(1)(a) No person may practice or represent himself or herself as a massage therapist without first applying for and receiving from the department a license to practice. However, this subsection does not prohibit a certified reflexologist from practicing reflexology.

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Terms Used In Washington Code 18.108.030

  • Certified reflexologist: means an individual who is certified under this chapter. See Washington Code 18.108.010
  • Massage therapist: means an individual licensed under this chapter. See Washington Code 18.108.010
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
  • Reflexology: means a health care service that is limited to applying alternating pressure with thumb and finger techniques to reflexive areas of the lower one-third of the extremities, feet, hands, and outer ears based on reflex maps. See Washington Code 18.108.010
(b) A person represents himself or herself as a massage therapist when the person adopts or uses any title or any description of services that incorporates one or more of the following terms or designations: Massage, massage practitioner, massage therapist, massage therapy, therapeutic massage, massage technician, massage technology, massagist, masseur, masseuse, myotherapist or myotherapy, touch therapist, reflexologist except when used by a certified reflexologist, acupressurist, body therapy or body therapist, or any derivation of those terms that implies a massage technique or method.
(2)(a) No person may practice reflexology or represent himself or herself as a reflexologist by use of any title without first being certified as a reflexologist or licensed as a massage therapist by the department.
(b) A person represents himself or herself as a reflexologist when the person adopts or uses any title in any description of services that incorporates one or more of the following terms or designations: Reflexologist, reflexology, foot pressure therapy, foot reflex therapy, or any derivation of those terms that implies a reflexology technique or method. However, this subsection does not prohibit a licensed massage therapist from using any of these terms as a description of services.
(c) A person may not use the term “certified reflexologist” without first being certified by the department.

NOTES:

Effective date2016 c 41: See note following RCW 18.108.010.
FindingPurposeRulesEffective date2012 c 137: See notes following RCW 18.108.005.