The Health Professionals Licensing Administration (HPLA) of the DC Department of Health (DOH) will mail you information on how to renew your license. Be sure that HPLA has your current contact information so you receive the renewal information on time. Renewals can be done online but you do need to register.

You must complete a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education (CEs) during the 2-year period between license renewals. 

Of the required minimum 12 CE hours, you need at least 9 massage-related CEs. Up to 3 CEs may be taken on-line, but 6 CEs must be in a hands-on, live setting.

Massage therapists in the greater Washington metro area are fortunate to have multiple opportunities for continuing education experiences, including:

• Local massage schools such at the Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage in Falls Church, VA and the Potomac Massage Training Institute in Silver Spring, MD that offer continuing education courses for all types of bodywork specialities.
• Local AMTA chapters for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia that sponsor CE classes for free or reduced cost for their AMTA members.
• AMTA National Convention concentrates networking, socializing, career and educational opportunities in one fabulous 4-day conference, allowing you to rack up 25+ CEs on a wide variety of bodywork topics.  This year's convention is in Denver, CO from September 17-20 and, with a registration fee of just $484, is by far the most cost-effective way of meeting your continuing education requirements.  Learn more. 
•  On-line sources -- convenient, but make sure they are with a NCTMB approved provider!  Learn more about how AMTA members get special rates on more than 50 on-line courses.

TIP: Download this worksheet to list all the CEs you've earned since January 2013 and see whether you need to take more.

Of the required minimum 12 CE hours, you must have at 3 CEs of Ethics.

On October 17, the AMTA-DC Chapter is sponsoring a workshop on "Self-Care as an Ethical Practice" which meets the continuing education requirement for ethics in massage therapy.  The cost is $10 for DC AMTA members.

TIP: Register now for "Self-Care as an Ethical Practice" on Oct. 17 

In 2013 the District of Columbia began requiring a criminal background check (CBC) for all licensed health providers, including massage therapists. This process involves filling out a form, paying a $50 fee, getting fingerprinted. and submitting all materials to HPLA. 

The CBC must be performed every 4 years, which means that current licensees don't need to be concerned about this until the next renewal period in 2017.

First-time applicants for a DC massage must obtain a CBC as part of the application process. Information regarding the CBC can be found on the HPLA website.  

 Previously, DC massage therapists were required to be tested for tuberculosis (TB), but were not required to report the results. According to DC Massage Therapy Board Chair Cary Bland, the Massage Board, "recognized the uselessness of this requirement and did away with the mandatory TB test." Thanks Massage Board -- that's one less thing to worry about ! 

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