The emergency order was issued after TDLR found reasonable cause to believe the school engaged in serious violations of state law and rules, including falsifying student records and failing to meet required education and attendance standards. A TDLR inspection revealed that the school failed to terminate students who had not accrued any clock hours for months, granted academic credit before students obtained required Massage Student Permits, and submitted records showing attendance and hours for time periods that had not yet occurred. TDLR determined that immediate action was necessary to protect public health and safety.

The Department also identified broader public safety concerns. The school’s practices enabled individuals to obtain massage therapy licenses without completing required training. TDLR further identified connections between individuals associated with the school and illicit massage businesses, including establishments where evidence of human trafficking was observed.

TDLR is proactively working to assist legitimate students impacted by the closure by providing guidance on how to verify completed education hours and continue the licensure process.

“Massage therapy is a respected profession that plays an important role in the health and wellness of Texans,” said TDLR Executive Director Courtney Arbour. “We will not tolerate fraudulent conduct that undermines that profession or puts the public at risk. At the same time, we are committed to supporting students who followed the law and holding bad actors accountable.”

This action is part of TDLR’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and shut down illicit massage businesses operating under the guise of legitimate establishments.

Under the emergency order, the school must immediately cease operations and may not provide massage education services in Texas unless otherwise authorized.

The readoption notice was published in the March 13, 2026 issue of the Texas Register (51 TexReg 7120).

• New Laser Hair Removal Rules
• Texas DSHS Proposed Rules Relating to Vision, Hearing and Spinal Screenings Now Open For Comment
• Proposed Rule Changes Will Affect Texas SLP Assistants and Supervisors
• Expert Witnesses Needed In Several Programs

• 89th Legislative Session Recap
• Rule Amendments For Multiple Professions Proposed And Adopted Recently
• HHSC Revises Human Trafficking Prevention Training Standards
• TDLR Begins Process To Acquire New Licensing Database System
• Changes to Temporary License Eligibility For Athletic Trainers
• Podiatry Radiation Tech Registration Update
• Hearing Instrument Fitters And Dispensers New Continuing Education Requirements

A licensed massage school may offer scholarships to prospective students to reduce the cost of attendance. A scholarship may be provided at the time of enrollment and cannot include conditions or a commitment to perform massage therapy or other massage therapy services. Scholarships may be based upon need, academics, or other qualifying criteria set forth by the school. Terms of the scholarship must be published and disclosed to prospective students by the school in the written policy relating to the methods of payment available to enrolling students. A scholarship may be in the form of a grant, payment, or discount to the scholarship awardee to be used for payment of tuition, fees, and related expenses.

A licensed massage school may not require repayment of a scholarship or condition a scholarship on terms that require the student to agree to an extended internship or to work in a specific licensed massage establishment. A scholarship is a grant, payment, or discount that is not required to be repaid.

Any funds received from the student, or on behalf of the student, must be recorded in a format that is current and readily accessible to department representatives. Receipts shall be issued to the student. The funding source and the reason for the charges shall be clearly identified on both the school’s record and the student’s receipt.

A massage school may not allow a student to engage in the unlicensed practice of massage to pay for tuition, fees, or other charges associated with the student’s massage therapy education. A massage school shall not allow a student to receive any form of compensation for massage therapy or other massage services.

Internships

An internship program must provide a student with a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on massage therapy experience at the location of the student’s enrollment. The internship must be completed at a licensed massage school. The student may not begin any internship hours prior to the successful completion of 250 hours of supervised course instruction, including successful completion of at least 100 hours of massage therapy techniques and theory. During the hands-on experience during the internship, a TDLR-licensed massage therapy instructor must be available on the premises of the massage school and be immediately available to the students.

A massage school shall not require a student to advertise for clients or to obtain clients as part of the internship program. A massage school shall schedule instruction and internship clients so that the students will be able to complete the program during the length of time stipulated in the pre-enrollment information.

Advertisements seeking prospective students must include the full, correct name of the school and the license number and indicate that only training is being offered not that the school is seeking prospective employees. A massage therapy school cannot require students to enter into a commitment to work for specific establishments for payment of tuition, fees or any other charges, upon their graduation from a massage therapy school.

All massage therapy schools in Texas are required to provide prospective students with information regarding the content of a massage therapy course of instruction including but not limited to:

• the length of time required for completion of the program
• a notice stating the minimum number of hours of instruction required for the student to become eligible for licensure, and other details including internship hours.
• the schedule of tuition, fees, and other charges

After providing this information to the prospective student, the school is required to give the prospective student a reasonable amount of time to review the materials before signing the enrollment agreement and department-approved acknowledgement form used to verify receipt of all required information.

School Curriculum

TDLR approves only the minimum 500-hour course of instruction required for licensure as a massage therapist as provided in Tex. Occ. Code § 455.156. Upon approval, TDLR generates a certificate of approval for the school’s 500-hour curriculum, along with the massage therapy school license. In accordance with 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 117.59, a school is required to follow the curriculum outline prescribed for the minimum 500-hour supervised course of instruction.

Payment of Tuition

A massage school is required to develop and implement a written policy relating to the methods of payment available to enrolling students. Students cannot be held liable for any tuition, fees or other charges not disclosed in the policy at the time of enrollment.

If student financing is available through any form of arrangement or agreement between the school and a lending institution, the complete terms of the arrangement must be disclosed in the policy:

• all charges
• true annual percentage rates
• name, and address of the lending institutions must be disclosed in the policy.

Scholarships

A licensed massage school may offer scholarships to prospective students to reduce the cost of attendance. A scholarship may be provided at the time of enrollment and cannot include conditions or a commitment to perform massage therapy or other massage therapy services. Scholarships may be based upon need, academics, or other qualifying criteria set forth by the school. Terms of the scholarship must be published and disclosed to prospective students by the school in the written policy relating to the methods of payment available to enrolling students. A scholarship may be in the form of a grant, payment, or discount to the scholarship awardee to be used for payment of tuition, fees, and related expenses.

A licensed massage school may not require repayment of a scholarship or condition a scholarship on terms that require the student to agree to an extended internship or to work in a specific licensed massage establishment. A scholarship is a grant, payment, or discount that is not required to be repaid. 

Any funds received from the student, or on behalf of the student, must be recorded in a format that is current and readily accessible to department representatives. Receipts shall be issued to the student. The funding source and the reason for the charges shall be clearly identified on both the school’s record and the student’s receipt.

A massage school may not allow a student to engage in the unlicensed practice of massage to pay for tuition, fees, or other charges associated with the student’s massage therapy education. A massage school shall not allow a student to receive any form of compensation for massage therapy or other massage services.

Internships

An internship program must provide a student with a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on massage therapy experience at the location of the student’s enrollment. The internship must be completed at a licensed massage school. The student may not begin any internship hours prior to the successful completion of 250 hours of supervised course instruction, including successful completion of at least 100 hours of massage therapy techniques and theory. During the hands-on experience during the internship, a TDLR-licensed massage therapy instructor must be available on the premises of the massage school and be immediately available to the students.

A massage school shall not require a student to advertise for clients or to obtain clients as part of the internship program. A massage school shall schedule instruction and internship clients so that the students will be able to complete the program during the length of time stipulated in the pre-enrollment information.

Advertisements seeking prospective students must include the full, correct name of the school and the license number and indicate that only training is being offered not that the school is seeking prospective employees. A massage therapy school cannot require students to enter into a commitment to work for specific establishments for payment of tuition, fees or any other charges, upon their graduation from a massage therapy school.

89th Texas Legislature Convenes In January
FDA Authorizes First Over-The-Counter Hearing Aid Software
Multiple Rule Amendments Adopted
Health Professions Word Scramble

• Proposed Rules
• TDLR Strategic Planning Process
• Closer Look at Athletic Trainer Examinations
• TDLR Makes University Visits

• Brian Francis Returns Temporarily To TDLR
• Rule Changes For Multiple Programs Approved
• Many Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Licensees Will Need To Resubmit Fingerprints
• Human Trafficking Awareness Month