687.011 Definitions.
(4)(a) “Massage,” “massage therapy” or “bodywork” 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 or 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.
(b) “Massage,” “massage therapy” and “bodywork” do not include the use of high-velocity, short-amplitude manipulative thrusting procedures to the articulations of the spine or extremities.
(5)(a) “Massage facility” means a facility where a person engages in the practice of massage.
687.021 Practice of massage without license prohibited; operation of massage facility without permit prohibited; injunction against violation. (1) A person may not:
(a) Engage in or purport to engage in the practice of massage without a massage therapist license issued by the State Board of Massage Therapists under ORS 687.051.
(b) Operate a massage facility or purport to operate a massage facility without a permit issued by the board under ORS 687.059, unless the person is an individual massage therapist who is working out of the individual’s home.
(c) Advertise that the person engages in the practice of massage unless the person is licensed under ORS 687.051 or holds a permit under ORS 687.059.
(d) Use the word “massage” in a business name unless the person is licensed under ORS 687.051 or holds a permit under ORS 687.059.
(2) The board may exempt by rule a type of massage facility from the prohibition in subsection (1)(b) of this section if the board finds that requiring a permit for that type of facility is not necessary to regulate the practice of massage therapy or to protect the health and safety of the public.
(3) The Attorney General, the prosecuting attorney of any county or the board may maintain an action for an injunction against a person violating this section. An injunction may be issued without proof of actual damages sustained by a person. An injunction does not relieve a person from criminal prosecution for violating this section or from any other civil, criminal or disciplinary remedy.
(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.
(j) Practitioners who:
(A) Do not claim expressly or implicitly to be massage therapists;
(B) Limit their work to one or more of the following practices:
(i) Using touch, words and directed movement to deepen awareness of existing patterns of movement and suggest new possibilities of movement;
(ii) Using minimal touch over specific points on the body to facilitate balance in the nervous system; or
(iii) Using touch to affect the energy systems or channels of energy of the body;
(C) Are certified by a professional organization or credentialing agency that:
(i) Requires a minimum level of training, demonstration of competence and adherence to an approved scope of practice and ethical standards; and
(ii) Maintains disciplinary procedures to ensure adherence to the requirements of the organization or agency; and
(D) Provide contact information in the practitioner’s place of business for any organization or agency that has certified the practitioner.
State Board of Massage Therapists
610 Hawthorne Ave SE, Suite 220
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-365-8657
Fax: 503-385-4465
Email: obmt.info@state.or.us
