A person who provides a certificate, transcript, diploma, or other document, or otherwise affirms that a person has received instruction in massage therapy knowing that the person has not received instruction in massage therapy or knowing that the person has not received massage therapy instruction consistent with that document or affirmation is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation, or imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
Miscellaneous CrimesMassage Therapy
Section § 628
This law makes it a misdemeanor for someone to falsely claim that a person has received proper massage therapy training when they have not. If you're caught providing fake credentials or affirmations regarding someone's massage therapy education, you could be fined up to $2,500 per violation, face up to a year in county jail, or both.
massage therapy education false certification fraudulent credentials
Section § 628.5
If someone is arrested for crimes related to massage therapy, such as prostitution, the arresting police can inform the California Massage Therapy Council about the person's massage therapy education. This includes details like the name of the school they attended.
For any person that is criminally prosecuted for a violation of law in connection with massage therapy, including for crimes relating to prostitution, the arresting law enforcement agency may provide to the California Massage Therapy Council, created pursuant to Section 4600.5 of the Business and Professions Code, information concerning the massage therapy instruction received by the person prosecuted, including the name of the school attended, if any.
massage therapy arrest prostitution-related crimes law enforcement
