Healthcare (Licensing)

H.623 replaces Vermont's current registration system for massage therapists, bodyworkers, and touch professionals with a new licensing requirement specifically for massage therapists. It ends registration for bodyworkers and touch professionals (effective July 1, 2027) and requires all massage therapists to obtain a license from the Office of Professional Regulation. The bill also mandates that any business offering massage services - such as spas, clinics, or salons - must be licensed as a "massage therapy establishment." Exemptions include students in massage education programs and licensed professionals practicing within their scope. The law prohibits unlicensed practice of massage or operating an unlicensed establishment.