The Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) was created to facilitate professional mobility while ensuring public protection. It gives qualified, licensed massage therapists the freedom to work in IMpact member states with one multistate license — supporting modern practice needs, professional mobility, and public confidence.
The IMpact empowers massage therapists to practice across state lines without repeating licensing processes — making it easier to follow your opportunities, clients, and calling.
The IMpact helps employers meet growing demand by increasing access to qualified therapists who can legally work in multiple states, reducing hiring delays and workforce shortages.
The IMpact aligns education with professional opportunity — giving graduates the ability to build careers that are not limited by state borders.
The IMpact promotes unity, transparency, and collaboration, creating a shared framework that supports access to massage therapy.
The IMpact ensures that anyone seeking massage therapy receives care from qualified, licensed professionals who meet consistent national standards.
Yes. Documented continuing education can be applied toward the total when determining equivalency, subject to Commission rules.
No.
Participation in an interstate compact requires states to enact compatible legislation establishing the same compact framework.
Different statutory language creates a separate legal framework rather than expanding the existing compact.
A detailed comparison of the two versions found that the changes do not improve the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact).
The Interstate Massage Compact wasn't created overnight. It was developed over nearly three years through a national process led by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), working with the Council of State Governments (CSG), the U.S. Department of Defense, state licensing boards, legislators, educators, employers, military representatives, professional organizations, and many other stakeholders. Every part of the compact was carefully designed to support interstate mobility while protecting the public.
Although some of the proposed changes may sound appealing at first, the analysis found they do not expand interstate mobility and may actually make it harder for the compact to adapt as the profession changes over time.
One example is the new education and licensure pathway written directly into the legislation. While it was intended to allow more therapists to qualify, putting those requirements into state law makes them much harder to change in the future. If new public protection concerns emerge — such as human trafficking, fraudulent credentials, or better ways to measure competency — the Compact Commission would have much less flexibility to respond quickly. Instead, every participating state could have to pass new legislation before changes could be made.
The proposed changes also limit the Commission's ability to recognize future nationally accepted licensing examinations or other equivalent pathways as the profession evolves.
Most importantly, the changes do not build on the existing Interstate Massage Compact. Instead, they create a different compact model. Rather than bringing more states together under one compact, the profession now has two separate legislative frameworks. That makes it more difficult — and likely takes longer — to achieve the shared goal of a functioning multistate license for massage therapists.
The goal of IMpact has always been simple: one interstate compact that gives qualified massage therapists the freedom to practice across participating states while maintaining strong public protection. Based on the analysis, keeping one consistent compact is still the best path to making that goal a reality.
The easiest way is to compare it with the model legislation published on massagecompact.org.
If the language differs materially from the legislation published on this website, it is not the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact™) enacted by the current member states.
If you are unsure whether legislation is the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact), we encourage you to contact us before introducing, supporting, or testifying on a bill.
Once the Compact Commission is operational the application procedure will be published. Until then, therapists can prepare by maintaining their home-state license in good standing, verifying or attaining 625 hours of education, and ensuring they have passed the national licensing exam.
Fees will be determined by each state and the Commission. They are expected to be comparable to current single-state renewal fees.
Yes. The 625-hour education requirement applies to individual therapists seeking a multistate license, not to state education requirements.
Applicants must:
The Commission will define “substantial equivalence” to ensure qualified long-practicing therapists can participate while maintaining safety standards.
You must reactivate your home state license first and reapply for multistate privileges as directed by Commission rules.
Like a driver’s license, the IMpact allows qualified massage therapists to practice in multiple member states with one multistate license — enhancing mobility and reducing administrative barriers.
The Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact™) is a specific piece of model legislation developed through the national interstate compact development process. The model language was created over nearly three years through a collaborative effort led by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) in partnership with the Council of State Governments (CSG) and the U.S. Department of Defense. State licensing boards, legislators, subject matter experts, professional organizations, educators, employers, military representatives, and other stakeholders all contributed to its development before the model legislation was finalized and made available for state adoption.
Since that process concluded, some organizations have promoted different compact legislation while referring to it as the Interstate Massage Compact or an "updated" version of the compact.
Because the language is different from the model legislation enacted by the current IMpact member states, this has created understandable confusion for legislators, regulators, employers, educators, and massage therapists.
To ensure you are reviewing the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact™), compare proposed legislation with the model legislation published on massagecompact.org. If you have questions about whether a bill reflects the Interstate Massage Compact, please contact us before introducing, supporting, or testifying on legislation.
The Entry-Level Analysis Project (ELAP) identified 625 hours as the minimum number of hours required for a basic massage therapy education. This standard reflects empirical data, national consensus, and public input.
No. Therapists meet their home state’s CE requirements but must follow each remote state’s laws and scope of practice.
Yes, if they meet licensure and regulatory requirements. Currently, California, Kansas, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wyoming are ineligible due to lack of state licensure.
FSMTB provides administrative and policy support to member boards through multiple programs (MBLEx, CE Registry, etc.). The IMpact complements these by enabling national license mobility while reinforcing FSMTB’s mission of supporting public protection.
All licensure and disciplinary information is encrypted, securely transmitted, and accessible only to authorized regulators.
Each member state continues to investigate and discipline under its laws. The Commission ensures that disciplinary information is shared quickly among member states.
Disciplinary actions are shared instantly through the IMpact data system. Other states can take reciprocal or protective actions as needed.
States can appeal or challenge rules through established procedures and retain the right to withdraw from the Compact if necessary.
To promote public protection, regulatory collaboration, and workforce mobility, ensuring qualified professionals can practice across state lines while maintaining professional standards.
Regulators remain responsible for licensing, enforcement, and discipline within their state. They also serve on the Commission to guide policy and rulemaking.
Once seven states enact the Compact, the Commission will form, adopt rules, and build the data system. Multistate licenses are expected 12–18 months after Commission formation.
Interstate compacts derive their effectiveness from participating states enacting substantially the same statutory language.
Material differences may prevent states from participating within the same compact framework and can delay implementation of interstate licensure.
