There are several ways a massage therapist or practitioner can be allowed to practice in Thousand Oaks, now that the state is providing certification.

Thousand Oaks had been the only government entity creating standards for local massage businesses until Senate Bill 731 was signed into law on Sept. 27, 2008, by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and became effective a year later.

After the bill became law, the California Massage Therapy Council, a nonprofit massage therapy organization, was founded to provide statewide voluntary massage certification.

The certification allows state-approved massage therapists to avoid having to meet various and often conflicting individual city massage therapy regulations.

An example is the different number of hours of experience neighboring cities require for massage workers to be allowed to perform their trade.

“Thousand Oaks has required 500 hours, with Camarillo and Oxnard requiring 300 hours,” said Heather Mowry, a massage therapist in Thousand Oaks.

Each city requires a person to provide fingerprints, fill out different forms and pay fees to that municipality to legally be allowed to massage someone within those city limits, she said.

“It seems like it would be easier to have state certification,” Mowry said.

Currently, a massage therapist might have to register and get a permit with two different cities or counties to simply work in two locations a few blocks apart, massage council officials said.

The state requires 500 hours or more of massage experience to be a certified massage therapist and 250 hours or more to be a certified massage practitioner.

Those who do not want to get the state certification can still legally work in Thousand Oaks by completing the city’s requirements.   According to Thousand Oaks’ municipal code, “massage means any method of pressure on, or friction against, or stroking, kneading, rubbing, tapping, pounding, or stimulating the external parts of the body with the hands or other parts of the body, with or without the aid of any mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliance, or with or without supplementary aids, such as rubbing alcohol, liniments, antiseptics, oils, powder, creams, lotions, ointments, or other similar preparations commonly used in this practice.”

In the city, yearly property licenses are required for any place people come to buy a massage unless it is a massage at a healthcare provider location.

Those individuals without state certification who charge people for massages in Thousand Oaks are also required to be annually licensed by the chief of police.

Both the state and the local government require background checks, photos and proof of training.

Whether the massage technician gets permission to practice in Thousand Oaks from the state or from the city, the local police have the authority to go into the establishment to monitor the business and make sure everyone has permits, Thousand Oaks Police Sgt. Don Aguilar said.

“Our No. 1 priority is to make sure everyone is doing their job with no criminal activity,” he said.

In Thousand Oaks massage establishments may be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. A list of services and the cost of each must be posted and easy to see and understand.      Records of the time and date of the massage along with the name and address of the customer and the name of the person giving the massage must be kept.      There must be a tub or a shower with hot and cold water and a toilet available for the customer to use. A sink with soap, towels and a trash can are also required.

Which body parts may be massaged along with which body parts can be used to perform a massage are also specified in the city’s ordinance.

Customers can find out if their massage technician is certified by going to www.camtc.com.

Massage practitioners who choose not to apply or who do not qualify for state certification are not prohibited from practicing in California if they pass local requirements.

The California State Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Barbering and Cosmetology is in charge of overseeing those who only perform foot massages.