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Massage License Requirements in District of Columbia

Verified against DC Health, Board of Massage Therapy · 2026-07-24

Compiled and verified against primary state-board sources by GetMassageLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →

The District of Columbia requires a Massage Therapist (MT) license issued by DC Health's Board of Massage Therapy — standard practice-act licensure, not a title-protection-only or voluntary scheme. Applicants must complete 500 hours at an accredited, DC-approved (or equivalent) school, including at least 100 hours of anatomy/physiology/kinesiology and 3 hours of professional ethics, and pass the MBLEx. Licenses renew every 2 years and currently require 14 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics and 2 hours of LGBTQ cultural competency.

District of Columbia Massage License Requirements

Licensing AuthorityDC Health, Board of Massage Therapy
TitleMT
Training Hours500 hours — Institution must be licensed by the DC Educational Licensing Commission (or the equivalent out-of-state licensing authority at the applicant's location of graduation) and accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation/Approval, ACCET, ACCSC, another U.S. Dept. of Education-recognized accreditor, or a regional post-secondary accreditor. Correspondence and online coursework are not recognized toward the in-class hour requirement.
ExamMBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) — current, per DC Health's own licensing guidance. Note: the codified regulation (17 DCMR §7504) still references the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB); DC Health's current page states that exam 'is no longer offered' and confirms the MBLEx as the exam now used.)
Renewal Period2 years — licenses issued/renewed on or after June 16, 2024 expire on the last day of the license holder's birth month (odd/even expiration year tied to birth year); licenses issued before that date were on a fixed cycle expiring January 31 of odd-numbered years.

Fee Breakdown

Application Fee$85
Initial License Fee$177
Renewal Fee (every 2 years — licenses issued/renewed on or after June 16, 2024 expire on the last day of the license holder's birth month (odd/even expiration year tied to birth year); licenses issued before that date were on a fixed cycle expiring January 31 of odd-numbered years.)$177

Related & additional fees

Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.

Criminal Background Check (CBC) fee$50
Late renewal fee$85
Duplicate license fee$34

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.

MBLEx Secrets Study GuideMometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Secrets Study GuideFull-length practice tests and step-by-step review for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.See the study guide →MBLEx FlashcardsMometrix · 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 →MBLEx Online Prep CourseMometrix · 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

14 hours every 2 years, including 3 ethics hours.

Per DC Health's current (November 2024) renewal guidance: 3 hours ethics, 2 hours LGBTQ cultural competency, and 9 hours massage-related coursework (of which 6 hours must be in-person massage technique), with 10% of total hours (about 1.5 hours, within rather than in addition to the 14) covering Public Health Priorities topics. CPR/first-aid certification is separately required at renewal but does not count toward the CE hour total. A random 5% annual audit of active licensees checks CE compliance.

Licensure by Endorsement

An 'Endorsement' pathway is available to applicants holding a license in good standing from another U.S. state or territory with standards comparable to DC's, who have also completed the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or another Board-approved exam (the MBLEx, in current practice). Fees match new licensure ($85 application + $177 license). Direct verification of licensure from the other jurisdiction's board is required.

Sources

Data last verified: 2026-07-24 | Source: DC Municipal Regulations, Title 17, Chapter 75 (Massage Therapy)