Admissions

a)  No person may practice massage therapy in this state who is not a
licensed massage therapist or the holder of a valid provisional permit
issued by the division director pursuant to this chapter.
(b)  Any applicant for a license as a massage therapist must submit a
completed application  upon a form and in such manner as the board
prescribes, accompanied by applicable fees, and  evidence satisfactory
to the board that:
(1)  The applicant is at least 18 years of age;
(2)  The applicant has a high school diploma or its recognized
equivalent;
(3)  The applicant is a citizen of the United States or a permanent
resident of the United States;
(4)  The applicant is of good moral character. For purposes of this
paragraph, “good moral  character” means professional integrity and a
lack of any conviction for acts involving moral  turpitude where the
underlying conduct relates to the applicant’s fitness to practice
massage therapy;
(5)  The applicant has satisfactory results from a fingerprint record
check report conducted by the Georgia Crime Information Center and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, as determined by the board. Application
for a license under this Code section shall constitute express consent
and authorization for the board or its representative to perform a
criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application to
the board for licensure by examination agrees to provide the board with
any and all information necessary to run a criminal background check,
including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of fingerprints.  Such
applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with the
performance of such background check;
(6)  The applicant has completed successfully a board recognized massage
therapy educational program consisting of a minimum of 500 hours of
course and clinical work;
(7)  The applicant has passed satisfactorily the National Certification
Examination for  Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, the Massage and
Bodywork Licensing Exam  administered by the Federation of State Massage
Therapy Boards, an equivalent test  approved by the board, or an
examination administered by another state, territory, or  jurisdiction
whose license requirements meet or exceed those of this state; and
(8)  The applicant has and agrees to maintain continuously during the
term of licensure liability insurance coverage for bodily injury,
property damage, and professional liability in coverages and amounts of
not less than $1 million per occurrence, with not less than a minimum
annual aggregate of $3 million for all occurrences, as determined by the
board.