Necessity Of Licensure

(1) Massage therapy is one of the healing arts and, as such, the practice is restricted to those persons issued a credential by this Board. Persons engaging in the practice of massage therapy without being licensed or expressly exempted by the laws are in violation of T.C.A. §§ 63-1-123 and 63-18-104. It is unlawful for any person who is not licensed in the manner prescribed in Title 63, Chapter 18 of the Tennessee Code Annotated to present themselves or their establishment as a licensed massage therapist or a licensed massage establishment or to hold themselves or their establishment out to the public as being licensed by using a title on signs, mailboxes, address plates, stationery, announcements, telephone listings, calling cards, or other instruments of professional identification. Students may not hold themselves out as licensed massage therapists until such time as they are licensed. Pursuant to T.C.A. § 63-18-108, an establishment license is not 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. The practice of chiropractic, as defined by T.C.A. §§ 63-4-101, et seq., must be the primary service provided at any such office where a massage establishment is operating without a license pursuant to T.C.A. § 63- 18-105. (2) Use of Titles - Any person who possesses a valid, current and active license issued by the Board that has not been suspended or revoked has the right to use the titles “Massage Therapist (M.T.)” or “Licensed Massage Therapist (L.M.T.)” and to practice as a massage therapist, as defined in T.C.A. § 63-18-102. Any person licensed by the Board to whom this rule applies must use one of the titles authorized by this rule in every advertisement he or she publishes. Failure to do so will constitute an omission of a material fact which makes the advertisement misleading and deceptive and subjects the massage therapist to disciplinary action pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 63-18-104(b) and 63-18-108(5), and rule 0870-01-.19(1)(m).