Massage License Requirements in Alabama
Verified against Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board · 2026-07-24
Compiled and verified against primary state-board sources by GetMassageLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Alabama requires a state license to practice massage therapy, issued by the Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board (AMTLB). Applicants must complete 650 hours of Board-specified curriculum at an approved school and pass the MBLEx or NCBTMB's BCETMB exam. Licenses renew every two years on the licensee's individual anniversary date, with 16 hours of continuing education required, and an endorsement pathway exists for therapists already licensed in another state whose requirements were equal to or stricter than Alabama's.
Alabama Massage License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board (AMTLB) |
| Title | Massage Therapist |
| Training Hours | 650 hours — AMTLB-approved massage therapy school under Board Chapter 532-X-5 (list maintained at amtlb.alabama.gov/education/approved-programs/) |
| Exam | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination) (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)) Alternatives accepted: NCBTMB Board Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (BCETMB) |
| Renewal Period | 2 years |
Fee Breakdown
| Initial License Fee | $150 |
| Renewal Fee (every 2 years) | $125 |
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| Reinstatement (license lapsed more than 1 year) | $175 |
| Massage establishment license — initial | $350 |
| Massage establishment license — renewal | $250 |
| Duplicate license | $30 |
| License verification | $35 |
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).
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Secrets Study GuideFull-length practice tests and step-by-step review for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.See the study guide →
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx FlashcardsPortable flashcards covering the MBLEx's high-frequency topics — a cheaper add-on for drilling terms and definitions on the go.See the flashcards →
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 →Continuing Education
16 hours every 24 months preceding the renewal date.
Rule 532-X-6-.01 requires 16 hours of continuing education from Board-approved providers within the 24 months preceding renewal; the full rule text contains no ethics-specific hour carve-out for renewal CE (professional ethics appears only as part of the initial 650-hour education curriculum, not the CE requirement). Courses may not be repeated within 4 years, and the Board audits at least 10% of renewals each cycle.
Licensure by Endorsement
Rule 532-X-3-.05 ("Application Process For Massage Therapist Initial Licensure By Endorsement From Another Jurisdiction") requires primary-source verification that the applicant's original state's licensure requirements were equal to or stricter than Alabama's, plus a primary-source school transcript. The Board may require additional evidence of course content/hours if the other state's program didn't meet Alabama's criteria, and applicants may be subject to an in-person Board hearing. Standard licensure fees, liability insurance, and a background check still apply.
Sources
Data last verified: 2026-07-24 | Source: AMTLB Administrative Code, Chapter 532-X-3 (Massage Therapist Licensure)