First, know that receiving your massage therapy license means that your state, county, or local government is granting you permission to give massages and get paid for them.

Without this, (unless you live in one of the places that does not require it) you would be breaking the law if you gave massages and took money for your work.

Massage therapy is licensed in most states, counties, or locally because it is a requirement that has been passed into law by a body of lawmakers.

Once you have completed massage school, and you have been certified by your massage school, you will study and take your state exam, if the state in which you live requires it. Pay your fee, pass the test, and you become a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)!

Once you have your license, you must understand that it allows you to do a specific number of things only, depending upon your state's laws. This is called the scope of license or the scope of practice.

It tells you what services you can provide in your state and can also list some services that you cannot provide.

As a licensed massage therapist or LMT, it is your job to get a copy of the scope of your practice and to read it thoroughly and abide by it. Otherwise, it can be revoked.

Something very important to remember is that you do not have permission to diagnose clients!

I know it is tempting to think that you can handle figuring out what is wrong with a client after all of the anatomy and physiology you studied, but remember, we are not physicians. We are massage therapists. We deal with making the soft tissues of the body feel better, not diagnosis of the body.

If a client wants you to perform a service outside the scope of your practice, DO NOT DO IT! Instead, refer the client to the proper health care provider or his/her own physician if you are not sure where to refer the client.