Law Changes Certified
Massage Therapy Title

All of our therapists at Relax Blacksburg were titled Certified Massage Therapy professionals.  As of January 1, 2017, we are now titled Licensed Massage Therapists (LMT).  We are still regulated healthcare providers overseen by the Virginia Board of Nursing. 

In 2016 a law (Virginia Code Section 54.1-3008) passed in Virginia requiring all massage therapists to be licensed. This law makes it ILLEGAL to practice massage therapy unless one holds a license as a massage therapist issued by the Virginia Nursing Board.

This law was necessary because of a relatively unknown problem in the massage field - unlicensed people were claiming to be massage therapists, massage practitioners, or other similar titles due to a loophole.

This law is a big win for client safety. There were too many people claiming to be massage therapists without proper training and education.  Now it is illegal to do so and the punishment can include up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both.  

Once again, with this law the Virginia Board of Nursing changed our professional titles changes from Certified Massage Therapists (CMT) to Licensed Massage Therapists (LMT). 

Learn more about Licensed Massage Therapy and how to make sure you are receiving care from a trained professional.


› Certified Massage Therapy
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