Guide · Massage therapy clinics

What an RMT
site may say.

Registered massage therapists work under tighter advertising rules than most businesses in Ontario, and the College updated its standards again in September 2026. The biggest surprise for most clinic owners is the first rule below. Here is what applies to your website.

Published 2026-09-21 · Formory Group

The regulator is still the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO); as of September 2026 it has not been renamed or merged. Its advertising rules sit in two places. The first is Part II of the General Regulation under the Massage Therapy Act, 1991, which is law. The second is the College's Standard of Practice: Advertising and Social Media, approved on September 8, 2026 along with a revised Fees and Billing standard.

The regulation defines an advertisement as any representation to the public promoting services, and names the internet and other electronic media. Your website, social accounts and Google listing are all covered.

An advertisement about an RMT or their practice may not contain any testimonial by any person, including a client, a former client, or a friend or relative of one. There are no exceptions for consented or genuine testimonials, which is where RMTs differ from physiotherapists.

The standard goes further than the regulation: RMTs should take all reasonable steps to disable social media functions that allow testimonials, or remove the content, or disassociate it from pages related to their practice. In practice that means no review carousel on the home page, no "What our clients say" section, and no embedded review widget. Where a platform does not let you switch reviews off, do not reproduce or promote them in your own advertising, and ask the College how it views the listing.

Section 7(1) of the Massage Therapy Act, 1991 forbids anyone who is not registered with the College from using the title "Massage Therapist", or a variation, abbreviation or equivalent in another language. CMTO's titles policy lists the protected titles and trademarks that indicate registration: Massage Therapist (MT), Registered Massage Therapist (RMT), Massage Therapy, Therapeutic Massage, and their French equivalents.

For a spa or wellness business that employs both RMTs and unregistered practitioners, this matters on every page. Services performed by unregistered staff should not be described with those terms.

For RMTs themselves: use only the names shown on the College's public register, put the protected title before academic credentials, and do not display the CMTO logo on your website or social media, because it can imply an endorsement by the College. The RMT or RMTs primarily responsible for the practice must identify themselves as College members in the advertising.

An advertisement may not use any term, title or designation implying the RMT is qualified in a specialty of the profession. The College's titles policy adds that titles conferred by modality courses should not be used, because the public may read them as licensed specialties.

What the regulation does allow: a reference to the profession's scope of practice, a statement that you have additional training in a particular area, or a statement that your practice is restricted to a particular area. "Sports massage specialist" is out; "additional training in sports massage" is fine.

Anything false, misleading or deceptive. Factual information you cannot verify. A comparison with another practice that could reasonably be read as a claim of superiority. An express or implied endorsement of, or recommendation for the exclusive use of, a supplement, product or brand of equipment. Anything undignified or that may damage public confidence in the profession. Undue pressure or the promotion of unnecessary services.

One rule catches multi-location websites: an advertisement may only refer to a location in connection with an RMT if the RMT practises there. A location page that lists the whole team across every clinic breaks it.

The regulation also covers direct marketing. Any communication to a client or prospective client to solicit business must be appropriate to the context, respect the client's choice, involve no undue pressure and not promote unnecessary services. A "book your next three sessions now or lose the rate" email to past clients sits badly with that. If you send marketing email at all, Canada's anti-spam law applies as well; see our note on privacy policies and consent.

If your site mentions insurance receipts or direct billing, the revised Fees and Billing standard sets the rules behind that promise. A receipt may say "Massage Therapy treatment" and carry the RMT's registration number only for services within the scope of massage therapy that the RMT performed personally. Anything else must be receipted as what it was, without referring to massage therapy.

Gift cards have their own rule: the purchase receipt says "Gift Certificate or Gift Card" with the amount paid, and when it is redeemed, no receipt for that dollar amount may be issued. So a site that sells gift cards as a way to "use your benefits" is promising something the standard does not allow.

Before providing services, the RMT must tell the client if they are delisted with the client's insurance provider. Fees must be communicated before treatment and posted in the practice, and the standard forbids reducing fees in exchange for prompt payment. On the website, "insurance receipts available" is accurate only for treatments an RMT performs personally, and a direct-billing claim should name the insurers you actually bill.

Therapists listed by their registered names with RMT after each name; services described factually, with any extra training stated as training; a fees page; clear notes on receipts and direct billing; hours, location, accessibility and booking. The regulation specifically permits general information about location, accessibility, hours and services, which is most of what a client needs. Our guides to what belongs on a service business home page and online booking cover the rest.

This is a plain summary of the Massage Therapy Act General Regulation and CMTO standards as of September 2026, not legal or professional advice. The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario answers questions about specific wording.

• O. Reg. 544/94 (General) under the Massage Therapy Act, 1991 — Part II, Advertising
• CMTO — Standard of Practice: Advertising and Social Media (approved September 8, 2026)
• CMTO — Standard of Practice: Fees and Billing (approved September 8, 2026)
• CMTO — Policy: Use of Titles and Credentials
• CMTO — Standard Spotlight: Advertising and Social Media

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