On March 30, 2022, Governor Inslee signed into law Senate Bill 5753 (SB 5753), which increased the number of members on the Washington Board of Massage (Board) from four to seven. The Department of Health and Health Systems Quality Assurance Division is now accepting applications from licensed massage therapists to fill professional member vacancies.
Effective June 9, 2022, a qualified massage therapist applying for an appointment as a professional member on the Board must be a Washington resident, be licensed under Chapter 18.108 RCW, have at least three years of massage therapy experience, and remain a licensed massage therapist during their term on the Board.
Qualified and interested individuals can apply for an appointment to the Board online. All applications must be completed and submitted online. When filling out the application form, indicate that you are applying for the Massage Examining Board.
The purpose of the Board is to:
- Protect public health and safety
- Study issues affecting massage therapy
- Regulate the competency and quality of massage therapy practitioners
Board member responsibilities include:
- Define, evaluate, and approve massage therapy schools and programs to prepare students for the licensing examination
- Review approved schools and programs periodically
- Develop rules to establish standards and procedures for approving courses of study
- Policy making, including adopting rules relevant to massage therapy licensure
Apply for an appointment to the Board and help shape the massage therapy profession in Washington State. If you have any questions about serving on the Board, please email massage.therapy@doh.wa.gov.