ARC 8051C

ARC 8051C

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE DIVISION[645]

Adopted and Filed

Rulemaking related to licensure of massage therapists

The Board of Massage Therapy hereby rescinds Chapter 131, "Licensure of Massage Therapists," Iowa Administrative Code, and adopts a new chapter with the same title.

Legal Authority for Rulemaking

This rulemaking is adopted under the authority provided in Iowa Code sections 147.36, 152C.3, 272C.3, 272C.4, and 272C.10.

State or Federal Law Implemented

This rulemaking implements, in whole or in part, Iowa Code chapters 17A, 147, 152C, and 272C.

Purpose and Summary

This chapter sets minimum standards for entry into the massage therapy profession. Iowa residents, licensees, and employers benefit from the rules because the rules articulate the processes by which individuals apply for licensure as a massage therapist in Iowa, as directed in statute. This includes the processes for initial licensure, renewal, and reinstatement. These requirements ensure public safety by ensuring that any individual entering the profession has minimum competency. Requirements include the application process, minimum educational qualifications, and examination requirements.

Public Comment and Changes to Rulemaking

Notice of Intended Action for this rulemaking was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on January 10, 2024, as ARC 7479C. Public hearings were held on January 30 and 31, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.at 6200 Park Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa, and virtually. No one attended the public hearings.

The Board noted that verification of licensure in all sections needs to be changed to the most recent jurisdiction, not all jurisdictions. Changes from the Notice reflect this change under licensure by examination, licensure by endorsement, temporary license and reactivation.

Adoption of Rulemaking

This rulemaking was adopted by the Board on April 23, 2024.

Fiscal Impact

This rulemaking has no fiscal impact to the State of Iowa.

Jobs Impact

After analysis and review of this rulemaking, no impact on jobs has been found.

Waivers

Any person who believes that the application of the discretionary provisions of this rulemaking would result in hardship or injustice to that person may petition the Board for a waiver of the discretionary provisions, if any, pursuant to 481—Chapter 6.

Review by Administrative Rules Review Committee

The Administrative Rules Review Committee, a bipartisan legislative committee which oversees rulemaking by executive branch agencies, may, on its own motion or on written request by any individual or group, review this rulemaking at its regular monthly meeting or at a special meeting. The Committee's meetings are open to the public, and interested persons may be heard as provided in Iowa Code section 17A.8(6).

Effective Date

This rulemaking will become effective on July 17, 2024.

The following rulemaking action is adopted:

Item 1. Rescind 645—Chapter 131 and adopt the following new chapter in lieu thereof:

MASSAGE THERAPISTS

CHAPTER 131

LICENSURE OF MASSAGE THERAPISTS

645—131.1(152C) Definitions.

"Anniversary month" means the month the license was issued by the board.

"Board" means the Iowa board of massage therapy.

"Board-approved school" means a school for massage therapy education that provides at least 600 hours of supervised academic instruction; has been recognized as legitimate by the board in the state where the school is located or in the state where the school was located if the school has since closed; has been recognized by a similar board in another jurisdiction that licenses massage therapists if massage therapy is not a licensed profession in the state where the school is located; and has not been denied, suspended, or revoked by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

"Grace period" means the 30-day period following expiration of a license when the license is still considered to be active.

"Issuing jurisdiction" means the duly constituted authority in another state that has issued a massage therapy license to a person.

"Licensee" means any person licensed to practice as a massage therapist in the state of Iowa.

"License expiration date" means the fifteenth day of the anniversary month every two years.

"Massage therapy" means performance for compensation of massage, myotherapy, massotherapy, bodywork, bodywork therapy, or therapeutic massage including hydrotherapy, superficial hot and cold applications, vibration and topical applications, or other therapy that involves manipulation of the muscle and connective tissue of the body, excluding osseous tissue, to treat the muscle tonus system for the purpose of enhancing health, providing muscle relaxation, increasing range of motion, reducing stress, relieving pain, or improving circulation.

645—131.2(272C) Licensure by examination. A person who has completed the curriculum at a board-approved school may seek licensure in accordance with this rule.

131.2(1) Submit the following:

a. A completed online application for licensure and pay the nonrefundable licensure fee specified in rule 645—5.8(147). Official copies of academic transcripts sent directly to the board by the board-approved school. If a school has closed and is no longer operational, the board will accept an official transcript provided by the applicant.

b. Proof of passing any National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) examination or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) sent directly from the testing authority to the board. The passing score on the written examination is the passing point criterion established by the testing authority at the time the test was administered.

c. If the applicant has been issued one or more licenses to practice massage therapy by other issuing jurisdictions, verification of license from the jurisdiction in which the applicant has most recently been licensed, sent directly from the issuing jurisdiction to the board. Web-based verification may be substituted for verification from the jurisdiction's board office if the verification provides:

(1)The licensee's name;

(2)The date of initial licensure;

(3)The applicant's current licensure status; and

(4)Any disciplinary action taken against the license.

131.2(2) An applicant who has relocated to Iowa from a state that did not require licensure to practice massage therapy may submit proof of work experience in lieu of educational and training requirements, if eligible, in accordance with rule 645—19.2(272C).

645—131.3(152C) Educational qualifications for foreign-trained massage therapists. Prospective applicants who completed their education outside of the United States may receive credit for their education, provided they comply with the following:

131.3(1) Provide an equivalency evaluation of their educational credentials by one of the following entities demonstrating the curriculum is equivalent to that stated in these rules. The applicant bears the expense of the curriculum evaluation.

a. International Education Research Foundation, Inc., Credentials Evaluation Service, P.O. Box 3665, Culver City, CA 90231-3665; telephone 310.258.9451; website www.ierf.org.

b. International Credentialing Associates, Inc., 7245 Bryan Dairy Road, Bryan Dairy Business Park II, Largo, FL 33777; telephone 727.549.8555.

c. Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., 7101 SW 102nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33173; telephone 305.273.1616; website jsilny.org.

131.3(2) Provide a notarized copy of the certificate or diploma awarded to the applicant from a massage therapy program in the country in which the applicant was educated.

131.3(3) Receive a final determination from the board that the applicant's education is acceptable.

645—131.4(152C) Licensure by endorsement.

131.4(1) A person who has been issued a license to practice massage therapy by another issuing jurisdiction may seek licensure in accordance with this rule.

131.4(2) Submit the following:

a. A completed online application for licensure and pay nonrefundable licensure fee specified in rule 645—5.8(147).

b. Official copies of academic transcripts sent directly to the board by the board-approved school. If a school has closed and is no longer operational, the board will accept an official transcript provided by the applicant.

c. Proof of passing any National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) examination or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) sent directly from the testing authority to the board. The passing score on the written examination is the passing point criterion established by the testing authority at the time the test was administered.

d. Proof that the licensure requirements in the issuing jurisdiction are equal to or exceed the requirements provided in rule 645—131.2(152C).

e. Verification of license from the jurisdiction in which the applicant has most recently been licensed, sent directly from the issuing jurisdiction to the board. Web-based verification may be substituted for verification from the issuing jurisdiction's board office if the verification provides:

(1)The licensee's name;

(2)The date of initial licensure;

(3)The applicant's current licensure status; and

(4)Any disciplinary action taken against the license.

645—131.5(152C) Licensure by verification. A person who is licensed in another jurisdiction but who is unable to satisfy the requirements for licensure by endorsement may apply for licensure by verification, if eligible, in accordance with rule 645—19.1(272C).

645—131.6(152C) Temporary license. A person who is licensed to practice massage therapy in another jurisdiction but who is unable to satisfy the requirements for licensure by endorsement, and who does not seek licensure by verification, may be issued a temporary license in accordance with this rule.

131.6(1) An applicant for temporary license shall submit the following:

a. A completed online application for licensure and pay nonrefundable licensure fee specified in rule 645—5.8(147).

b. Verification of license from the jurisdiction in which the applicant has most recently been licensed, sent directly from the issuing jurisdiction to the board. Web-based verification may be substituted for verification from a jurisdiction's board office if the verification provides:

(1)Licensee's name;

(2)Date of initial licensure;

(3)Current licensure status; and

(4)Any disciplinary action taken against the license.

c. A plan for meeting all remaining requirements for licensure within one year of issuance of the temporary permit. Such a plan will include proof of enrollment in a school of massage therapy whose curriculum has been approved by the board, the date of enrollment, and the expected date of graduation.

131.6(2) A temporary license is valid for a period of up to one year and will not be renewed.

131.6(3) A temporary license holder shall be issued a permanent license upon the board's receipt of the following:

a. Official copies of academic transcripts sent directly to the board by the board-approved school demonstrating completion of all remaining hours of education for licensure.

b. Proof of passing any National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) examination or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) sent directly from the testing authority to the board. The passing score on the written examination is the passing point criterion established by the testing authority at the time the test was administered.

645—131.7(152C) License display. The license certificate and proof of active licensure will be displayed in a conspicuous public place at the licensee's primary site of practice.

645—131.8(152C) License renewal.

131.8(1) The biennial license renewal period begins on the sixteenth day of the anniversary month and ends on the fifteenth day of the anniversary month two years later. The licensee is responsible for renewing the license prior to its expiration.

131.8(2) Continuing education does not need to be completed during the first biennial license renewal period and is not a prerequisite for the first renewal of a license.

131.8(3) A licensee seeking renewal shall comply with the following before the license expiration date:

a. Submit a completed renewal application and renewal fee specified in rule 645—5.8(147), before the license expiration date; and

b. Meet the continuing education requirements of rule 645—133.2(152C) and the mandatory reporting requirements of subrule 131.8(4). A licensee whose license was reactivated during the current renewal compliance period may use continuing education credit earned during the compliance period for the first renewal following reactivation.

131.8(4) Mandatory reporter training.

a. A licensee who, in the scope of professional practice or in the licensee's employment responsibilities examines, attends, counsels, or treats children and dependent adults in Iowa shall complete the applicable department of health and human services' training related to the identification and reporting of child and dependent adult abuse as required by Iowa Code section 232.69(3)"b." The licensee will indicate on the renewal application completion of such training.

b. The requirement for mandatory training for identifying and reporting child and dependent adult abuse shall be suspended if the board determines that suspension is in the public interest or that a person at the time of license renewal:

(1)Is engaged in active duty in the military service of this state or the United States; or

(2)Holds a current waiver by the board based on evidence of significant hardship in complying with training requirements, including an exemption of continuing education requirements or extension of time in which to fulfill the requirements due to a physical or mental disability or illness as provided in rule 645—4.14(272C).

c. The board may select licensees for audit of compliance with the requirements of this subrule.

131.8(5) Issuing renewals. Upon receiving the information required by this rule and the required fee, board staff shall administratively issue a two-year license renewal. In the event the board receives adverse information on the renewal application, the board will issue the renewal license but may refer the adverse information for further consideration or disciplinary investigation.

131.8(6) Late renewal. A license not renewed by the expiration date will be assessed a late fee as specified in 645—subrule 5.8(4). Completion of renewal requirements and submission of the late fee within the grace period are needed to renew the license.

131.8(7) Inactive license. A licensee who fails to renew the license by the end of the grace period has an inactive license. A licensee whose license is inactive continues to hold the privilege of licensure in Iowa, but may not practice as a massage therapist in Iowa until the license is reactivated. A licensee who practices as a massage therapist in the state of Iowa with an inactive license may be subject to disciplinary action by the board, injunctive action pursuant to Iowa Code section 147.83, criminal sanctions pursuant to Iowa Code section 147.86, and other available legal remedies.

645—131.9(17A,147,272C) License reactivation.

131.9(1) A person whose license is inactive may apply to reactivate the license in accordance with this rule.

131.9(2) The licensee shall submit all of the following:

a. A completed online application for licensure and pay the nonrefundable licensure fee specified in rule 645—5.8(147). If the license has been inactive for five years or less, submission of:

(1)Proof of completion of 16 hours of continuing education within two years of application; and

(2)Verification of the license from the jurisdiction in which the applicant has most recently been practicing during the time period the Iowa license was inactive, sent directly from the jurisdiction to the board office. Web-based verification may be substituted for verification from a jurisdiction's board office if the verification includes:

1.Licensee's name;

2.Date of initial licensure;

3.Current licensure status; and

4.Any disciplinary action taken against the license.

b. If the license has been on inactive status for more than five years, submission of:

(1)Proof of completion of 16 hours of continuing education within two years of application;

(2)Proof of two years of active, licensed practice in another issuing jurisdiction immediately prior to submitting the application, or proof of passing one of the following examinations within two years of submitting the application:

1.The National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM);

2.The National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB);

3.The National Examination for States Licensing (NESL) option; or

4.The Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx); and

(3)Verification of the license from the jurisdiction in which the applicant has most recently been practicing during the time period the Iowa license was inactive, sent directly from the jurisdiction to the board office. Web-based verification may be substituted for verification from a jurisdiction's board office if the verification includes:

1.Licensee's name;

2.Date of initial licensure;

3.Current licensure status; and

4.Any disciplinary action taken against the license.

645—131.10(17A,147,272C) License reinstatement. A licensee whose license has been revoked, suspended, or voluntarily surrendered must apply for and receive reinstatement of the license in accordance with rule 645—11.31(272C) and, if applicable, must apply for and be granted reactivation of the license in accordance with rule 645—131.9(17A,147,272C) prior to practicing as a massage therapist in this state.

These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapters 17A, 147, 152C, and 272C.

[Filed 5/13/24, effective 7/17/24]

[Published 6/12/24]

Editor's Note: For replacement pages for IAC, see IAC Supplement 6/12/24.