How to Become a Massage Therapist
Compiled and verified against primary state-board sources by GetMassageLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Becoming a massage therapist follows roughly the same sequence everywhere in the US — approved training, an exam, and a license application — but the specific hours, exam, and fees are set state by state, not nationally. This page walks through each step in general terms; follow the links to your state’s page for the exact numbers.
500–1,000
Training Hours
range across 46 jurisdictions tracked
$50–$379.75
First-Time License Fee
range across 44 jurisdictions tracked
47 of 51
Jurisdictions Require a License
Step 1: Complete an approved training program
Enroll in a massage therapy training program approved by your target state's licensing board (or, in states without a board, by the relevant voluntary-certification body). Required hours vary by state — check your state's page for its specific minimum before enrolling, since a program that satisfies one state's hour minimum won't automatically satisfy another's.
Step 2: Pass the required exam
Most states require passing the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). Some states run their own state-specific exam instead, or require an additional state jurisprudence exam alongside a national one — confirm which exam(s) your state accepts before you register to sit for one.
Read more →Step 3: Submit your license application
Apply directly to your state's licensing authority (where one exists) with proof of training hours, exam results, and any required background check. States without a statewide licensing board instead route applicants to a voluntary state or regional certifying body — see your state's page for which one applies.
Step 4: Pay the application and license fees
Pay the first-time application/license fee your state publishes. Fee amounts and whether they're billed as one combined charge or two separate line items vary by state — see your state's page for the exact figure.
Step 5: Maintain your license with continuing education
Most states require ongoing continuing-education (CE) hours on a renewal cycle to keep your license active, sometimes including a dedicated ethics-hours requirement. See the continuing-education hub for the per-state breakdown.
Read more →Choosing an Approved Training Program
“Approved” means something specific in this context: your state’s licensing authority (or, in a non-licensing state, its voluntary certifying body) maintains its own standard for which schools and programs count toward your training-hour requirement — board-approved schools, COMTA-accredited programs, or an equivalent out-of-state/college program the authority accepts. A program isn’t automatically transferable between states just because it meets one state’s hour minimum. Before enrolling, confirm on your state’s page (or directly with its licensing authority) that the specific program you’re considering is recognized.
The MBLEx
The Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), is the exam most states accept for initial licensure. It isn’t universal, though: some states run their own state-specific exam instead and don’t accept the MBLEx for direct licensure, and a few require a separate state jurisprudence exam in addition to a national one. See your state’s page for which exam(s) it actually requires before you register.
Typical Timeline & Cost
The overall timeline is driven mainly by your state’s training-hour minimum and your program’s schedule (full-time vs. part-time), plus however long your state board takes to process an application after you submit exam results and fees. The state-mandated costs — application, first-time license, and renewal fees — are published on each state’s page; program tuition is set by individual schools and isn’t part of the licensing data tracked here.
Find Your State’s Requirements
Training hours, exam, fees, and CE — by jurisdiction.
Continuing Education
What it takes to keep your license current after you’re licensed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a massage therapist?
Timeline depends on your state's training-hour minimum and your program's schedule — full-time programs commonly run a few months to about a year, while part-time schedules take longer to reach the same hour total. After finishing training, exam scheduling and application processing typically add several more weeks. See your state's page for its specific training-hour requirement.
Do I need to pass the MBLEx to become a massage therapist?
It depends on your state. Among the 51 jurisdictions currently tracked, 44 accept the MBLEx as an accepted exam, while 3 run its own state-specific exam instead. Check your state's page for which exam(s) it requires.
How much does massage therapy training cost?
Program tuition isn't part of the licensing data this site tracks (it varies by school, not by state law), but the state-mandated fees — application, first-time license, and renewal — are published on each state's page, along with the required training-hour minimum that determines how long (and often how much) your program will run.