Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in South Dakota – Schools, Salary, and License Info

South Dakota massage therapists need to be 18 years old, take a training course and pass an exam.

Read more below in order to get acquainted with the requirements.

Training Requirements

You will need to complete 500 hours of training within an accredited program.

A school can get either get national accreditation, board accreditation or agency accreditation by one that is mentioned below:

Popular Programs

• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
• Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSCT)
• Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
• Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
• Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
• Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS)

The training hours should be split as follows:

• Body systems/ anatomy/ physiology/ kinesiology: 125 hours
• Massage and bodywork theory/ application/ assessment: 200 hours
• Pathology: 40 hours
• Business and ethics: 10 hours, from which 6 hours must be on ethics

The remaining hours are to be covered by the theory.

Testing Criteria

The exams offered for licensing are the MBLEx and the NBCA Certification Exam.

The MBLX requires the reading of the candidate bulletin along with a $195 fee.

The application can be downloaded from the Board’s site, and the ATT will allow you to take the exam for 3 months.

The NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Examination is focused on specialized training, like orthopedic assessment and scientific theory.

The test allows the practitioner to work in clinical settings and must become a member of the American Medical Massage Association.

The test costs $175 and is available in university assessment centers.

You should sign up for one month before you want to take the exam.

While waiting to take the test, you can ask for a temporary permit that will last for 6 months and costs $50.

How to apply

To take the exam, you need to submit official transcripts and a verification form filled in by your school.

This needs to include details about the course, the number of hours attended and also needs to be legalized.

You also need to send a copy of your driver’s license, and proof of a $250,000 liability policy.

The application costs $75, and the license costs $45.

Candidates from other states

If you trained in another state, you can receive a reciprocity license if you the proof you finished high school and have the appropriate training.

You will also get your license and credentials reviewed by the Board.

The Board will also verify your licensing exam.

Other info

For more info on licensing, visit the site of South Board of Massage Therapy.

To keep in touch with the industry changes, check out the South Dakota Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association.

Don’t forget that your license has to be renewed every year.

Though the salary can vary depending on many things, you can get an idea of what your income will be from the next table.

Regional Salary in South Dakota

Massage Therapy by State