Massage License Requirements in Idaho
Verified against Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · 2026-07-24
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Idaho requires a massage therapist license from the Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy, part of the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), before anyone may practice massage for compensation or hold themselves out as a massage therapist. Applicants complete a 500-hour approved program (390 in-class hours plus 110 supervised clinical hours) and pass the MBLEx or one of several other Board-approved national exams. Idaho eliminated its continuing education requirement in a 2024 rule revision — its current administrative rule and licensing statute contain no CE mandate of any kind.
Idaho Massage License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) |
| Title | Licensed Massage Therapist |
| Training Hours | 500 hours — Registered massage therapy program (registered with the Idaho State Board of Education's Bureau of Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools) meeting IDAPA 24.27.01's minimum-hours standard |
| Exam | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)) Alternatives accepted: NCETMB — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork; NCETM — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage; NESL — National Exam for State Licensure; any other examination the Board determines to be equivalent |
| Renewal Period | 2 years |
Fee Breakdown
| Application Fee | $50 |
| Initial License Fee | $130 |
| Renewal Fee (every 2 years) | $130 |
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| Initial license fee — endorsement pathway | $150 |
| Provisional permit fee | $25 |
| Reinstatement fee | $35 |
| Certified license history | $10 |
| Transitional annual renewal (even-numbered birth years, phasing out as Idaho moves to a 2-year cycle) | $65 |
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).
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Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Secrets Study GuideFull-length practice tests and step-by-step review for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.See the study guide →
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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 →Continuing Education
Not required.
Idaho does not currently impose a continuing education requirement for massage therapist licensure or renewal. IDAPA 24.27.01 (the Board's rule, effective 7-1-2024) contains no continuing-education section — its numbered rule text runs Legal Authority, Scope, Incorporated-by-Reference (NCBTMB Code of Ethics, adopted as the applicable standard of conduct, not a CE mandate), Licensure, Practice Standards, and Fees, with no CE provision anywhere. Idaho Code §54-4011 (License Renewal) likewise contains no CE language, deferring only to the general state renewal statute (§67-2614). The Board's own current fee/renewal page (dopl.idaho.gov/mas/) also does not mention continuing education. This appears to reflect Idaho's 2023 Zero-Based Regulation Review deregulation effort, which removed a CE requirement that was present in older versions of this rule.
Licensure by Endorsement
Idaho Code §54-4010 (Endorsement Licensure) allows the Board to grant a license without examination to anyone currently licensed/certified in good standing by another state's massage therapy board, provided that state's requirements are substantially equivalent to Idaho's, upon payment of the endorsement fee ($150, per the Board's current fee schedule). The Board's FAQ notes at least one carve-out: 'California applicants do not qualify for endorsement and should apply by examination,' since California has no substantially-equivalent statewide license to endorse against.
Local & City Requirements
Idaho Code §54-4015 (Preemption of Local Regulation) states that 'a local unit of government shall not establish or maintain professional licensing requirements for a massage therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter,' so cities/counties cannot impose their own separate massage therapist licensing on top of the state license.
Sources
- Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 40 — Massage Therapists (Idaho State Legislature)
- IDAPA 24.27.01 — Rules of the Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy (current, eff. 7-1-2024)
- DOPL — Board of Massage Therapy (fees, contact, current program)
- DOPL — Massage Therapy Frequently Asked Questions
- DOPL — Massage Therapy Statutes, Rules and Guidance
- DOPL — Massage Therapy Examination Information
Data last verified: 2026-07-24 | Source: Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 40 — Massage Therapists (Idaho State Legislature)