample certificate and a sample ID card here.You can also view a sample of the "employer verification" document which CMTs can provide to their employers while waiting for their official certificates.

Q: How will we stay informed on CAMTC activities and massage therapists being certified in our area?

If you are directly involved with enforcing massage regulations in your area, you should contact us or your City Manager or Chief of Police (depending on the area) about becoming a designated contact to receive information about those who are applying for, or have received, certification in your area. You will be given access to all pertinent data and receive updates from CAMTC about new applicants. You'll also be able to contact us directly about any questions or concerns you have about an applicant.

Q: We are working on revising our city codes to be most efficient and effective starting September 1. Have any other cities shared their code changes with you?

Yes, and we have posted the new code drafted by Vacaville on our site. Click here for sample ordinances.

Q. We are planning to honor CAMTC Certification as qualification for massage permits in our city. Can we stop issuing permits on September 1?

That is certainly possible. However, please keep in mind that CAMTC begins issuing certifications on September 1, 2009, and not all early applications will be ready on that date due to heavy demand. Several cities have already indicated they are ending all their permits on September 1, but are allowing massage therapists to continue to work while in the process of gaining their CAMTC certification. Massage therapists in the process will greatly appreciate your allowing some overlap while they are in the application review process. CAMTC will make available lists of individuals who have submitted their applications and are in process.

Q: How is this going to work in September when the changes take over? Will the city have any control over the massage technicians and businesses or will everything be strictly handled through the state?

CAMTC will handle certification of massage therapists and massage practitioners. CAMTC review of presented credentials for CMT and CMP certification will give local jurisdictions the benefit of our professional evaluation of training, education, experience, etc., and will make the titles of “CMP” and “CMT” consistent throughout the state.  CAMTC will also be working with law enforcement to ensure adequate background investigations and arrest monitoring take place.
We will not be issuing "licenses" or “permits” per se in the various cities and counties, but CAMTC certification will constitute a permit to work throughout California (see SB 731).
Massage practitioners who choose not to apply (or who do not qualify) for our certification are not prohibited from practicing in California, as what we offer is, by law, a voluntary certification. However, most professional massage therapists will want to have and use the CMT or CMP titles.

Q. Will your process change any of our procedures or will we still conduct the application process as usual but include the CAMTC certification in lieu of the transcripts?

The certified massage therapist or certified massage practitioner will only need to register with the city that they are exempted from the need for a massage permit from the city. Businesses will still need business licenses. However, if all massage therapists working for a business are certified, the city cannot require an additional massage establishment permit.

Q: What about reflexology? Is that covered?

B&P Section 4600 (where SB 731 got coded) creates an optional certification program. Those who choose to, and qualify to certify are exempt from needing a city massage permit. The business owner must have proof of  staff certification on the premises and the city does have the right to require registration of some sort. Pacifica will charge a small fee to do so - no other city I know of intends at this time to charge.
 
Since the certification is optional, protecting title only, there is no definition of massage. But as you know, local ordinances regulate both practice and title. So anyone who claims to be doing just reflexology and chooses not to certify would still be subject to the local ordinances.

SB 731

The Senate Bill 731 (SB 731) was signed into law on September 27, 2008 by Governor Schwarzenegger, and became effective January 1, 2009. Shortly after that the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) was founded as the nonprofit massage therapy organization established to provide CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE VOLUNTARY MASSAGE CERTIFICATION, no sooner than September 1, 2009. Below are some ‘Brief Facts’ of interest to the various factions of the Massage Community.

Schools

Massage Schools can position themselves with curricula that provide the requirements for students to become ‘CERTIFIED’ Massage Therapists (CMT) or ‘CERTIFIED’ Massage Practitioners (CMP). Note that SB 731 does not provide for regulation of schools; and California has not replaced the former Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE) that had the authority to approve schools. However SB 731 gives CAMTC the responsibility to determine that the curricula of schools from which applicants have obtained their education meet the requirements of SB 731.

There is currently legislation pending (AB 48) which would, essentially, reinstate the BPPVE.

Massage Business Owners:

Q: Will my city be able to require these permits (other than city business license) for CMT’s or CMP’s who want to start their own business and hire/contract with therapists if ALL of the therapists have Certification from the CAMTC? 

Under SB 731, a city cannot require a massage establishment permit (other than a business license) if all the massage therapists are certified by the CAMTC. The city can require up-to-date proof that all staff providing massages are currently certified. As for new businesses, cities may resist exempting the business from all provisions of the local massage ordinance until the business provides proof that it meets the qualifications for exemption. We are working now with city officials on how to handle this - but pretty clearly if the business obtains a business license on the basis of being exempt from the establishment requirements (other than reasonable health & safety regulations per SB 731) and  if the business later doesn't demonstrate that it qualifies for exemption, the city has the right to revoke the business license.

Please be sure to contact your city offices about specific requirements for licensing and zoning for your establishment.

Q: How do I know if my employees are approved?

First, you can look them up on this web site and verifify the information they provide to you..

Sometimes massage therapists request a document to provide to you as evidence they have been approved. You can view a sample of the "employer verification" document which CMTs can provide to their employers while waiting for their official certificates.

California Massage Therapy Council | One Capitol Mall, Suite 320, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 669-5336 | camtc@amgroup.us

Special thanks to the ABMP, AMTA and numerous other stakeholders for their help in compiling this information.