Do You Need a License for Reiki in New Hampshire?

Yes. New Hampshire defines massage as a system of structured touch, including holding, pressure, positioning or causing movement, by manual means, to promote health and well-being. That is broad enough to include hand placements. The law then exempts anyone who uses energy or superficial touch to affect the energy systems of the human body within a profession with established standards and ethics, and it names reiki, polarity therapy, therapeutic touch and Bowen therapy.

The exemption holds only if your services are not designated as or implied to be massage or massage therapy.

Yes. The exemption expressly covers using energy as well as superficial touch, so no-touch Reiki is covered by name. Distance work is not mentioned, and it is not massage.

The medical practice act covers anyone who diagnoses, treats or prescribes for any disease or human ailment, so describe your sessions in terms of relaxation, balance and well-being.

For the massage law, yes. It prohibits acting or advertising as a massage therapist for compensation without a license, and it defines compensation as money, goods, services or other things of value, or a promise of them. The medical practice definition has no payment element.

Do not act or advertise as a massage therapist. The law lists titles a massage therapist may use, including massage therapist, massage practitioner, bodywork practitioner, bodyworker, muscle therapist, massotherapist and somatic therapist practitioner, so leave these out of your materials.

You lose the Reiki exemption if you call or imply your work is massage. Under the medical practice act, do not diagnose, treat or prescribe for disease.