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Frequently Asked Questions


 

​If your initial license was issued less than TWO (2) YEARS ago, this is your first renewal.​

​SUPERVISED HOURS:

Per OAR 334-001-0060 (44) "Supervised hours" means actual hours in class under the instruction of and in the physical presence of an instructor; or an interactive distance learning course.

Interative Distance Learning Courses include live, interactive webinars or online courses where a message board system (or similar) is used for required interactive with other students or the instructor in order to complete the course.


UNSUPERSIVED HOURS: 

Per OAR 334-001-0060 (45) "Unsupervised hours" means education hours independently acquired outside the presence of an instructor.

​SUPERVISED HOURS:

Per OAR 334-001-0060 (44) "Supervised hours" means actual hours in class under the instruction of and in the physical presence of an instructor; or an interactive distance learning course.

Interative Distance Learning Courses include live, interactive webinars or online courses where a message board system (or similar) is used for required interactive with other students or the instructor in order to complete the course.


UNSUPERSIVED HOURS: 

Per OAR 334-001-0060 (45) "Unsupervised hours" means education hours independently acquired outside the presence of an instructor.​

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​Provide a copy of each certificate of completion, letter of verification, or official/unofficial transcript. You must retain the originals for your records for 5 years.

If the CE is completed through self-guided instruction you will need to write a one-paragrah summary of what you learned. Including identifying information such as, book/dvd/video title, author/presenter, completion date and hours spent on the review of the materials. 

​CE hours are calculated as1 hour of instruction or study equals 1 CE.

​Active status means you may practice massage in the State of Oregon. 

 Inactive status means your license is on "hold".  Inactive licensees may not advertise or practice massage in the State of Oregon. you much renew your Inactive license every TWO (2) years. In order to maintain an inactive status, 

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​There are several reasons why an LMT may not be able to log into the online renewal page. The most common problem is that the log-in requires a specific format. To log in, LMTs must enter their license number, DOB and last four digits of their SSN. HOWEVER, the LMT must enter “LMT-“before their license number. For example “LMT-00000” If the LMT- is not entered, the system will tell the LMT either the last 4 of the SSN is incorrect, or “Record not found.” The other common issue with logging in is the Date of Birth (DOB). LMTs must enter the “/s” in the DOB. To log in successfully, enter the slashes in the birthdate. Example: 01/01/1901. If these suggestions are followed, an LMT should be able to log into the online renewal with no problems.​ 

​Surprisingly you do not have to take an Ethics class as CE every renewal cycle. Actually, the requirement is for Ethics, Communications or Boundaries. This leaves a great many subjects available for LMTs to take that would meet the requirement. For instance, Public Speaking, Speech, Foreign Languages, American Sign Language and Interpersonal Communications are just some examples of what may be taken to meet this CE requirement. Classes that improve your oral or written communication skills will be considered. If you have any questions about a possible subject, please feel free to contact the board at OBMT.Info@state.or.us

 

Actually, the requirement is for Ethics, Boundaries or Communications. This leaves a great many subjects available for LMTs to take that would meet the requirement. For instance, the following classes are examples in each area:

Ethics: Ethics & Professional Conduct for LMTs, Ethics of Client Centered Presence, Embodied Ethics.

Boundaries: Mastering the Art of Boundaries, Setting and Maintaining Boundaries, Boundaries and Ethics for LMTs

Communications: Public Speaking, Speech, Foreign Languages, American Sign Language and Interpersonal Communications. Classes that improve your oral or written communication skills will be considered.

 

The required hours may also be part of an existing class as long as they are outlined as a separate section in the syllabus with hours specified. Hours are only accepted in hour increment.

 

These are just some examples of what may be taken to meet this CE requirement. If you have any questions about a possible subject, please feel free to contact the board at OBMT.Info@state.or.us​

Complete and submit the online renewal with the appropriate status request.  Proof of current CPR, payment of fee(s), and any additional documentation that may be requested.

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​Your renewal is due the first day of the month of your expiration date.  Your renewal form must be postmarked no later than the first day of your birth month (NOT your actual birthday) in order to avoid the assessment of late fees.  Late fees begin to accrue on the second day of the month at a rate of $25.00 per week up to the maximum amount of $100.00.

​As a courtesy, the OBMT sends license renewal postcard reminders to the mailing address on file.  However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the LMT to be sure that they have renewed ontime.

​Making the appropriate changes on your renewal updates your information in the renewal system.  If you have a change of name, please make certain to mail or fax either a copy of a current Driver’s License or a copy of the court document legalizing the change.

​Retain all originals of your continuing education certificate(s). When it is time to renew, list your CE's in the online renewal system or printed renewal form and retain the original CE certificates incase you are chosen for a CE audit

​Yes. All renewals requesting active status are required to include proof of current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR.  You may use hours spent to obtain your BLS CPR toward your CE requirements.  Online BLS CPR courses are acceptable. While First Aid is not required, you may use these hours towards your CE requirements.  You will need to provide the expiration date of the card as proof of completion, or if chosen for a CE audit you will be required to provide a copy of the CPR card. 

​All Active LMTs are required to provide proof of 25 CE hours.  With the exception of supervised hours carried over from the prior license period, all CE must be obtained in the two years prior to your renewal due date. The total number of of CE hours required is 25 and the minimum number of "supervised hours" required is 8. At lease 4 supervised hours must be in Professional Ethics, Boundaries and/or Communication. The remaining 17 of 25 may be supervised or unsupervised hours. 

​All Continuing Education must be completed within the renewal period. Supervised hours taken in excess of the total number required may only be carried over to the next subsequent renewal period. E.g. if you have taken 75 hours of CE’s in this renewal period and SUBMIT them to the board for renewal, then 25 CE’s would be used to renew your license and 25 CE’s will carry over. If you have taken 75 CE’s in this renewal period and submit 25 CE’s to the Board for renewal, the excess will not carry over and you will not be able to submit them at your next renewal period, because they would not have been taken during that renewal period.

​All initial license applicants, any licensee returning from a lapsed status and any licensee returning from an inactive status. *** AT THIS TIME, FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR MASSAGE LICENSE RENEWALS, UNLESS A LICENSEE IS RETURNING FROM AN INACTIVE OR LAPSED STATUS *** ​

​If you reside in the State of Oregon and other states in United States, you must have your fingerprint taken electronically. Please see the instruction below to schedule an appointment for your fingerprints to be taken electronically. An individual WILL NOT be issued an initial Oregon massage license without a completed fingerprint background check. ​

​You must pay $47.25 fingerprint processing fee before scheduling your appointment to have your prints taken electronically in the State of Oregon and other States in the United States of America. ​

​Once you have scheduled and have your fingerprints taken electronically with fieldprint, fieldprint submits your prints electronically to the Oregon State Police. The State Police performs an in-state background check and forwards the fingerprints to the FBI for a national background check. The FBI then returns the results to the Oregon State Police and the Oregon State Police return the results to the Board of Massage.​

​It can take up to 20 days for the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists to receive the fingerprint results from the Oregon State Police. ​

​You must schedule an appointment for your fingerprints to be taken electronically in the State of Oregon and other States in the United States of America with fieldprint.​

  *** Please be aware that there is a separate fee of $12.50, paid directly to fieldprint for obtaining electronic fingerprints. *** ​

​Yes. Agencies do not share this information and once completed, the fingerprints are destroyed. As a result, each agency is required to obtain their own fingerprint checks from the applicant.​

​No. The fingerprints are taken and submitted electronically by fieldprint.​

​The Board will send a letter to the applicant requesting additional information pertaining to the arrest or conviction. Additional information includes: Copies of police reports (obtained from the arresting agency), copies of judgments (documents from the courts indicating what was required), copies of settlement of judgment (documents from the courts indicating that all requirements have been met) and an explanation from the applicant pertaining to the event and, if not reported as required, why it was not reported to the Board as required.​

Arrests and/or convictions do not automatically disqualify someone from obtaining a license as an Oregon licensed massage therapist, however failure to accurately and adequately report may hinder or delay the licensure process. 

To schedule an electronic fingerprinting appointment in the State of Oregon, please follow these simple instructions:

1.        Visit www.FieldprintOregon.com 

2.        Click on the “Schedule an Appointment” button.

3.        Enter an email address under “New Users/Sign Up” and click the “Sign Up” button. Follow the instructions for creating a Password and Security Question and then click “Sign Up and Continue”

4.        Enter this Fieldprint Code: FPORMassTherapistsDAS

5.        Enter the contact and demographic information required by the FBI and schedule a fingerprint appointment at the location of your choosing. 

6.        At the end of the process, print the Confirmation Page. Take the Confirmation Page with you to your fingerprint appointment, along with two forms of identification.

7.        If you have any questions or problems, you may contact our customer service team at 877-614-4364 or customerservice@fieldprint.com ​


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​​Yes, you may order a copy of your license.  License reprints are $10 each.  You may order one or more copies by completing the online payment form.​​​

​Yes, there is a $10 fee for each license verification requested.  Typically, each state has their own form for our office to complete.  Please submit the required verification form with a $10 payment for each verification requested.​ You may also request a verification of licensure by Completing the Online Payment Form or using this Form.  Please be sure to include information on where you would like to have the license verification sent or send the board an email obmt.info@state.or.us​ with that information. ​

​You will need to provide either a copy of a current Driver's License or a copy of the court document that legalizes the change of name.  Note: It is not required that you request a reprint of your license to reflect the change of name.  However, you may order a license reprint by completing this form and sending it to the Board office with the appropriate payment.​

​Individuals with criminal records or convictions are not automatically barred from being licensed as massage therapists in the state of Oregon.  However, each case is reviewed individually before a decision is made and the determination is made based upon the facts of each case.  Consideration is given towards whether or not the crime bears a demonstrable relationship to the practice of massage.​

You should also be aware that the decision to accept application for licensure in the case of a prior criminal record will only be made at the time of application.  There is no guarantee that investing the time and money to pursue a career as a massage therapist would result in the issuance of a license. 


​Information pertaining to arrest matters requested at the time of application will be: 

Copies of police reports (obtained from the arresting agency) 

Copies of the judgment (documents from the courts detailing what was required of you) 

Copies of settlement of judgment (documents from the courts indicating that requirements have been met) 

Detailed statement from you indicating what occurred, how it was resolved and what you've learned from the situation. ​

​ALL arrests and/or convictions need to be reported to the Board.  This includes matters such as DUII, which may have been dismissed through diversion, or matters where the case was dismissed without a conviction.​

​ALL arrests that have occurred as an adult need to be reported.  ​

​OAR 334-010-0025 Practice of Massage  

(1) Massage treatment may include, but is not limited to: 

(a) Client intake and assessment; 

(b) Practice of massage or bodywork; 

(c) Post massage assessment and recommendation; and 

(d) Documentation. 

(2) Massage treatment does not include: 

(a) The application of high velocity/low amplitude force further defined as thrust techniques directed toward joint surfaces; 

(b) The use of equipment or devices that require a prescription; or 

(c) Making a medical diagnosis. 

​The Board regulates massage therapists and the people who make physical contact that falls under the definition of massage, with a client.  The Board does not regulate techniques.  As stated in ORS 687.011(4): “massage” or “massage therapy” means the use of pressure, friction, stroking, tapping or kneading on the human body, or the use of vibration or stretching on the human body by manual or mechanical means or gymnastics, with or without appliances such as vibrators, infrared heat, sun lamps and external baths and with or without lubricants such as salts, powders, liquids or creams for the purpose of but not limited to, maintaining good health and establishing and maintaining good physical condition. 

  

If the work you do does not involve touching the client or if the work you do does not fall under the definition of massage, the practitioner doing the work would not need to be regulated by this board. However, once contact is made with the client, the practitioner could be providing one or more of the components stated in the definition of massage and possibly be subject to disciplinary action by the Board if the practitioner is unlicensed. 

  

If you are concerned about the legal liabilities in relation to the work you do, it is recommended that you consult with your own legal counsel. 

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E​ffective January 1, 2008, there has been a specific exemption for the practice of Reflexology in Oregon.  The exemptions is as follows per ORS 687.031 (1)(i): Practitioners of reflexology who do not claim expressly or implicitly to be massage therapists and who limit their work to the practice of reflexology through the application of pressure with the thumbs to reflex points on the feet, hands and ears for the purpose of bringing the body into balance, thereby promoting the well-being of clients. 

If you are concerned about the legal liabilities in relation to the work you refer to, it is recommended that you consult with your own legal counsel.  ​

​If the intent of the treatment being used falls within the definition and scope of practice of massage, the equipment being used can be obtained by the general population or does not have restrictions on who may purchase the equipment and the equipment being used does not require a prescription, then it would be acceptable for a LMT to use the device or equipment.  

  

The Board would also expect that any LMT using any such devices would receive appropriate training on the use and operation of the equipment. ​

​This is not an issue of the OBMT.  You will want to contact the city that you are working in to determine the business licensing requirements. ​

​Division 20 of the Oregon Administrative Rules details the specific requirements for facilities and sanitation.  You will also want to contact the city that you work in to determine if there are any business licensing requirements.​

​As this board only has jurisdiction over those individuals practicing massage on the human body, it is not an issue that the OBMT would have. 

The Veterinary Board does have some requirements for an individual to practice animal massage, including a referral from a licensed veterinarian. You may want to contact the Veterinary Board to find out what the requirements are for individuals to practice animal massage.  

You can visit their web site at http://www.oregon.gov/OVMEB/, e-mail them at ovmeb.info@oregon.gov or call 971-673-0224. ​

​You can obtain a NPI number from  https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do​. Their phone number, if you have questions, is 1-800-465-3203.​