Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 30 - Professions and Occupations › Part 2501 - Massage Therapy, Board of › Chapter 4 - Licensing Requirements › Rule 30-2501-4.5 - Reciprocity

Current through June 25, 2024
A. All applicants entering through
				reciprocity must have graduated from a massage therapy program recognized from
				the state of origin without non-compliance rulings issued by the NCBTMB or the
				FSMTB. An applicant may be licensed by demonstrating proof that the applicant
				holds a valid, current license in another state with similar education
				requirements to those required by this chapter, and that all other licensure
				requirements under this chapter are met. This is subject to investigation by
				the Board and excludes grandfathering by other states.
B. If an individual who is licensed in
				another state that has licensing standards substantially equivalent to the
				standards under this chapter as reviewed and approved by the Board, applies and
				pays all applicable fees in Rule
				2.1 for licensure, the Board may
				issue a Provisional Permit authorizing the applicant to practice massage
				therapy for up to 90 days, pending completion of documentation that the
				applicant meets the requirements for licensure under this chapter. The
				provisional permit shall not be issued until an applicant has successfully
				passed the Mississippi State Law Examination, and may reflect statutory
				limitations on the scope of practice. The fee in Rule
				2.1 for a provisional permit must
				accompany the application. No sooner than fifteen (15) days prior to the
				expiration of an applicant's initial provisional permit, the applicant may
				apply and submit the fee in Rule
				2.1 for an extension of up to
				90-days under the existing provisional permit only if proof is provided of
				having taken and failed a Board Comprehensive Examination during the initial
				period of the provisional permit. A maximum of two (2) 90-day periods under a
				provisional permit may be authorized to each applicant.
C. Reciprocity for an applicant to the Board
				is defined, as follows:
1. From a regulated
				State:
Must be licensed and in good standing with the State
				  regulatory Board (excludes grandfathering):
must show proof of at least three (3) years work experience
				  as a massage therapist, must show proof of passing scores from a Board
				  Comprehensive Examination, must take and pass the Mississippi State Law
				  Examination (MSLE) offered by the Board, must submit a timeline of massage
				  therapy school enrollment and graduation, passage of a Board Comprehensive
				  Examination, work experience, and residency, and must submit certified
				  transcript(s) from a massage therapy school that includes the school's name,
				  state license number, physical address and mailing address if different,
				  telephone number and signed by the owner, director or administrator of the
				  school: For a massage therapy school that is nationally or regionally
				  accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, the
				  transcript has a minimum of 500 hours of in-class academic education. The
				  massage school must provide evidence of its current accreditation and be in
				  good standing with the accrediting body.
For a non-accredited massage therapy school, the transcript
				  is subject to verification of educational content relative to current
				  curriculum and instruction requirements for an approved massage therapy school.
				  The applicant may be required to obtain additional hours of training up to the
				  current requirements from an approved massage therapy school.
For a school that is currently not approved by one or more of
				  that state's massage regulatory body, or the National Certification Board for
				  Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or the Federation of State Massage Therapy
				  Boards, the transcript will not be valid for licensure.
For a massage therapy school that has ceased operation, the
				  transcript must be provided by a third party that is acceptable to the Board,
				  such as the custodian of the school's records, or that state's massage
				  regulatory body, or the National Certification Board for
Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or the Federation of State
				  Massage Therapy Boards.
2.
				From a non-regulated State:
Must show proof of at least three (3) years work experience
				  as a massage therapist, must show proof of passing scores from a Board
				  Comprehensive Examination, must take and pass the Mississippi State Law
				  Examination (MSLE) offered by the Board, and
must submit a timeline of massage therapy school enrollment
				  and graduation, passage of a Board Comprehensive Examination, work experience,
				  and residency, and must submit certified transcript(s) from a massage therapy
				  school that includes the school's name, state license number, physical address
				  and mailing address if different, telephone number and signed by the owner,
				  director or administrator of the school: For a massage school that is
				  nationally or regionally accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S.
				  Department of Education, the transcript has a minimum of 500 hours of in-class
				  academic education. The massage school must provide evidence of its current
				  accreditation and be in good standing with the accrediting body. For a
				  non-accredited massage school, the transcript is subject to verification of
				  educational content relative to current in-class hours and courses for
				  Board-licensed massage schools. The applicant may be required to obtain
				  additional training up to the current requirements from a Board-approved
				  massage school.
For a school that is currently not approved by one or more of
				  that state's massage regulatory body, or the National Certification Board for
				  Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or the Federation of State Massage Therapy
				  Boards, the transcript will not be valid for licensure.
For a massage therapy school that has ceased operation, the
				  transcript must be provided by a third party that is acceptable to the Board,
				  such as the custodian of the school's records, or that state's massage
				  regulatory body, or the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage
				  and Bodywork, or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.