Massage License Requirements in Ohio
Verified against State Medical Board of Ohio · 2026-07-24
Compiled and verified against primary state-board sources by GetMassageLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Unlike most states, Ohio does not regulate massage therapy through a dedicated massage board — licensure is administered by the State Medical Board of Ohio, the same agency that licenses physicians. Therapeutic massage requires a state license (600 hours of education plus the MBLEx), while purely non-therapeutic 'relaxation massage' falls outside the Medical Board's jurisdiction entirely and may instead be regulated by individual cities or townships.
Ohio Massage License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) |
| Titles | Massage Therapist, MT |
| Training Hours | 600 hours — Diploma or certificate from a school, college, or institution in good standing as determined by the board (Ohio or out-of-state) |
| Exam | MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam) (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)) |
| Renewal Period | Not specified |
Fee Breakdown
| Initial License Fee | $150 |
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.
No continuing education requirement for massage therapy license renewal could be located in Ohio Revised Code §4731.19, the Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4731-1 rules governing massage therapy (definitions, scope of practice, application/examination, educational requirements, instructor qualifications), or the State Medical Board's own 'Massage FAQs' page — which is otherwise a detailed, actively maintained page (dated May 31, 2023) that would be a natural place to mention CE if it existed. Recorded as not required based on this consistent absence across primary sources, but this is an inference from silence rather than an affirmative 'no CE' statute/rule, so it should be spot-checked by a human against ORC Chapter 4731's renewal provisions specifically (the exact renewal/registration statute for limited-branch licenses like massage therapy could not be located during this research pass — attempts included ORC §4731.222, §4731.25, and §4731.281, none of which applied).
Licensure by Endorsement
Ohio Revised Code §4731.19 allows an applicant with at least 5 years of continuous, current licensure/registration/certification in good standing for massage therapy in another state (within the period preceding application) to qualify without an Ohio-recognized diploma. All applicants — including this pathway — must still pass the MBLEx and meet the board's other eligibility requirements (age 18+, high school diploma or equivalent, background checks).
Local & City Requirements
The State Medical Board of Ohio's own Massage FAQs page states that 'relaxation massage' (i.e., non-therapeutic massage that does not treat any health condition) is NOT regulated by the Medical Board at all — it 'may be regulated by local governments such as cities or townships,' each of which sets its own licensing requirements (some require formal education, some do not) 'for the purpose of regulating potential illicit activities.' Therapeutic massage, by contrast, always requires the statewide Medical Board license regardless of locality.
Sources
Data last verified: 2026-07-24 | Source: State Medical Board of Ohio — Massage FAQs