Massage therapists in New Mexico must attend an approved massage school and pass their curriculum, take an exam and pass a background check in order to apply and be approved for a license to practice massage therapy. They will have their massage license on the wall of the office.
Z. “Massage therapy” means the treatment of soft tissues for therapeutic purposes, primarily comfort and relief of pain; it is a health care service that includes gliding, kneading, percussion, compression, vibration, friction, nerve strokes, stretching the tissue and exercising the range of motion and may include the use of oils, salt glows, hot or cold packs or hydrotherapy. Synonymous terms for massage therapy include massage, therapeutic massage, body massage, myomassage, bodywork, body rub or any derivation of those terms. “Massage therapy” does not include the diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease or any service or procedure for which a license to practice medicine, nursing, chiropractic, physical therapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture or podiatry is required by law.
A. The following are exempted from licensure by the board pursuant to the Massage Therapy Practice Act:
(1) qualified members of other recognized professions that are licensed or regulated under New Mexico law when rendering services within the scope of their licenses or regulations, provided that they do not represent themselves as massage therapists;
(2) students within the course of study of a registered massage therapy school; and
(3) sobadores; Hispanic traditional healers; Native American healers; reflexologists whose practices are limited to hands, feet and ears; practitioners of polarity, Trager approach, Feldenkrais method, craniosacral therapy, Rolfing structural integration, reiki, ortho-bionomy or ch’i gung; or practitioners of healing modalities not listed in this subsection who do not manipulate the soft tissues for therapeutic purposes.
B. An exempt practitioner who applies for a license pursuant to the Massage Therapy Practice Act shall comply with all licensure requirements of the act and rules of the board.
Massage Therapy Board
Toney Anaya Building, 2nd Floor
2550 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: 505-476-4622
Fax: 505-476-4620
Email: massage.board@state.nm.us
