Massachusetts law about massage therapy

Laws, regulations, case law and web sources on massage therapy law.

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Best bet

Board of Registration of Massage Therapy
The Board oversees laws, proposes new rules, and ensures high standards in the profession. It protects consumers by handling complaints and helps maintain educational standards by guiding curricula, licensing schools, and setting continuing education requirements.

• Massage therapy licensing
• Statutes and regulations (also includes Board policies and guidelines)
• Check an Occupational Board license
• Exempted individuals (Massage therapy): A list of practitioners who are exempt from registration with the Board, but may be subject to regulation by local boards of health.

Massachusetts laws

MGL c. 13, § 98 Board of Registration of Massage Therapy; composition; terms; voting

MGL c. 13, § 99 Board of Registration of Massage Therapy; powers and duties

MGL c. 140, § 51 Facial and scalp massage; bath houses
Local boards of health may regulate other fields (such as bodywork therapy) not licensed as massage therapy.

MGL c. 112: Registration of certain professions and occupations

• § 227 Definitions applicable to Secs. 228 to 235 (Defines what massage therapy is, and what it is not)
• § 228 License required to practice; exemptions
• § 229 Application for license; renewal
• § 230 Reciprocal licenses for massage therapists from other jurisdictions
• § 231 Requirements for licensing of massage therapists
• § 232 Complaints; unethical or unprofessional conduct; suspension; sanctions
• § 233 Licensing of massage therapy schools
• § 234 Regulations by board of massage therapy; display of license in place of business
• § 235 Advertising by massage therapists

Massachusetts regulations

269 CMR Board of Registration of Massage Therapy

Selected cases

Duggan v. Town of N. Attleborough, 27 LCR 483 (2019), MISC-18-000007 (Request document from the law libraries) 
A licensed massage therapist is a "professional" within the scope of grandfathering under G.L. c. 40A, § 7. In this specific case, the massage therapist was allowed to have an office in a building that had been grandfathered for use as "professional office space" in a residential district.

Wang v. Board of Registration of Massage Therapy, SJ-2022-0118 (Jan. 30, 2023)
Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the Board’s revocation of a massage therapist’s license upon judicial review under G.L. c. 112, § 64, in accordance with the standards provided in G.L. c. 30A, § 14.

Web sources

Disciplinary actions, Division of Occupational Licensure.
Browse or search for licensed massage therapists who have had recent disciplinary action taken against them by the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy.

News updates, American Massage Therapy Association, Massachusetts Chapter.
Recent news updates to Massachusetts massage therapy laws and regulations.

Last updated:	June 4, 2026