Massage License Requirements
by State (2026)
A massage therapist license is issued state by state, not nationally — and the requirements to get one vary widely: training hours, which exam is accepted, first-time and renewal fees, and continuing-education rules are all set by each state’s own licensing board (or, in a handful of states, aren’t set by a licensing board at all). The table below is compiled directly from primary state sources and kept dated so you can see exactly when each row was last checked. Find your state to see the full breakdown.
51
Jurisdictions Covered
all 50 states + DC
47 of 51
Jurisdictions License Massage Therapists
$50–$379.75
First-Time Fee Range
based on 44 jurisdictions with published fees
Find Your State
- State license, MBLEx accepted (44)
- State license, own exam or no exam (3)
- No statewide license (4)
Massage License Requirements, State by State
Every row links to the full state page. States marked No state licensedon’t operate a statewide massage therapy licensing board — the training hours, fees, and CE figures shown for them are still real, sourced numbers for that state’s voluntary credential, not a placeholder.
| State | Training hours | Exam | Initial fee | CE hours | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 650 | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $150 | 16 | |
| Alaska | 625 | Nationally recognized competency exam approved by the Board — the MBLEx is confirmed accepted | $290 | 16 | |
| Arizona | 700 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $195 | 24 | |
| Arkansas | 500 | Arkansas Massage Therapy Law examination (state jurisprudence exam), required in addition to a national competency exam | $80 | 18 | |
| California No state license | 500 | No exam required | $300 | None | |
| Colorado | 650 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | — | None | |
| Connecticut | 750 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $379.75 | 24 | |
| Delaware | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $175 | 24 | |
| District of Columbia | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $177 | 14 | |
| Florida | 500 | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $100 | 24 | |
| Georgia | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $125 | 24 | |
| Hawaii | 570 | Hawaii State Massage License Exam (written clinical competency examination) | $50 | 12 | |
| Idaho | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $130 | None | |
| Illinois | 600 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $175 | 25 | |
| Indiana | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $100 | 24 | |
| Iowa | 600 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $120 | 16 | |
| Kansas No state license | — | No exam required | — | None | |
| Kentucky | 600 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $200 | 12 | |
| Louisiana | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $125 | 12 | |
| Maine | 500 | Examination sponsored by the NCBTMB or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB/MBLEx), or their successor/approved organizations | — | None | |
| Maryland | 750 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), plus the Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Jurisprudence Examination | $200 | 24 | |
| Massachusetts | 650 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | — | 3 | |
| Michigan | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $270.1 | 18 | |
| Minnesota No state license | — | No exam required | — | None | |
| Mississippi | 700 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), plus the mandatory Mississippi State Law Examination (MSLE) | $200 | 24 | |
| Missouri | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $125 | 12 | |
| Montana | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $140 | 12 | |
| Nebraska | 1000 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $110 | 16 | |
| Nevada | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $295 | 24 | |
| New Hampshire | 725 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $121 | 12 | |
| New Jersey | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $120 | 20 | |
| New Mexico | 650 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $75 | 16 | |
| New York | 1000 | New York State Massage Therapy Examination | $108 | 36 | |
| North Carolina | 650 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $150 | 24 | |
| North Dakota | 750 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $150 | 24 | |
| Ohio | 600 | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam) | $150 | None | |
| Oklahoma | 500 | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $100 | 10 | |
| Oregon | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam) or another board-approved written exam | $270 | 25 | |
| Pennsylvania | 600 | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensure Examination) | $100 | 24 | |
| Rhode Island | 800 | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $65 | 24 | |
| South Carolina | 650 | FSMTB examination (MBLEx) | $150 | 12 | |
| South Dakota | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam) | $65 | 8 | |
| Tennessee | 650 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $185 | 24 | |
| Texas | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $100 | 12 | |
| Utah | — | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $60 | None | |
| Vermont | — | No exam required | $275 | None | |
| Virginia | 500 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $140 | 24 | |
| Washington | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $210 | 24 | |
| West Virginia | 625 | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) | $300 | 24 | |
| Wisconsin | 600 | Nationally administered entry-level competency exam (typically the MBLEx) plus the Wisconsin Statutes and Rules Exam | — | 24 | |
| Wyoming No state license | — | No exam required | — | None |
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Recommended MBLEx exam prep
Formal prep pays for itself against a $265 retake. These are the resources we point candidates to for the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination). Read the full MBLEx exam-prep guide for what the exam covers, what it costs, and how to schedule it.
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Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Online Prep CourseA guided video course with instructor-led lessons, quizzes, and a study plan for the MBLEx — a subscription option for a more structured review.See the course →Starting your own practice in your state?
Working for yourself usually means a business entity. An LLC keeps your personal assets separate from the practice and is the name your business bank account, lease and liability policy go under. Northwest forms it and acts as your registered agent in your state — a flat fee, no upsell funnel.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Form an LLC with Northwest →MBLEx Exam Prep
Study resources for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.
Continuing Education
CE hour requirements and renewal cycles, state by state.
How to Become a Massage Therapist
The full path — training, exam, application, and licensure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all states require a massage therapy license?
Not all of them. Most states require a state-issued massage therapist license before you can legally practice or advertise massage therapy, but California, Kansas, Minnesota, and Wyoming do not operate a statewide licensing board — instead relying on voluntary certification, local permitting, or no state-level credential at all. Check your state's page for the specifics.
What is the MBLEx?
The MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) is the exam most state boards accept for massage therapist licensure, administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). It isn't universal, though — some states run their own state-specific exam instead (New York, for example, uses its own state exam and does not accept the MBLEx for initial licensure), and a few require both a national exam and a state-specific jurisprudence exam. See each state's page for which exam(s) it actually accepts.
How much does a massage therapy license cost?
Among the 44 jurisdictions currently tracked with a published first-time fee, the amount ranges from $50 to $379.75. Renewal fees, cycles, and continuing-education requirements vary by state — see each state's page for the full fee breakdown.
How many training hours does a massage license require?
It depends entirely on the state. Among the 46 jurisdictions currently tracked with a published training-hour minimum, requirements range from 500 to 1,000 classroom hours. See each state's page for its specific hour requirement and program-approval rules.