On Saturday, September 27, 2008 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into California law a voluntary certification program for massage therapists in the state.  While it does not provide for licensure, it does allow massage therapists to become certified by an organization approved by the state and avoid meeting various and often conflicting local massage therapy regulations. 

The law creates the Massage Therapist Organization and provides for the voluntary certification of massage therapists and massage practitioners by the state Organization.   The law does not define the massage therapy scope of practice and will be effective September 1, 2009.