Frequently Asked Questions

Effective September 1, 2013, licensed massage therapists must attach to the displayed license a 2 by 2 inch photograph of the individual whose name appears on the certificate. The photograph must have been taken within the previous two years.

Yes. Massage therapists may add a colonic irrigation certification to a massage therapist license. While there are many other professional certifications, no other certifications are officially recognized under Florida law.

Yes. Massage therapists are required to display their licenses when working in a massage establishment A photocopy of the license may be displayed in lieu of the original license. All displayed licenses must also have a photograph of the licensee affixed to the license.

Yes. Massage therapists are required to report all criminal convictions even if the adjudication was withheld and pleadings of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest) within 30 days of the entry of the conviction or plea.

Yes. Massage therapists are responsible for knowing if the massage establishment they are working in is licensed and can be disciplined for working in an unlicensed establishment.

If you are unsure whether a massage establishment is properly licensed, we would encourage you to search for a license by establishment name or address using the Department of Health’s license verification portal.

No. A massage therapist license is required to practice massage therapy in the state of Florida.

Massage is defined in Chapter 480.033(3), Florida Statutes as

…the manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body with the hand, foot, arm, or elbow, whether or not such manipulation is aided by hydrotherapy, including colonic irrigation, or thermal therapy; any electrical or mechanical device; or the application to the human body of a chemical or herbal preparation.

Body wrapping is regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and is defined in Chapter 477.013(12), Florida Statutes as

…a treatment program that uses herbal wraps for the purposes of cleansing and beautifying the skin of the body, but does not include:
(a) The application of oils, lotions, or other fluids to the body, except fluids contained in presoaked materials used in the wraps; or
(b) Manipulation of the body’s superficial tissue, other than that arising from compression emanating from the wrap materials.

The practice of massage without a massage therapist license is a violation of Florida Statutes, and may carry penalties including citation and fines, administrative action, or criminal prosecution.

If you believe a person is practicing massage without a license or a massage therapist is practicing beyond the definition above, we encourage you to file a complaint with the Department of Health.

No. A massage therapist license is required to practice massage therapy in the state of Florida, though cosmetologists, full specialists, and barbers can perform massage related to the hands, feet, and scalp in accordance with their practice acts.

Massage is defined in Chapter 480.033(3), Florida Statutes as

…the manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body with the hand, foot, arm, or elbow, whether or not such manipulation is aided by hydrotherapy, including colonic irrigation, or thermal therapy; any electrical or mechanical device; or the application to the human body of a chemical or herbal preparation.

Cosmetology and specialties thereunder are regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and are defined in Chapter 477.013, Florida Statutes. Barbering is also regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and is defined in Chapter 476.034, Florida Statutes.

The practice of massage without a massage therapist license is a violation of Florida Statutes, and may carry penalties including citation and fines, administrative action, or criminal prosecution.

If you believe a person is practicing massage without a license or a massage therapist is practicing beyond the definition above, we encourage you to file a complaint with the Department of Health.

Yes. A photocopy of a massage therapist license may be displayed. A photograph of the licensee must be affixed to the photograph.

Yes, if they are certified to do so. This certification is shown as “COLONIC” on the face of the license of a certified massage therapist, and can be verified using the Department of Health’s license verification portal.

No. A massage therapist may not practice in a massage establishment whose license is delinquent.

Yes, in some circumstances. 480.043(14), Florida Statutes provides exemption from the requirement of massage establishment licensing when working in a physician’s (MD, DO, or DC) place of practice if the massage therapist is practicing on the physician’s patients:

Except for the requirements of subsection (13), this section does not apply to a physician licensed under chapter 457, chapter 458, chapter 459, or chapter 460 who employs a licensed massage therapist to perform massage on the physician’s patients at the physician’s place of practice. This subsection does not restrict investigations by the department for violations of chapter 456 or this chapter.

Yes, in specific locations listed in statute.

Chapter 480.046(1)(o), Florida Statutes provides places where a massage therapist may work outside a massage establishment:

(1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary action, as specified in s. 456.072(2):
(o) Practicing massage at a site, location, or place which is not duly licensed as a massage establishment, except that a massage therapist, as provided by rules adopted by the board, may provide massage services, excluding colonic irrigation, at the residence of a client, at the office of the client, at a sports event, at a convention, or at a trade show.

Chapter 480.043(14), Florida Statutes provides additional exemption when working in a physician’s (MD, DO, or DC) place of practice when practicing on the physician’s patients:

Except for the requirements of subsection (13), this section does not apply to a physician licensed under chapter 457, chapter 458, chapter 459, or chapter 460 who employs a licensed massage therapist to perform massage on the physician’s patients at the physician’s place of practice. This subsection does not restrict investigations by the department for violations of chapter 456 or this chapter.