# 165: Multi-State Massage License: Coming Soon? (with Debra Persinger)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-thinking-practitioner-958450/165-multi-state-massage-license-coming-soon-with-debra-persinger
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-thinking-practitioner-958450/165-multi-state-massage-license-coming-soon-with-debra-persinger.md
Podcast: [The Thinking Practitioner](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-thinking-practitioner-958450)
Published: 2026-03-04T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.thethinkingpractitioner.com/e/165-the-multi-state-license-is-coming-with-deborah-persinger/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/hfmp6pm5g9wwgd6s/TTP_165_audio_202602236h51n.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-thinking-practitioner-958450/episodes/165-multi-state-massage-license-coming-soon-with-debra-persinger
Duration seconds: 2513

## Resource

🎙 The Interstate Massage Compact (with Deborah Persinger) Deborah Persinger is the Executive Director of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), and she joins Whitney on The Thinking Practitioner to break down one of the most significant regulatory developments in our profession’s history: the Interstate Massage Compact. If you’ve ever moved to a new state and had to navigate a whole new set of licensing requirements — or if you live near a state border and can’t legally work on the other side — this episode is for you. The compact would create a multi-state license allowing eligible massage therapists to practice across state lines without meeting separate requirements in each state. It’s already been adopted by five states, with two more needed to stand up the commission and make the license a reality. But there’s more at stake than portability. Deborah explains how the compact was carefully designed to address human trafficking in the massage profession — a daily reality for regulatory boards — and why the details of how the compact is written matter enormously for keeping bad actors out while making life easier for legitimate practitioners. ✨ Topics discussed include: Whitney and Deborah walk through the compact’s origins, the 625-hour education standard, the role of the Department of Defense, and the current obstacles to getting it across the finish line. • What the Interstate Massage Compact is — and how multi-state licensing works• The 625-hour education standard: where it came from and why it was chosen• Home state vs. remote state — how the compact defines where you practice• Why the Department of Defense supports the compact (military family portability)• The five states that have adopted so far: Nevada, Ohio, Arkansas, Virginia, and Montana•…

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