§ 23-20.8-5. Application for license - Issuance or denial of license - Minimum qualifications. (a) Every person desiring to begin the practice of massage therapy, except exempt persons as provided in this chapter, shall present satisfactory evidence to the division of professional regulation of the department of health that he or she:

(1) Is over eighteen (18) years of age;

(2) Has submitted to a national criminal background check in accordance with § 23-20.8-3;

(3) Has successfully completed an educational program, meeting minimum requirements established by the board, including at least six hundred fifty (650) hours of supervised in-class, hands-on coursework and clinical work; and

(4) Has successfully completed an examination approved by the board. Any examination approved by the board must meet generally recognized standards including development through the use of a job-task analysis and must meet appropriate psychometric standards.

(b) The department may grant a license to any applicant satisfying the requirements of § 23-20.8-5(a), has completed all appropriate forms, paid all appropriate fees and has met substantially equivalent standards in obtaining a valid license, permit, certificate or registration issued by any other state or territory of the United States or by a foreign country.

(c) The department shall, within sixty (60) days from the time any application for a license is received, grant the application and issue a license to practice massage therapy for a year from that date if the department is satisfied that the applicant complies with the rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with this chapter. An applicant, whose national criminal background check reveals a conviction for any sexual offense, including, but not limited to, those offenses defined in chapters 34 and 37 of title 11, shall be denied a license under this chapter.

(d) The fee for original application for licensure as a massage therapist and the fee for annual license renewal shall be determined by the department of health.

History of Section. (P.L. 1978, ch. 230, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-58-5; P.L. 1979, ch. 39, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-20.8-5; P.L. 1998, ch. 273, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 411, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 6, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 165, § 3; P.L. 2013, ch. 222, § 3; P.L. 2018, ch. 176, § 16; P.L. 2018, ch. 289, § 16; P.L. 2019, ch. 114, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 140, § 1.)