{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Dataset","name":"US Massage Therapist License Requirements Dataset","license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","dateModified":"2026-07-25","jurisdictionCount":51,"sourceMethodology":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/about#authorship","states":[{"name":"Alabama","slug":"alabama","abbreviation":"AL","overview":"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.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board","abbreviation":"AMTLB","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov","phone":"334-230-3999"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"AMTLB-approved massage therapy school under Board Chapter 532-X-5 (list maintained at amtlb.alabama.gov/education/approved-programs/)","details":"Rule 532-X-3-.03(2)(a) specifies the 650-hour curriculum: 100 hours anatomy & physiology (35 myology, 15 osteology, 10 circulatory, 10 nervous system, 30 other systems at school discretion); 250 hours basic massage therapy/modalities (including a minimum 50 hours of supervised massage); 50 hours business, hydrotherapy, first aid, CPR, professional ethics, and state massage therapy law; and 250 elective hours set by the school."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB Board Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (BCETMB)"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":150,"renewal":125,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Reinstatement (license lapsed more than 1 year)","amount":175},{"name":"Massage establishment license — initial","amount":350},{"name":"Massage establishment license — renewal","amount":250},{"name":"Duplicate license","amount":30},{"name":"License verification","amount":35}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":16,"period":"24 months preceding the renewal date","ethicsHours":0,"details":"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."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"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":[{"label":"AMTLB Administrative Code, Chapter 532-X-3 (Massage Therapist Licensure)","url":"https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/532-X-3"},{"label":"AMTLB Rule 532-X-6-.01 — Continuing Education Requirements","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Rule_532-X-6-.01-Continuing-Education-Requirements.pdf"},{"label":"AMTLB — Fee Schedule","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov/licensing/fees/"},{"label":"AMTLB — Massage Therapist Application / Requirements","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov/licensing/applications-verification/massage-therapists/"},{"label":"AMTLB — Licensure Requirements overview","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov/licensing/licensure-requirements/"},{"label":"AMTLB — Approved Education Programs","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov/education/approved-programs/"},{"label":"AMTLB homepage","url":"https://amtlb.alabama.gov"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/alabama"},{"name":"Alaska","slug":"alaska","abbreviation":"AK","overview":"Alaska requires a state massage therapist license issued by the Alaska Board of Massage Therapists, part of the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. Applicants need 625 hours of instruction from an approved massage school, a passing score on a board-approved competency exam (the MBLEx is confirmed accepted), CPR certification, and a fingerprint-based background check. Licenses run on a fixed two-year cycle expiring September 30 of odd-numbered years, with 16 hours of continuing education — including 2 hours of ethics — required for renewal.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Alaska Board of Massage Therapists, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing","url":"https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofMassageTherapists.aspx","phone":"(907) 465-2550"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Approved massage school authorized to operate by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (or an equivalent authority in another state), or accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency (AS 08.61.040(9)); hands-on practicum may not exceed 20% of total program hours (12 AAC 79.140(a)(2))","details":"In addition to the 625 program hours, applicants must complete 2 hours of bloodborne pathogens/universal precautions education within the 2 years preceding application and hold current CPR certification."},"exam":{"name":"Nationally recognized competency exam approved by the Board — the MBLEx is confirmed accepted","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) for the MBLEx","required":true},"fees":{"application":200,"initialLicense":290,"renewal":290,"renewalPeriod":"2 years (all licenses expire September 30 of odd-numbered years)","other":[{"name":"Fingerprint processing fee","amount":75},{"name":"Prorated renewal (licenses first issued on/after Oct 1, 2024, at their first renewal)","amount":145}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":16,"period":"2 years (Oct 1 – Sept 30 of odd-numbered years)","ethicsHours":2,"details":"12 AAC 79.210 and the Board's own renewal form require 16 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, including 2 hours of ethics. Licenses first issued on or after Oct 1, 2024 are exempt from CE only at their very first renewal. New fingerprint cards are required every 6 years, and documentation must be retained at least 4 years."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"\"Massage Therapist License by Credentials\" is available to applicants holding a current, unrestricted license in another state that meets or exceeds Alaska's standards (625 approved-school hours plus a Board-approved competency exam). Verification of licensure must come directly from the other state's licensing entity. The Board maintains a list of states it has already reviewed as meeting or exceeding Alaska's requirements; applicants from unlisted states may request Board review, which can require additional documentation."},"sources":[{"label":"Massage Therapist License by Examination — Application Instructions (form 08-4659)","url":"https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/mas4659.pdf"},{"label":"Massage Therapist License by Credentials — Application Instructions (form 08-4756)","url":"https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/mas4756.pdf"},{"label":"Massage Therapist License Renewal (form 08-4723)","url":"https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/mas4723.pdf"},{"label":"Alaska Board of Massage Therapists homepage","url":"https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofMassageTherapists.aspx"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/alaska"},{"name":"Arizona","slug":"arizona","abbreviation":"AZ","overview":"Arizona has required statewide massage therapy licensure since July 1, 2005, administered by the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 42. Applicants must complete 700 hours at a board-recognized school and, in most cases, pass the MBLEx or an NCBTMB certification exam — though graduates of a U.S. Department of Education-accredited school located in Arizona are exempt from any licensing exam. Licenses renew every two years with 24 hours of continuing education required, at least half of it in person.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://massagetherapy.az.gov/","phone":"(602) 542-8103"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":700,"programApproval":"A.R.S. §32-4201 defines a 'board recognized school' as one accredited by a U.S. Dept. of Education-recognized accrediting agency; if in Arizona, a community college or a school approved by the AZ State Board for Private Postsecondary Education; if out-of-state/Canada, approved by an equivalent regulatory body; or a career technical education district program.","details":"700 hours of instruction at a board-recognized school is required for initial licensure. The statutory term of art for the credential is 'massage therapist'; the Board's own site colloquially refers to licensees as LMTs."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB certification exam"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":195,"renewal":95,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Reinstatement of a license","amount":125},{"name":"Duplicate license","amount":25},{"name":"Delinquent renewal","amount":40}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","details":"24 hours of continuing education are required per 2-year renewal cycle. At least 12 of the 24 hours must be completed in-person; up to 12 hours may be distance-learning, and a live webinar does not count as 'in person.'"},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Three reciprocity pathways exist: (1) licensed elsewhere for at least 2 of the last 5 years; (2) current NCBTMB certification plus graduation from a 500-hour school; or (3) 'Universal Recognition' — a license active at least 1 year in another state plus established Arizona residency. Applicants licensed only in California, Kansas, Minnesota, or Wyoming are excluded from reciprocity because the Board has determined those states' standards are not comparable."},"sources":[{"label":"A.R.S. §32-4221 — Licensure requirement","url":"https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/04221.htm"},{"label":"A.R.S. §32-4201 — Definitions","url":"https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/04201.htm"},{"label":"Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy — Fee Rule R4-15-102","url":"https://massagetherapy.az.gov/resources/r4-15-102-fees"},{"label":"Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy — Required Continuing Education Hours (R4-15-301)","url":"https://massagetherapy.az.gov/resources/r4-15-301-required-continuing-education-hours"},{"label":"Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy — License by Reciprocity (R4-15-203)","url":"https://massagetherapy.az.gov/resources/r4-15-203-application-license-reciprocity"},{"label":"Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://massagetherapy.az.gov/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/arizona"},{"name":"Arkansas","slug":"arkansas","abbreviation":"AR","overview":"Arkansas licenses massage therapists through the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), advised by the Massage Therapy Technical Advisory Committee, under the Massage Therapy Act (Ark. Code Ann. §17-86-101 et seq.) — not a standalone massage board. Applicants complete a minimum 500-hour, 4-month program at an ADH-licensed school and must pass both a recognized competency exam (MBLEx, NCETM, or NCETMB) and a state-administered jurisprudence exam on Arkansas massage therapy law. Licenses renew every two years on the licensee's birthday, requiring 18 hours of continuing education.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Arkansas Department of Health — Cosmetology, Body Art, and Massage Therapy Section","abbreviation":"ADH","url":"https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/licensing-military-member-licensure-permits-plan-reviews/massage-therapy/","phone":"501-683-1448"},"titles":["Massage Therapist","Master Massage Therapist","Massage Therapy Instructor"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"ADH-licensed massage therapy school. Per Ark. Code Ann. §17-86-306(e), curriculum must include 175 hrs anatomy/physiology/pathology/contraindications; 225 hrs technique; 25 hrs hydrotherapy/electrotherapy/heliotherapy; 25 hrs hygiene & infection control; 25 hrs massage therapy law/business management/professional ethics; and 25 hrs related subjects. The ADH Rules for Massage Therapy, Section 8.5(c) (schools) additionally requires at least 3 of those 25 hygiene/infection-control hours to cover HIV/AIDS and other basic communicable disease education, per the rule's own cross-reference to §17-86-306(e)(4).","details":"Minimum 500 in-classroom hours over at least 4 months. 'Master Massage Therapist' and 'Massage Therapy Instructor' are upgrade credentials requiring years of active practice plus additional continuing education, not entry-level titles. The Act separately protects the titles massage therapist, massage practitioner, myotherapist, massotherapist, massage technologist, masseur, masseuse, and therapy technologist from unlicensed use."},"exam":{"name":"Arkansas Massage Therapy Law examination (state jurisprudence exam), required in addition to a national competency exam","provider":"Arkansas Department of Health (jurisprudence exam); FSMTB (MBLEx) or NCBTMB (NCETM/NCETMB) for the competency exam","alternativesAccepted":["MBLEx","NCETM","NCETMB"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":80,"renewal":80,"renewalPeriod":"2 years (biennial; license expires on the licensee's birthday)","other":[{"name":"Massage therapy learning permit application fee (paid at school enrollment)","amount":75},{"name":"Examination/reexamination fee","amount":25},{"name":"Reciprocity license application fee","amount":75},{"name":"Duplicate license fee","amount":10},{"name":"Pocket card fee (not to exceed)","amount":10}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":18,"period":"2 years (biennial)","ethicsHours":0,"details":"18 hours of continuing education are required each 2-year renewal cycle (1 CE hour = at least 50 minutes of instruction). No more than 6 of the 18 hours may be home-study/online; the remaining at least 12 hours must be in a qualifying non-home-study format. Confirmed by reading the full Section 6 (Continuing Education) of the Arkansas Rules for Massage Theruration, effective 9/5/2024: there is no ethics-specific CE-hour carve-out for renewal — the 25-hour 'law, business management, and professional ethics' component is part of the initial 500-hour entry-level curriculum only."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"Ark. Code Ann. §17-86-302(a)(6) requires clinics and schools to comply with 'all requirements of the Department of Health, city ordinances, and state laws'; AR Massage Therapy Rules Section 7.2(j) separately requires clinics to 'be compliant with all applicable city, state and local statutes and regulations' (similar but not identical wording — quoted separately here rather than treated as one source's phrase). Neither source itself enumerates what those local rules are."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Under Act 1011 of 2019, applicants holding a 'substantially similar' license (at least 500 in-classroom training hours) in good standing from another U.S. jurisdiction may apply by reciprocity if they have no license revocation for bad faith or law/ethics violations, no suspended or probationary license, have passed a licensing exam comparable to MBLEx/NCETM/NCETMB, pass the Arkansas Massage Therapy Law exam, and submit 3 letters of recommendation. A 90-day temporary license is issued immediately upon a complete reciprocity application. Act 137 of 2023 separately provides automatic occupational licensing for uniformed service members, veterans, and their spouses holding an out-of-state license in good standing."},"sources":[{"label":"Arkansas Massage Therapy Act (Ark. Code Ann. §17-86-101 et seq.), full statutory text","url":"https://healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Arkansas-Massage-Therapy-Law-2025.pdf"},{"label":"ADH Rules for Massage Therapy (effective 9/5/2024)","url":"https://healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Massage_Therapy_Rules.pdf"},{"label":"ADH — Massage Therapy program page","url":"https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/licensing-military-member-licensure-permits-plan-reviews/massage-therapy/"},{"label":"ADH — Massage Therapy Law & Rules index","url":"https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/licensing-military-member-licensure-permits-plan-reviews/massage-therapy/massage-therapy-law-rules/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-25","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/arkansas"},{"name":"California","slug":"california","abbreviation":"CA","overview":"California has no statewide massage therapy license. Instead, the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) — a nonprofit public-benefit corporation created by state statute — offers a voluntary Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) credential that lets holders practice for compensation in any California city or county without obtaining separate local permits. CAMTC certification currently requires 500 hours of approved training but, notably, no exam and no continuing education.","licenseRequired":false,"licensingAuthority":null,"titles":["CMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"CAMTC-approved school (out-of-state/out-of-country education accepted if determined substantially equivalent)","details":"CAMTC requires a minimum of 500 hours of education at a CAMTC-approved school, of which at least 100 hours must cover anatomy and physiology, contraindications, health and hygiene, and business and ethics."},"exam":{"name":"None required — CAMTC does not currently mandate an exam for certification","required":false},"fees":{"initialLicense":300,"renewal":300,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Late fee — 1 to 10 days after expiration","amount":25},{"name":"Late fee — 11 to 29 days after expiration","amount":55},{"name":"Late fee — 30+ days after expiration","amount":95}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"CAMTC states explicitly: \"There are no continuing education requirements for CAMTC Certificate Holders.\""},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"CAMTC does not regulate massage establishments — that authority rests with individual California cities and counties, which may impose their own local business licensing/permit requirements. Business & Professions Code §460 prohibits municipalities from barring CAMTC-certified professionals from practicing within the professionally recognized scope of practice, and CAMTC certification is designed to let certified therapists work statewide without needing a separate local permit in every city/county. However, CAMTC's own FAQ states plainly that \"some cities and counties do require CAMTC certification\" — so while CAMTC certification is voluntary statewide, it can be a de facto local mandate depending on where a therapist practices."},"endorsement":null,"sources":[{"label":"CAMTC — Requirements to Certify","url":"https://www.camtc.org/requirements-to-certify/"},{"label":"CAMTC — California Massage Law (Bus. & Prof. Code §§4600–4621, §460)","url":"https://www.camtc.org/california-massage-law/"},{"label":"CAMTC — FAQs","url":"https://www.camtc.org/faqs/"},{"label":"CAMTC — Fee Schedule","url":"https://www.camtc.org/camtc-fee-schedule/"},{"label":"CAMTC homepage","url":"https://www.camtc.org/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/california"},{"name":"Colorado","slug":"colorado","abbreviation":"CO","overview":"Colorado requires massage therapists to hold a state license issued by the Office of Massage Therapy Licensure within the Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) — a full practice-act license, not the lighter-touch registration scheme Colorado used before the 2008 law that created this Board. Applicants must complete at least 650 hours of coursework and clinical training at an approved school and pass the MBLEx or an NCBTMB national certification exam. Unusually, Colorado does not require continuing education to renew an active, on-time license — CE is required only when reinstating a license that has lapsed.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Office of Massage Therapy Licensure, Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA)","abbreviation":"DPO","url":"https://dpo.colorado.gov/MassageTherapy","phone":"303-894-7800"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"Schools certified by Colorado's Division of Private Occupational Schools, Colorado Community College System programs, programs accredited by a U.S. Dept. of Education-recognized accrediting agency, approved out-of-state programs, or foreign programs with credential evaluation. Schools holding a valid NCBTMB school code in good standing are deemed to satisfy the requirement automatically.","details":"650 hours of coursework and clinical training became the requirement effective July 1, 2024 (up from a previous 500-hour standard); a grandfather clause allows students already enrolled before that date to graduate under the old 500-hour rule through October 1, 2025."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)","NCBTMB National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCETMB)","Director-approved alternative examinations"],"required":true},"fees":{"renewalPeriod":"2 years (all licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years)"},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"Colorado's current rule (3 CCR 722-1) contains no mandatory continuing education requirement to renew an active, on-time license. CE becomes relevant only for reinstatement: 24 hours of CE are required to reinstate a license lapsed 2–5 years, while licenses lapsed more than 5 years require re-examination or another equivalency demonstration."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Rule 1.4 allows licensure by endorsement for applicants holding an unrestricted license or registration in good standing in another state or U.S. territory, on a showing of substantially equivalent training — either the current 650-hour education standard, or a documented-practice-hour substitution of 50 hours of credit for each year of 400+ hours of practice."},"sources":[{"label":"3 CCR 722-1 — Rules Regulating Massage Therapists (Office of Massage Therapy Licensure)","url":"https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=11726&fileName=3+CCR+722-1"},{"label":"Colorado DPO — Massage Therapy Applications page","url":"https://dpo.colorado.gov/MassageTherapy/Applications"},{"label":"Colorado DPO — Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://dpo.colorado.gov/MassageTherapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Colorado's massage-licensing rule authorizes the state to set fees but doesn't publish the specific dollar amounts on its general licensing pages, so we've left the fee fields blank rather than repeat unconfirmed figures you may see on other sites."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/colorado"},{"name":"Connecticut","slug":"connecticut","abbreviation":"CT","overview":"Connecticut licenses massage therapists through the Department of Public Health (DPH), Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section. Applicants must complete at least 750 classroom hours — instructor physically present, online instruction does not count — at a school holding an NCBTMB school code and accreditation, plus 60 hours of supervised clinical/internship experience, and pass the MBLEx or NCBTMB's national certification exam. Licensees must complete 24 hours of continuing education every 4 years to maintain licensure.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section","abbreviation":"DPH","url":"https://portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/massagetherapist/massage-therapist-licensing-requirements","phone":"(860) 509-7603"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":750,"programApproval":"School must hold a current NCBTMB school code and be accredited by either an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA).","details":"Requires a course of study of not less than 750 classroom hours with an instructor physically present, plus 60 hours of unpaid, supervised clinical/internship experience, separate from the 750 classroom hours."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB)"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":379.75,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"4 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"24 hours of continuing education are required every 4 years, in areas related to the licensee's practice. Up to 18 of the 24 hours may be completed via internet/distance learning, and up to 12 hours may come from non-NCBTMB-approved providers. Certificates of completion must be retained for 6 years. First-time renewal applicants are exempt until their next renewal, and anyone continuously licensed since February 1, 1994 is exempt from CE. The DPH continuing-education-requirements page was checked directly and contains no ethics-specific hour carve-out."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Connecticut's application requires a verification form sent directly from each state licensing authority where the applicant is or has ever been licensed, registered, or certified, indicating an endorsement/verification pathway exists. A page laying out specific reciprocity criteria (e.g., a substantially-equivalent-hours standard) was not located — DPH's 'Practice Act' subpage returned a 404 at the time of research."},"sources":[{"label":"CT DPH — Massage Therapist Licensing Requirements","url":"https://portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/massagetherapist/massage-therapist-licensing-requirements"},{"label":"CT DPH — Massage Therapist Continuing Education Requirements","url":"https://portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/massagetherapist/massage-therapist-continuing-education-requirements"},{"label":"CT DPH — Massage Therapist program portal","url":"https://portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/massagetherapist"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/connecticut"},{"name":"Delaware","slug":"delaware","abbreviation":"DE","overview":"Delaware licenses massage therapists (LMT) through the Board of Massage and Bodywork within the Division of Professional Regulation. Applicants complete a minimum of 625 hours of supervised in-class study at an approved school (raised from 500 hours for students who began their program before July 1, 2024) and must pass the MBLEx. Licenses run on a fixed 2-year cycle expiring August 31 of even-numbered years, with 24 hours of continuing education — including 3 hours of ethics — required to renew.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork, Division of Professional Regulation","abbreviation":"DPR","url":"https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/massagebodyworks/","phone":"(302) 744-4500"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"School with current Delaware state approval as a massage/bodywork school; Board reviews transcripts, school catalogue, and program director information as part of the license application.","details":"625 hours of supervised in-class study is required for students who began their program on or after July 1, 2024; students who began before that date were held to a prior 500-hour standard. A lower-tier 'Certified Massage Technician' (CMT) credential historically existed alongside LMT, but the Board stopped accepting new CMT applications received after December 31, 2024, effectively closing that pathway."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":175,"renewalPeriod":"2 years (licenses expire August 31 of every even-numbered year)","other":[{"name":"CMT-to-LMT upgrade fee","amount":55},{"name":"Massage establishment license (business-level, not individual practitioner)","amount":50}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years (biennial)","ethicsHours":3,"details":"Of the 24 required hours: 3 must be in ethics (classroom or online), 9 must be 'Core' credits completed live/in-person or hands-on, and the remaining 12 elective/core hours may be completed online."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Applicants must hold a current, unrestricted license in good standing from another state, DC, or a U.S. territory; have practiced continuously in that jurisdiction for at least 2 years immediately prior; have passed a standardized, nationally administered exam; hold current CPR certification; be at least 18; and meet Delaware's good-standing background criteria. The Board reviews transcripts and licensure history for equivalence to Delaware's own standards."},"sources":[{"label":"Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork — Fee Schedule","url":"https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/massagebodyworks/fees/"},{"label":"Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork — Massage Therapist Requirements","url":"https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/massagebodyworks/massage_therapist"},{"label":"Delaware Code, Title 24, Chapter 53 (Massage and Bodywork Practice Act)","url":"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title24/c053/sc02/index.shtml"},{"label":"Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork — FAQ","url":"https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/massagebodyworks/faqs/"},{"label":"Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork homepage","url":"https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/massagebodyworks/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/delaware"},{"name":"District of Columbia","slug":"district-of-columbia","abbreviation":"DC","overview":"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.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"DC Health, Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/massage-therapy-licensing","phone":"(877) 672-2174"},"titles":["MT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"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.","details":"500 hours minimum, including at least 100 hours in anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology and at least 3 hours of professional ethics (17 DCMR §7502.2). Programs must run a minimum of 6 months; college/university credit converts at 37 clock hours per credit hour."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"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.","required":true},"fees":{"application":85,"initialLicense":177,"renewal":177,"renewalPeriod":"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.","other":[{"name":"Criminal Background Check (CBC) fee","amount":50},{"name":"Late renewal fee","amount":85},{"name":"Duplicate license fee","amount":34}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":14,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"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."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"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":[{"label":"DC Municipal Regulations, Title 17, Chapter 75 (Massage Therapy)","url":"https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Massage%20Therapy%20Regulations%2010-6-2017%20(004).pdf"},{"label":"DC Health — Massage Therapy Application Instructions & Forms (education, exam, fee matrix, endorsement)","url":"https://doh.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Massage_Therapy_Application_Instructions_1.pdf"},{"label":"DC Board of Massage Therapy — Renewal Notification (Nov 2024, current CE/fee figures)","url":"https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/page_content/attachments/Board%20of%20Massage%20Therapy%20Renewal%20Notification%20Live_Nov2024_FINAL.pdf"},{"label":"DC Health — Massage Therapy Licensing service page","url":"https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/massage-therapy-licensing"},{"label":"Open DC — Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://www.open-dc.gov/public-bodies/board-massage-therapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["A codified 2008 regulation lists a 12-hour continuing-education requirement, but the Board of Massage Therapy's current guidance (updated November 2024) sets it at 14 hours, including added cultural-competency and public-health components. We use the current 14-hour figure.","The codified regulation still references an older national exam (NCETMB), but DC Health's current guidance confirms that exam is no longer offered and that the MBLEx is the exam actually administered today."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/district-of-columbia"},{"name":"Florida","slug":"florida","abbreviation":"FL","overview":"Florida requires a state-issued Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential from the Florida Board of Massage Therapy, within the Florida Department of Health, before anyone may practice or advertise massage therapy. Applicants complete 500+ clock hours at a board-approved massage school, plus one-time 10-hour Florida Laws and Rules, 3-hour HIV/AIDS, and 2-hour prevention-of-medical-errors coursework, and pass the MBLEx. Licenses renew biennially and require 24 hours of continuing education, including several mandated subtopics (ethics, medical errors, human trafficking awareness, and laws and rules).","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Florida Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/","phone":"(850) 488-0595"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage school (Florida Statutes Chapter 480; Fla. Admin. Code 64B7)","details":"Applicants must complete 500 or more clock hours of instruction at a board-approved massage school and submit official transcripts sent directly from the school, its custodian of records, or a credentialing service (foreign graduates need an education evaluation from a credentialing service). Beyond the 500 didactic hours, applicants must also complete a one-time 10-hour Florida Laws and Rules course, a one-time 3-hour HIV/AIDS course, and a 2-hour Prevention of Medical Errors course before initial licensure."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB legacy exams — National Certification Exam in Therapeutic Massage (NCETM), National Certification Examination in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB), and National Exam for State Licensure (NESL) — described by the Board as retired exams, i.e. accepted from applicants who already hold a passing score rather than as a currently-offered new-applicant option"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":50,"initialLicense":100,"renewal":105,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Unlicensed Activity Fee (initial application)","amount":5},{"name":"Renewal after expiration (Active-to-Active, late)","amount":205}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"24 hours of continuing education are required each biennial renewal: 12 hours general techniques/skills/protocols, 2 hours prevention of medical errors, 1 hour human trafficking awareness, 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules (Chapters 456 and 480, F.S.), 2 hours professional ethics, and 5 hours general/elective coursework. This is separate from the one-time 10-hour Laws and Rules and 3-hour HIV/AIDS courses required only at initial licensure."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"Florida Statute 480.052 allows a county or municipality to regulate persons and establishments already licensed under Chapter 480, but such local regulation 'shall not exceed the powers of the state under this act or be inconsistent with this act.' The statute also does not prohibit counties/municipalities from separately regulating persons or establishments NOT licensed under Chapter 480. So state law constrains (rather than fully preempts) local massage regulation for licensees."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Therapists licensed in another state that required 500+ clock hours of massage education may apply by endorsement (application X-1022), submitting proof of current out-of-state licensure, 500+ hours of massage education from a state-approved school, and a passing score on a board-accepted exam (MBLEx, or the legacy NCBTMB/NCETM/NESL exams); an approved exam must be passed if the original state did not require one. Endorsement applicants must also complete the 10-hour Florida Laws and Rules course and a Livescan background screening. Florida's MOBILE Act also provides a pathway for therapists relocating to Florida with an active, similar-scope license and at least two years of active practice in the preceding four years."},"sources":[{"label":"Florida Board of Massage Therapy — Licensed Massage Therapist (requirements)","url":"https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/licensed-massage-therapist/"},{"label":"Florida Statutes Chapter 480 — Massage Practice Act (480.052, local regulation)","url":"https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/480.052"},{"label":"Florida Board of Massage Therapy — Licensing & Renewals","url":"https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/licensing-renewals/"},{"label":"Florida Board of Massage Therapy — homepage","url":"https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/"},{"label":"Florida Board of Massage Therapy — FAQs","url":"https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/frequently-asked-questions/"},{"label":"Florida Board of Massage Therapy — Continuing Education","url":"https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/continuing-education-ce"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/florida"},{"name":"Georgia","slug":"georgia","abbreviation":"GA","overview":"Georgia requires a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential from the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy, part of the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division, before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants complete a minimum of 500 hours at a board-recognized massage therapy education program and pass the MBLEx (or an NCBTMB national exam the Board also accepts). Licenses run on a 2-year cycle expiring October 31 of even-numbered years and require 24 hours of continuing education, at least half of it hands-on.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Georgia Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://sos.ga.gov/georgia-board-massage-therapy","phone":"(404) 424-9966"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"Board-recognized massage therapy education program (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 345-8)","details":"A minimum of 500 total clock hours of supervised classroom and hands-on instruction at a board-recognized program, per Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 345-8: at least 125 hours anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 40 hours pathology, 200 hours massage therapy theory and technique, 125 hours contraindications and professional standards (body mechanics, documentation, draping, therapeutic relationships), and 10 hours ethics and business (of which at least 6 hours must be ethics specifically), plus 50–60 hours of supervised student clinical practice. Domestic applicants submit official transcripts directly from their school; international applicants need a credential evaluation confirming the issuing institution was government-recognized."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)","NCBTMB National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCETMB)","Another exam deemed equivalent by the Board"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":125,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Application processing fee — online submission","amount":5},{"name":"Application processing fee — paper submission","amount":10}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"24 CE hours are required each two-year renewal cycle (license period runs November 1 through October 31 of the following even-numbered year); at least 12 of the 24 hours must be direct hands-on supervised instruction (courses must be at least 70% hands-on to qualify), and the remaining 12 hours may be hands-on or other massage-therapy-related CE. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 345-4 does not carve out a separate ethics-specific CE hour requirement for renewal (ethics instruction is instead a one-time 6-hour minimum within the 10-hour Ethics & Business block of the initial 500-hour education curriculum under 345-8, not a recurring CE mandate)."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Applicants with a current massage therapist license in good standing from another U.S. jurisdiction or foreign country may apply by endorsement (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 345-5), submitting official verification of current out-of-state licensure (including a copy of that jurisdiction's licensing laws), a high school diploma/GED or equivalent, proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and a satisfactory fingerprint background check through the Georgia Crime Information Center and FBI. Applicants must be at least 18. The same $125 application fee applies to endorsement applications as to initial licensure."},"sources":[{"label":"Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 345-3 — Applications (education, exam)","url":"https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/345-3"},{"label":"Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 345-8 — Board Recognized Massage Therapy Education Program","url":"https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/345-8"},{"label":"Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 345-4 — License Renewal, Continuing Education, Inactive Status, Reinstatement","url":"https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/345-4"},{"label":"Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 345-5 — Licensure by Endorsement","url":"https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/345-5"},{"label":"Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 345-7 — Fees","url":"https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/345-7"},{"label":"Georgia Board of Massage Therapy — Fee Schedule (PDF)","url":"https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/50%20Reference%20-%20Fee%20Schedule.pdf"},{"label":"Georgia Board of Massage Therapy — homepage","url":"https://sos.ga.gov/georgia-board-massage-therapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/georgia"},{"name":"Hawaii","slug":"hawaii","abbreviation":"HI","overview":"Hawaii requires a Massage Therapist license from the Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy, part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, before anyone may practice or advertise massage for compensation. Applicants must complete 570 hours of approved education/training (school-based or an in-state Board-approved apprenticeship) and pass the state's own written clinical competency exam — Hawaii does not accept the MBLEx, and notably offers no license-by-endorsement pathway, so even out-of-state licensees must meet Hawaii's hour and exam requirements from scratch. Licenses run on a biennium ending June 30 of even-numbered years and, since a 2021 law change, require 12 hours of continuing education (2 of which must be first aid/CPR) each renewal period.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs — Professional and Vocational Licensing Division","abbreviation":"DCCA-PVL","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/massage/","phone":"(808) 586-3000"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":570,"programApproval":"Massage school licensed by the Hawaii Department of Education (or an equivalent out-of-state school licensing/accrediting agency), the University of Hawaii, or a Board-approved in-state apprenticeship (AMTA, COMTA, and the Rolf Institute are named as Board-recognized approving bodies for workshops)","details":"The 570-hour minimum consists of: 50 hours of in-class coursework on anatomy, physiology, and structural kinesiology; 100 hours of in-class theory/demonstration of massage (procedure, record keeping, hygiene, technique, contraindications, draping, and client assessment); and 420 hours of practical training, completed either as a student in a licensed massage school or as a massage therapist apprentice under the Board's apprentice program (which itself breaks the 420 hours into 70 hours clinical operations, 40 hours advanced techniques, and 310 hours hands-on supervised massage). Apprenticeship hours must be earned entirely within Hawaii — out-of-state apprenticeship training is not accepted. A current adult+infant CPR certificate (American Red Cross or American Heart Association) is also required before a license is issued."},"exam":{"name":"Hawaii State Massage License Exam (written clinical competency examination)","provider":"Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy, administered by PSI Services, LLC","required":true},"fees":{"application":50,"other":[{"name":"Licensure fee if issued July 1 of an even-numbered year through June 30 of an odd-numbered year (full biennium)","amount":164},{"name":"Licensure fee if issued July 1 of an odd-numbered year through June 30 of an even-numbered year (prorated half-biennium)","amount":82},{"name":"Exam fee, paid directly to PSI upon registration","amount":90}],"renewal":164,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"Per Act 102, SLH 2021 (amending HRS §452-16), all massage therapists must complete at least 12 hours of continuing education within the 2-year period preceding each June 30 (even-year) renewal deadline. Two of the 12 hours must be a hands-on first aid/CPR/emergency-related course sponsored by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association; the remaining 10 hours may be in any subject that enhances massage skills/knowledge (the Board's guidance names 'professional ethics' only as an example topic among several — there is no separate minimum-hour ethics carve-out). Practice-building/business courses do not qualify. CE is not required while a license is renewed on inactive status. No certificates are submitted at renewal (attestation only), but licensees selected for random audit must produce documentation."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":false,"details":"Hawaii's own Board FAQ states explicitly: 'Your out-of-state license CANNOT be transferred to Hawaii. Hawaii does not license by reciprocity.' Even applicants already licensed in another state must submit a full Hawaii application, meet Hawaii's 570-hour education requirement (out-of-state apprenticeship hours are not accepted, though out-of-state school hours can qualify if the school was properly licensed/accredited), and pass the Hawaii State Massage License Exam — passing scores on the MBLEx or another state's licensing exam are explicitly not accepted as a substitute."},"sources":[{"label":"HAR Title 16, Chapter 84 — Board of Massage Therapy Administrative Rules","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/files/2013/08/har_84-c2.pdf"},{"label":"DCCA — Information/Requirements/Instructions for Filing an Application for a Massage Therapist License","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Info-Require-Instruct-App-for-Massage-Therapist_10.24R.pdf"},{"label":"Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy — Frequently Asked Questions & Guidance","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/files/2025/04/Board-of-Massage-Therapy-FAQs_rev.-04.2025.pdf"},{"label":"Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy — Guidance for Massage Therapists and Continuing Education (CE)","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Massage-CE-guidance-document-final-5.17.24-3rd-Amended.pdf"},{"label":"Board of Massage Therapy — DCCA Hawaii (homepage)","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/massage/"},{"label":"Application Deadline & Examination Dates","url":"https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/massage/application-deadline-examination-dates/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/hawaii"},{"name":"Idaho","slug":"idaho","abbreviation":"ID","overview":"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.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses","abbreviation":"DOPL","url":"https://dopl.idaho.gov/mas/","phone":"(208) 334-3233"},"titles":["Licensed Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"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","details":"IDAPA 24.27.01.100.02 requires a registered educational program with a minimum of 390 in-class supervised hours of coursework plus 110 supervised clinical/fieldwork hours (500 hours total). Clinical work may be on-campus (outside instructional hours) or at an approved offsite location, and students may not perform clinical services on clients until they have completed at least 20% of required instructional hours; all clinical services must be supervised by a fully licensed massage therapist. Idaho Code §54-4009 also requires applicants to hold a high school diploma or equivalent."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["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"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":50,"initialLicense":130,"renewal":130,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Initial license fee — endorsement pathway","amount":150},{"name":"Provisional permit fee","amount":25},{"name":"Reinstatement fee","amount":35},{"name":"Certified license history","amount":10},{"name":"Transitional annual renewal (even-numbered birth years, phasing out as Idaho moves to a 2-year cycle)","amount":65}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"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."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":false,"details":"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."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"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."},"sources":[{"label":"Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 40 — Massage Therapists (Idaho State Legislature)","url":"https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title54/t54ch40/"},{"label":"IDAPA 24.27.01 — Rules of the Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy (current, eff. 7-1-2024)","url":"https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/24/242701.pdf"},{"label":"DOPL — Board of Massage Therapy (fees, contact, current program)","url":"https://dopl.idaho.gov/mas/"},{"label":"DOPL — Massage Therapy Frequently Asked Questions","url":"https://dopl.idaho.gov/mas/mas-faq/"},{"label":"DOPL — Massage Therapy Statutes, Rules and Guidance","url":"https://dopl.idaho.gov/mas/mas-statutes-rules-and-guidance"},{"label":"DOPL — Massage Therapy Examination Information","url":"https://dopl.idaho.gov/mas/mas-exam"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Idaho's current licensing rule (effective July 1, 2024) has no continuing-education requirement at all. You may see an older '6 hours, including 1 ethics hour' rule described elsewhere — that requirement no longer applies."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/idaho"},{"name":"Illinois","slug":"illinois","abbreviation":"IL","overview":"Illinois requires a Massage Therapist license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) under the Massage Therapy Practice Act (225 ILCS 57) before anyone may practice or hold out as a massage therapist. Applicants must complete a 600-clock-hour approved training program and pass the MBLEx (or, for endorsement applicants already licensed elsewhere, the NCBTMB exam), along with a fingerprint-based background check. Licenses run on a 2-year cycle tied to a fixed December 31 even-year expiration and require continuing education, including a specific ethics-hour minimum, to renew.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation","abbreviation":"IDFPR","url":"https://idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/massagetherapy.html","phone":"1-800-560-6420"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":600,"programApproval":"IDFPR-approved massage therapy program in accordance with Section 1284.20 of the Administrative Code, or a substantially similar program from another jurisdiction","details":"Per IDFPR's own 'Qualifications for Licensure: Massage Therapist (227)' document (effective 09/2025), an applicant must 'complete a minimum of 600 clock hours of instruction of a massage therapy curriculum from a massage therapy program that is in accordance with Section 1284.20 of the Administrative Code or a substantially similar massage therapy program from another jurisdiction,' all of which must be supervised classroom and supervised hands-on instruction. Effective for original-licensure applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, applicants must also complete an approved abnormal-skin-growth/melanoma-identification course (IDFPR names 'Skinny on Skin' by Impact Melanoma, Inc. as an approved provider)."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) examination — per IDFPR's licensure-qualifications document, this is accepted only under the Endorsement Method (applicants currently licensed and practicing in another jurisdiction); the direct 'Acceptance of Examination' pathway for applicants with no license elsewhere lists the MBLEx only."],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":175,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":25,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"Per 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1284.90, licensees must complete 24 hours of continuing education, including at least 2 hours of ethics, during the 24-month prerenewal period preceding December 31 of each even-numbered year. IDFPR's massage therapy page states that, per 225 ILCS 57/67, an additional 1 hour of CE on domestic violence and sexual assault has been added — raising the total to 25 hours — with the Department noting this additional hour applies beginning with the 2026 renewal cycle. IDFPR's 227 licensure-qualifications document confirms 25 hours are required for all renewals 'with the exception of the first renewal of this license.'"},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Under the Endorsement Method, an applicant currently licensed and practicing massage therapy in another jurisdiction may apply by submitting proof of the same 600-hour (or substantially similar) education, an official certification of licensure/good standing from the original state, and passage of either the NCBTMB examination or the MBLEx, plus fingerprinting."},"sources":[{"label":"IDFPR — Qualifications for Licensure: Massage Therapist (227)","url":"https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/core/dpr/227-qualifications-for-licensure.pdf"},{"label":"IDFPR — Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/massagetherapy.html"},{"label":"IDFPR — (227) Massage Therapist New Application Checklist (fees)","url":"https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/forms/online/(227)%20Massage%20Therapist%20User%20Guide.pdf"},{"label":"Illinois Administrative Code, 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1284.90 (Continuing Education)","url":"https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=06801284"},{"label":"IDFPR — Massage Therapist Continuing Education Sponsor Application Instructions (F1974MT)","url":"https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/f1974mt.pdf"},{"label":"IDFPR — Massage Licensing Board","url":"https://idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/boards/masst.html"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Illinois's training-hour requirement has been 600 hours since January 1, 2014 (previously 500). Some sites still list 500 hours — that figure is outdated."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/illinois"},{"name":"Indiana","slug":"indiana","abbreviation":"IN","overview":"Indiana now requires a mandatory statewide Massage Therapist license, issued by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) under the Indiana Massage Therapy Board. This is a notable change from Indiana's older, voluntary state 'certification' system: administrative licensure rules took effect July 13, 2022, and practitioners who were not already certified were required to obtain a license by January 11, 2023. Applicants must complete 625 hours of approved education and pass one of several board-accepted national exams; licenses run on a 4-year cycle and require continuing education, professional liability insurance, and a criminal background check.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Indiana Massage Therapy Board","abbreviation":"PLA","url":"https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/massage-therapy-home/"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Indiana-approved massage therapy school/program; graduates of foreign programs require credential evaluation through the International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF)","details":"Per the PLA's Massage Therapy Licensing Information page, an applicant must submit an 'official transcript of grades that shows that the applicant has met all requirements for graduation/completion of 625 hours' from an Indiana-approved program (or an equivalent foreign program credentialed via IERF), and must hold a high school diploma or equivalent."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)","National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) examination","National Board Certification Agency National Certification Examination (NBCA NCE)"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":100,"renewal":150,"renewalPeriod":"4 years","other":[{"name":"License/certification verification","amount":10},{"name":"Reinstatement (license expired 3+ years)","amount":250}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"4 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"Per the PLA's Massage Therapy Licensing Information page, licensees must complete 24 hours of continuing education within each 4-year renewal cycle, including 'two (2) hours in ethics.' A transitional requirement of 18 hours applied only to the renewal cycle ending in May 2025; the full 24-hour/4-year cycle (2025, 2029, 2033 expiration years) is now the standing requirement."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":null,"sources":[{"label":"Indiana PLA — Massage Therapy Licensing Information","url":"https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/massage-therapy-home/massage-therapy-licensing-information"},{"label":"Indiana PLA — Massage Therapy Home","url":"https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/massage-therapy-home/"},{"label":"Indiana PLA — Massage Therapy Board","url":"https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/massage-therapy-home/massage-therapy-board/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/indiana"},{"name":"Iowa","slug":"iowa","abbreviation":"IA","overview":"Iowa requires a state-issued Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential from the Iowa Board of Massage Therapy, part of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), before anyone may practice massage therapy or use the title \"LMT,\" \"massage therapist,\" \"masseur,\" or \"masseuse\" (Iowa Code §152C.5). Applicants must complete at least 600 hours of board-approved massage therapy education and pass the MBLEx or an NCBTMB examination. Licenses renew every two years and require 16 hours of continuing education, though first-time licensees are exempt from the CE requirement at their first renewal.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Iowa Board of Massage Therapy, Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing","abbreviation":"DIAL","url":"https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses/health-professions/massage-therapy","phone":"515-281-0254"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":600,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy school/curriculum (Iowa Admin. Code 481—Chapter 822); out-of-state school curricula are reviewed case-by-case as part of an individual's licensure application.","details":"Iowa Code §152C.3(1)(a) and IAC 481—822.2(5) require completion of at least 600 clock hours (or the equivalent in academic credit hours) of massage therapy education at a board-approved school, with a high school diploma or equivalent required for admission. At least 200 of those hours must cover fundamentals of massage therapy and assessment (including indications/contraindications) before a student may begin clinical practicum, and a minimum of 100 of those 200 hours must be anatomy and physiology; clinical practicum cannot exceed 25% of a program's total required hours (IAC 481—822.4). Approved curricula must also cover 'Iowa law and professional ethics' among 10 required content areas (IAC 481—822.3)."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB examination (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) — the Iowa board's own rules accept passage of either the MBLEx or an NCBTMB examination for licensure by examination and for licensure by endorsement (IAC 481—821.2(1)(b), 481—821.4(2)(c))"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":120,"renewal":60,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Temporary license (valid up to 1 year)","amount":120},{"name":"Late renewal fee","amount":60},{"name":"License reactivation fee","amount":120}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":16,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"IAC 481—823.2 requires 16 hours of continuing education each 2-year renewal biennium; first-time licensees are not required to complete CE before their first renewal. At least 8 of the 16 hours must be earned through in-person or live, real-time interactive instruction. 'Business ethics' and 'massage ethics' are listed as acceptable topics within the optional business-practices CE category (IAC 481—823.3(2)(g)), but no minimum number of hours is specifically mandated for ethics content."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Massage therapists licensed in another jurisdiction may apply for licensure by endorsement (IAC 481—821.4): submit transcripts, proof of passing the MBLEx or an NCBTMB exam, verification of license from the most recently issuing jurisdiction, and proof that the issuing jurisdiction's requirements are equal to or exceed Iowa's. Applicants who cannot meet endorsement standards may instead pursue 'licensure by verification' (481—821.5) or a one-year, non-renewable temporary license while completing remaining requirements (481—821.6). An applicant who relocated to Iowa from a state that did NOT require massage therapy licensure may submit proof of work experience in lieu of Iowa's educational/training requirements, per 481—821.2(2) and 481—501.2."},"sources":[{"label":"DIAL — Massage Therapy licensing","url":"https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses/health-professions/massage-therapy"},{"label":"Iowa Admin. Code 481—Chapter 821 (Licensure of Massage Therapists)","url":"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/481.821.pdf"},{"label":"Iowa Admin. Code 481—Chapter 822 (Massage Therapy Education Curriculum)","url":"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/481.822.pdf"},{"label":"Iowa Admin. Code 481—Chapter 823 (Continuing Education for Massage Therapists)","url":"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/481.823.pdf"},{"label":"Iowa Admin. Code 481—507.8 (Massage Therapy License Fees)","url":"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/rule/481.507.8.pdf"},{"label":"Iowa Code Chapter 152C (Massage Therapy)","url":"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/152C.html"},{"label":"DIAL — About the Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://dial.iowa.gov/about-dial/boards/massage-therapy/about-board-massage-therapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/iowa"},{"name":"Kansas","slug":"kansas","abbreviation":"KS","overview":"Kansas has no statewide massage therapy license, registration, or certification requirement. K.S.A. 65-2872(f) expressly excludes persons who massage \"for the purpose of relaxation, muscle conditioning, or figure improvement\" (without using drugs or holding themselves out as physicians or healers) from the state's healing-arts practice act, so anyone may practice massage therapy in Kansas without state fees, standards, or oversight. Lawmakers have introduced statewide massage-therapist licensure bills in nearly every legislative session since 2008 — most recently SB 253 in 2025, which would have created a Board of Massage Therapy under the Kansas Board of Healing Arts — but none has been enacted; SB 253 died in committee without a hearing.","licenseRequired":false,"licensingAuthority":null,"titles":[],"education":{"details":"Kansas has no state-mandated education, training-hour, or curriculum-approval requirement for massage therapy, because the practice is not licensed, registered, or otherwise regulated by the state. trainingHours and programApproval are intentionally left unset here rather than estimated, since no statewide standard exists to report."},"exam":{"name":"None — Kansas has no state licensing exam because massage therapy is not a licensed profession","required":false},"fees":{},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"Kansas has no statewide continuing-education requirement for massage therapists, because there is no state license to maintain."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"The Kansas Legislative Research Department's own massage-therapy briefing notes that 'local governments could choose to regulate massage therapists by ordinance or resolution,' and cites the City of Mission, Kansas as an example of a municipality that requires massage-establishment and individual-therapist permits, including at least 500 hours of instruction from an approved school, current CPR certification, and continuing-education compliance as conditions of its local permit. Local requirements vary by city/county and were not independently researched beyond what this state source itself discusses."},"endorsement":null,"sources":[{"label":"Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes — K.S.A. 65-2872 (Persons not engaged in the practice of the healing arts)","url":"https://ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch65/065_028_0072.html"},{"label":"Kansas Legislative Research Department — Massage Therapy briefing","url":"https://klrd.gov/2023/11/16/massage-therapy/"},{"label":"Kansas State Legislature — 2025-2026 SB 253 (massage therapist licensure bill) status","url":"https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb253/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/kansas"},{"name":"Kentucky","slug":"kentucky","abbreviation":"KY","overview":"Kentucky requires a state-issued massage therapist license from the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy before anyone may practice massage therapy or use the title \"massage therapist\" or the abbreviation \"L.M.T.\" Applicants must complete 600 classroom hours at a board-approved program and pass the MBLEx or one of several other board-approved exams, plus a fingerprint-based background check. Licenses renew on a 2-year cycle and require 12 hours of continuing education, including at least 3 hours of professional ethics.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy","url":"https://bmt.ky.gov/","phone":"(502) 782-8808"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":600,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy program holding a certificate of good standing under KRS 309.363, 309.3631, and 201 KAR 42:080","details":"Under 201 KAR 42:035, Section 2, an applicant must submit an official transcript or certificate showing completion of at least 600 classroom hours earned at a board-approved massage therapy program, itemizing compliance with the clock-hour curriculum requirements of KRS 309.363(1)(b). If the school registered a code with NCBTMB, that school must have maintained NCBTMB good standing for the applicant's entire attendance period."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB entry-level examination (NCE, NCETM, or NCETMB)","Any examination of a certifying agency approved by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies (NCCA)","National Board Certification Agency (NBCA) entry-level massage therapy examination","State of Ohio Massage Therapy Licensing Exam","State of New York Massage Therapy Licensing Exam"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":200,"renewal":200,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Late renewal (up to 60 days after expiration)","amount":225},{"name":"Late renewal (61–90 days after expiration)","amount":250},{"name":"Inactive license issuance / annual renewal / restoration","amount":50}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"201 KAR 42:110, Section 2 requires a minimum of 12 CE hours (each defined as 50 minutes of organized learning) during each 2-year licensure period, beginning on the date of license issue. At least 3 of those 12 hours must be in professional ethics. All CE hours must be in or related to the practice of massage therapy; coursework on animal-focused techniques does not qualify. Up to 12 hours may be carried over to the next renewal period."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Under KRS 309.359 and 201 KAR 42:070, a massage therapist licensed in another state may apply for licensure by endorsement by submitting a completed endorsement application, a fingerprint-supported KSP/FBI background check obtained within 90 days of filing, a passport-quality photo, a certified statement from the other jurisdiction's credentialing authority confirming at least 1 year of licensure and current good standing, the standard license fee under 201 KAR 42:020, and documentation of equivalency to Kentucky's requirements (e.g. passage of an approved exam such as an NCBTMB entry-level exam, certified school transcripts, CE certificates, health-care-related academic coursework, teaching experience, or other qualifying credentials). A simplified pathway is available for active-duty military spouses/dependents."},"sources":[{"label":"201 KAR 42:035 — Application Process, Exam, and Curriculum Requirements","url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/042/035/"},{"label":"KRS 309.353 — License Required to Practice Massage Therapy or Use Titles/Abbreviations","url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=30365"},{"label":"201 KAR 42:020 — Fees","url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/042/020/"},{"label":"201 KAR 42:110 — Continuing Education Requirements","url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/042/110/"},{"label":"201 KAR 42:070 — Licensure by Endorsement","url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/042/070/"},{"label":"Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy — homepage","url":"https://bmt.ky.gov/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/kentucky"},{"name":"Louisiana","slug":"louisiana","abbreviation":"LA","overview":"Louisiana requires a state-issued massage therapist license from the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy (LABMT) before anyone may practice massage therapy in the state. Under the most recent overhaul of the Louisiana Massage Therapists and Massage Establishments Act (effective August 1, 2025), applicants must complete a 625-hour instructor-supervised training program — up from a prior 500-hour standard, with schools given until December 31, 2026 to transition — and pass a national exam (the FSMTB's MBLEx, or another board-approved, NCCA-accredited exam), plus a criminal background check. Licenses renew annually and require 12 hours of continuing education per year, with new licensees exempt during their first 12 months.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"LABMT","url":"https://www.labmt.org/","phone":"225-756-3488"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy program at a Board of Regents-licensed proprietary school, a public entity/community college/technical school regulated by the state of Louisiana, or an equivalent out-of-state program licensed/approved by its home state","details":"Per La. R.S. 37:3556(A)(1)(a)(ii), applicants must complete a minimum 625-hour instructor-supervised, in-person, in-class course of study: at least 400 hours of massage therapy techniques and clinical practicum-related modalities, up to a maximum of 175 hours of anatomy and physiology (which may be real-time synchronous or asynchronous distance learning), a minimum of 10 hours of Louisiana law/rules/ethics (which may be real-time synchronous distance learning), and any remaining hours in related subjects such as marketing and first aid. Schools have until December 31, 2026 to comply with the 625-hour standard, and an applicant who enrolled under a prior version of the law may instead satisfy 'a course meeting the requirements of law in effect at the time of enrollment' (i.e., the older 500-hour standard: 325 hours techniques/practicum, 125 hours anatomy/physiology, 50 hours discretionary coursework, per LAC 46:XLIV §1101, which remains the version currently posted on the board's own 'Know the Law' page and has not yet been updated to reflect the 2025 statutory amendment). Students must graduate with passing grades and at least 90% attendance."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"application":75,"initialLicense":125,"renewal":125,"renewalPeriod":"1 year","other":[{"name":"Annual license renewal late fee","amount":100}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"1 year","ethicsHours":0,"details":"LAC 46:XLIV §3701.A requires 12 CEU hours annually (each hour defined as at least 50 uninterrupted minutes of instruction) from board-approved providers/programs, per §3701 and §3703. §3701.B exempts licensees from the requirement during the first 12 months after initial licensure. No ethics-specific CE-hour carve-out was found — Chapter 9's Code of Ethics governs professional conduct standards, not a separate continuing-education hour mandate."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":false,"details":"La. R.S. 37:3567 states that this Chapter's provisions supersede any political-subdivision regulation relating to the licensing or regulation of massage therapists or massage establishments, except that local zoning requirements and generally applicable occupational license taxes remain valid. Local or state law enforcement may assist in enforcement, but are expressly prohibited from imposing additional zoning, educational, or licensure-fee rules specific to massage therapy."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Per La. R.S. 37:3556(B), the national-exam and education requirements do not apply to applicants who hold a valid, current, unexpired license or registration to practice massage therapy in another state, territory, commonwealth, or DC with standards that substantially conform to Louisiana's, as determined by the board (which verifies directly with the issuing state's licensing agency and obtains transcript information from the applicant's school). Active or retired military personnel and their spouses relocating to Louisiana with a substantially equivalent license also qualify under §3556(B)(3). Separately, LABMT's own site describes a 'Welcome Home Act' pathway for applicants with a current, active, in-good-standing out-of-state massage license held for at least one year who can show proof of Louisiana residency (Louisiana state ID, voter registration card, or homestead exemption documentation)."},"sources":[{"label":"La. R.S. 37:3551 et seq. — Louisiana Massage Therapists and Massage Establishments Act (LABMT-hosted, eff. 8/1/2025)","url":"https://labmt.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/lawsfromstatelegis.la_.goveffective8.1.2025.pdf"},{"label":"LAC Title 46, Part XLIV — Massage Therapists (Occupational Standards / Rules, LABMT-hosted)","url":"https://labmt.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/RulesTitle46PartXLIV.pdf"},{"label":"LABMT — Professional Applications","url":"https://www.labmt.org/professional-applications/"},{"label":"LABMT — National Exam","url":"https://www.labmt.org/national-exam/"},{"label":"LABMT — Find an Approved Course (Continuing Education)","url":"https://www.labmt.org/find-an-approved-course/"},{"label":"LABMT — Know the Law","url":"https://www.labmt.org/laws-and-rules/"},{"label":"LABMT — Contact Us","url":"https://www.labmt.org/contact-us/"},{"label":"LABMT homepage","url":"https://www.labmt.org/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Louisiana's training-hour requirement rose from 500 to 625 hours effective August 1, 2025, but schools have until December 31, 2026 to fully transition, and applicants who enrolled before the change may still qualify under the prior 500-hour standard. We list 625 hours as the current requirement — check with your specific school if you enrolled before the change."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/louisiana"},{"name":"Maine","slug":"maine","abbreviation":"ME","overview":"Maine requires a massage therapist license from the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants must satisfy a competence requirement that, under the statute's literal wording, can be met either by passing an NCBTMB- or FSMTB-sponsored exam or by completing a 500-hour department-approved training course. Unusually among the states in this dataset, Maine licenses renew annually rather than every two or three years, and its currently-published rules impose no continuing education requirement at all.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation","abbreviation":"OPOR","url":"https://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/massage-therapy-licensure","phone":"(207) 624-8624"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"Department-approved massage therapy training program (32 M.R.S.A. §14306-D; 02-041 C.M.R. Ch. 300)","details":"OPOR rule 02-041 Ch. 300 sets guidelines for the 500-hour training course referenced in the statute: a minimum of 120 hours in human anatomy, physiology, and pathology; massage therapy theory, technique, and practice; contraindications, benefits, universal precautions, body mechanics, business, history, ethics, and legalities; and at least 100 hours of supervised hands-on practice. Current CPR/First Aid certification is required separately and does not count toward the 500 hours."},"exam":{"name":"Examination sponsored by the NCBTMB or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB/MBLEx), or their successor/approved organizations","provider":"National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) or FSMTB","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB National Certification Examination"],"required":true},"fees":{},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"32 M.R.S.A. §14306-F(2) permits (but does not itself require) the department to establish continuing education rules by rulemaking. As of this verification, OPOR's currently-published massage therapist rules (02-041 C.M.R. Chapters 100–400, last amended 1999) contain no continuing education chapter or requirement — confirmed by reading the rule text directly rather than relying on a summary."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"32 M.R.S.A. §14310 ('Home rule') expressly allows Maine municipalities to adopt or enforce ordinances regulating massage, massage practitioners, or massage therapists. Where a municipality has such an ordinance, an individual must comply with both the state chapter and any local provision that is more restrictive than the state law."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"32 M.R.S.A. §14306-H directs the commissioner to establish a license-by-endorsement process under Title 10, §8003-H (Maine's general professional-license-portability statute) for each OPOR-issued license type the commissioner deems appropriate, including massage therapy. No massage-specific endorsement criteria (e.g., minimum years licensed elsewhere) were found on the sourced pages."},"sources":[{"label":"32 M.R.S.A. §14306-D — Qualifications; massage therapists","url":"http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec14306-D.html"},{"label":"Massage Therapy Licensure | Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation","url":"https://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/massage-therapy-licensure"},{"label":"32 M.R.S.A. §14306-F — Terms of license (renewal, continuing education authority)","url":"http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec14306-F.html"},{"label":"32 M.R.S.A. §14306-G — Fees","url":"http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec14306-G.html"},{"label":"32 M.R.S.A. §14306-H — Licensure by endorsement","url":"http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec14306-H.html"},{"label":"32 M.R.S.A. §14310 — Home rule","url":"http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec14310.html"},{"label":"02-041 C.M.R. Ch. 300 — Licensure/Registration Requirements (massage therapist curriculum guidelines)","url":"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/041c300.doc"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Maine caps any single massage-therapy license fee at $100 per year by statute, but doesn't publish the specific application, license, and renewal amounts on its licensing pages, so we've left those fee fields blank rather than repeat unconfirmed figures you may see elsewhere."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/maine"},{"name":"Maryland","slug":"maryland","abbreviation":"MD","overview":"Maryland requires a license from the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners, within the Maryland Department of Health, before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants must graduate from a 750-hour Board-approved, COMTA-endorsed program, pass a Board-approved national exam such as the MBLEx, and separately pass the Board's own Jurisprudence Examination with a score of at least 75%. Licenses run on a 2-year cycle and require 24 hours of continuing education to renew, including 3 hours in professional ethics or jurisprudence.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners","url":"https://health.maryland.gov/massage/Pages/home.aspx","phone":"410-764-4738"},"titles":["LMT","RMP"],"education":{"trainingHours":750,"programApproval":"Board-approved program endorsed by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) or an equivalent programmatic accreditor, and accredited by a USDOE-recognized institutional accreditation agency (COMAR 10.65.01.06(8))","details":"Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) applicants must complete at least 750 hours of Board-approved education, broken out as: 100 hours anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 hours massage therapy theory, 50 hours contraindications/pathology, 30 hours professional ethics, 5 hours health and hygiene, 5 hours research, 175 hours supervised hands-on techniques, 50 hours clinical assessment/documentation, 35 hours professional standards/business practices, and 100 hours supervised clinical experience/practicum (COMAR 10.65.01.07A). CPR is required but doesn't count toward the 750-hour minimum. The Board's separate, lower-tier Registered Massage Practitioner (RMP) credential required only 600 hours, but the Board stopped issuing new RMP registrations after October 1, 2024, so 750 hours is now the effective entry standard for new applicants."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), plus the Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Jurisprudence Examination","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB); jurisprudence exam administered directly by the Board (75% minimum passing score)","required":true},"fees":{"application":150,"initialLicense":200,"renewal":250,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"State Jurisprudence Examination fee","amount":275},{"name":"Reexamination fee","amount":300}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"24 months","ethicsHours":3,"details":"COMAR 10.65.05.01 requires 24 continuing education hours within the previous 24 months by October 31 of each renewal year, including 3 hours in professional ethics or jurisprudence and 3 hours in communicable disease education. Individuals issued an initial license within 12 months of the renewal date are exempt from CE for their first renewal cycle. Current CPR certification (at least Basic Life Support level) is also required at renewal."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Maryland does not offer a general reduced-requirement endorsement pathway for the public — applicants already licensed in another state still submit a standard application (COMAR 10.65.01.06) that includes the same 750-hour education, the Board's own Jurisprudence Examination, and a Board-approved national exam; a verification of status from the other state's licensing authority is just one additional required document, not a bypass of Maryland's own requirements. A distinct, faster 'Access Application' pathway is available specifically for servicemembers and military spouses under the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022."},"sources":[{"label":"COMAR 10.65.01 — Board of Massage Therapy Examiners: General Regulations (definitions, application, education, licensure)","url":"https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.65/index.full.html"},{"label":"COMAR 10.65.05 — Continuing Education Requirements","url":"https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.65.05"},{"label":"COMAR 10.65.07 — Fees","url":"https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.65.07.02"},{"label":"Maryland Department of Health — Board of Massage Therapy Examiners","url":"https://health.maryland.gov/massage/Pages/home.aspx"},{"label":"Maryland Department of Health — Apply for a Massage License","url":"https://health.maryland.gov/massage/Pages/apply.aspx"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/maryland"},{"name":"Massachusetts","slug":"massachusetts","abbreviation":"MA","overview":"Massachusetts requires a license from the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy, within the Division of Occupational Licensure, before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants must complete at least 650 hours of training (550 hours of academic coursework plus 100 hours of internship or unpaid supervised practice) at a school licensed in its own jurisdiction, and pass the MBLEx. As a condition of renewal, licensees must complete a minimum of 3 hours of continuing education in the 12 months before their license expires, all of which must relate to professional ethics or to human trafficking issues specific to massage therapy.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Massachusetts Board of Registration of Massage Therapy","url":"https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-massage-therapy","phone":"(617) 701-8630"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"Massage school must be licensed in its own jurisdiction; the Board does not maintain a published list of approved programs, but the curriculum must meet Board-mandated content requirements","details":"The program must include at least 550 hours of academic coursework and 100 hours of internship or unpaid supervised practice (total 650 hours). Applicants must be at least 18 years old, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, carry a liability insurance policy, and demonstrate good character."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":3,"period":"12 months","ethicsHours":3,"details":"As a condition of license renewal, a Licensed Massage Therapist must complete a minimum of 3 qualified hours of Board-recognized continuing education in the 12 months immediately preceding the license's expiration date. Per 269 CMR 4.00, those hours must specifically relate either to the ethical obligations of massage therapy practitioners or to laws/issues pertaining to human trafficking as they pertain to massage therapy practitioners — so effectively all required CE hours are ethics-or-trafficking-focused, not general-topic hours."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":false,"details":"No reduced-requirement endorsement or reciprocity pathway was found on the sourced Board pages. Applicants who have held a license in another jurisdiction go through the same standard application as any other applicant, submitting a 'certificate of standing' (license-status/disciplinary-history verification from the prior jurisdiction) as one supporting document among the standard requirements, rather than as a substitute for Massachusetts's own education and exam requirements."},"sources":[{"label":"Board of Registration of Massage Therapy | Mass.gov","url":"https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-massage-therapy"},{"label":"Apply for a massage therapy license | Mass.gov","url":"https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-massage-therapy-license"},{"label":"269 CMR 4.00: Continuing education | Mass.gov","url":"https://www.mass.gov/regulations/269-CMR-400-continuing-education"},{"label":"Statutes and regulations (massage therapy) | Mass.gov","url":"https://www.mass.gov/lists/statutes-and-regulations-massage-therapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/massachusetts"},{"name":"Michigan","slug":"michigan","abbreviation":"MI","overview":"Michigan requires a massage therapist license from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants must complete a Board-approved supervised curriculum of at least 625 hours (500 hours for those who enrolled before August 1, 2017), pass the MBLEx, and complete a criminal background check and human trafficking-awareness training. Licenses run on a 3-year cycle and require 18 hours of continuing education to renew, including a minimum of 2 hours in professional ethics and boundaries.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Board of Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"LARA","url":"https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bpl/health/hp-lic-health-prof/massage"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy supervised curriculum (Mich. Admin. Code R 338.722 / R 338.722a); school must be an NCBTMB-assigned school or accredited by CHEA","details":"Applicants who enrolled on or after August 1, 2017 must complete at least 625 total classroom hours; those who enrolled before that date needed only 500 hours. The 625-hour curriculum must include, at minimum: 40 hours performing massage therapy services in a supervised student clinic, 200 hours of massage and bodywork assessment/theory/application instruction, 125 hours on body systems (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology), 40 hours of pathology, 10 hours of business/professional practice/ethics instruction (of which at least 6 hours must be ethics specifically), and 85 hours in a related area determined by the school. A one-time human trafficking-awareness training and, since June 1, 2022, 2 hours of implicit bias training within the preceding 5 years are also required for initial licensure."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) — only accepted if taken prior to November 1, 2014; not available to current applicants"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":270.1,"renewal":248.1,"renewalPeriod":"3 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":18,"period":"3 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"18 hours of board-approved continuing education are required during the 3 years preceding renewal (Mich. Admin. Code R 338.739), including at least 1 hour in pain and symptom management and at least 2 hours in professional ethics and boundaries. Licensees must also certify completion of a one-time human trafficking-identification training and complete implicit bias training (1 hour per year of the license cycle) at each renewal."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Applicants licensed in another state, country, jurisdiction, territory, or province for less than 3 years before applying must meet the same education/exam requirements as a first-time Michigan applicant. Applicants licensed elsewhere for 3 years or more may qualify under MCL 333.19759(2) by having their license, certification, or registration verified as being in good standing by every jurisdiction where they have ever held one, without needing to separately document Michigan's specific curriculum hours."},"sources":[{"label":"LARA — Michigan Massage Therapy Licensing Guide (rev. 1/26/2026)","url":"https://www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/bpl/Massage-Therapy/Licensing-Info-and-Forms/Massage-Therapy-Licensing-Guide-FAQ-12626.pdf"},{"label":"LARA — Massage Therapy (Bureau of Professional Licensing)","url":"https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bpl/health/hp-lic-health-prof/massage"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-25","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/michigan"},{"name":"Minnesota","slug":"minnesota","abbreviation":"MN","overview":"Minnesota has no statewide massage therapy license. State law (Minn. Stat. §146A.01, subd. 4(a)(17)) expressly classifies 'body work, massage, and massage therapy' as a Complementary and Alternative Health Care practice, meaning massage therapists are regulated statewide only as unlicensed practitioners under the Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practices Act (Minn. Stat. Ch. 146A), which sets conduct rules and a client bill of rights but imposes no state-mandated training hours, exam, or license to practice. Individual Minnesota cities and counties may separately require a local business/practitioner license.","licenseRequired":false,"licensingAuthority":null,"titles":[],"education":{"details":"Minnesota sets no statewide minimum training-hour requirement for massage therapists. Practitioners fall under the general Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practices Act (Minn. Stat. Ch. 146A), which does not condition practice on completing a specific curriculum."},"exam":{"name":"None required by the state — Minnesota does not license, register, or certify massage therapists at the state level","required":false},"fees":{},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"No statewide continuing education requirement exists because massage therapy is not a state-licensed profession in Minnesota; practitioners are regulated only under the general unlicensed-practitioner conduct rules of Minn. Stat. Ch. 146A."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":false,"details":"Not applicable — there is no Minnesota state license to obtain by endorsement or reciprocity."},"sources":[{"label":"Minn. Stat. §146A.01 — Definitions (massage/bodywork classified as a Complementary and Alternative Health Care practice, subd. 4(a)(17))","url":"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/146A.01"},{"label":"Minn. Stat. Chapter 146A — Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practices","url":"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/146A"},{"label":"Minnesota Department of Health — Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practitioners","url":"https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/providers/compalt/types.html"},{"label":"Minnesota eLicense — Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practice (CAP)","url":"https://mn.gov/elicense/a-z/?id=1083-231209"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/minnesota"},{"name":"Mississippi","slug":"mississippi","abbreviation":"MS","overview":"Mississippi requires a license from the Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy (MSBMT) before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants must complete 700 hours of Board-approved education, pass a Board-approved comprehensive national exam such as the MBLEx, and additionally pass Mississippi's own Mississippi State Law Examination (MSLE) covering the state's massage therapy act and MSBMT rules. Licenses run on a 2-year cycle and require 12 continuing education hours per calendar year, including specific hours in Mississippi law and in ethics.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"MSBMT","url":"https://www.msbmt.ms.gov/","phone":"601-732-6038"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":700,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy school program (MSBMT Rules and Regulations, Part 2501, Chapter 4)","details":"The 700-hour curriculum (minimum grade of 'C') must include: 200 hours in massage theory and practicum (including 10 hours on Mississippi massage law/legalities and 20 hours on history/benefits/indications, plus at least 100 hours of massage demonstration and supervised practice); 200 hours in science of the human body (20 hours each in anatomy, physiology, myology/kinesiology, neurology, and pathology, with the remainder expanding on those areas); 200 hours in allied modalities (including hours in Eastern/European/Western theory, CPR/first aid, charting and documentation, hydrotherapy/infrared heat, and referral methods); and 100 hours of supervised student clinic consisting of at least 50 practical hands-on massage sessions. CPR/first aid instruction (8 hours) is credited within the 700 hours, unlike in many other states."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), plus the mandatory Mississippi State Law Examination (MSLE)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB); MSLE administered by MSBMT (70% minimum passing score)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB), with automatic score reporting to MSBMT"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":50,"initialLicense":200,"renewal":200,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Application Packet Fee, if mailed","amount":15},{"name":"Mississippi State Law Examination (MSLE)","amount":100},{"name":"Mississippi Professional Examination (MPE) fee","amount":125},{"name":"Paper Application Fee for LMT renewals by paper","amount":35}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"MSBMT Rule 10.1 requires a minimum of 12 CEU hours per calendar year (24 across the 2-year renewal cycle). Within each renewal period, 3 hours must be in Mississippi Law, Rules and Regulations, 3 hours in Ethics, and 3 hours in CPR/First Aid (current CPR/First Aid certification also earns 3 CEU hours at renewal). CE hours do not expire."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"MSBMT Rule 4.5 provides reciprocity for applicants licensed in another state with substantially similar education requirements and no non-compliance rulings from the NCBTMB or FSMTB. Applicants from a 'regulated state' must show at least 3 years of work experience as a massage therapist, proof of passing a Board Comprehensive Examination, must still pass the Mississippi State Law Examination (MSLE), and must submit certified school transcripts. A Provisional Permit (up to two 90-day periods) may be issued while documentation is finalized, but only after the MSLE has been passed."},"sources":[{"label":"MSBMT Rules and Regulations (adopted 12/22/2023)","url":"https://www.msbmt.ms.gov/sites/msbmt/files/MSBMT.Rules_.Clean_.12.22.2023.pdf"},{"label":"Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy — Licensure","url":"https://www.msbmt.ms.gov/licensure"},{"label":"Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy — homepage","url":"https://www.msbmt.ms.gov/"},{"label":"Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy — Continuing Education","url":"https://www.msbmt.ms.gov/continuing-education"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/mississippi"},{"name":"Missouri","slug":"missouri","abbreviation":"MO","overview":"Missouri requires state licensure to practice massage therapy, administered by the Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage under the Division of Professional Registration. Applicants must complete 625 clock hours of board-recognized training (apprenticeship or approved school) and pass one of several accepted national exams, including the MBLEx or NCBTMB's NCETMB/NCETM. Licenses (LMT) renew every two years with 12 hours of continuing education, and while the state preempts local licensing of individual therapists, cities retain authority over zoning, health-department rules, and occupational license taxes for massage businesses.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage (Division of Professional Registration, Department of Commerce and Insurance)","url":"https://pr.mo.gov/massage.asp","phone":"(573) 522-6277"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Apprenticeship with a board-certified mentor, OR a program from a Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education (CBHE)-certified school, a Missouri DESE-approved vocational program/school, or a U.S. school accredited by a regional accrediting commission recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education (or an equivalent out-of-state approving body)","details":"625 clock hours total (a 'clock hour' = 50 minutes of instruction), per 20 CSR 2197-2.010(1): at least 300 hours massage theory/practice technique, 100 hours anatomy & physiology, 50 hours business practice/professional ethics/hygiene/Missouri massage law, and 50 hours ancillary therapies (must include CPR and first aid)."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCETBM (NCBTMB)","NCETM (NCBTMB)","ABT — Asian Bodywork Therapy Examination (NCCAOM)","AMMA NBCE (American Medical Massage Association National Board Certification Exam)","any other examination deemed appropriate by the Board"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":125,"renewal":100,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Late renewal fee (1–30 days)","amount":50},{"name":"License reinstatement fee (31 days–2 years)","amount":100},{"name":"Provisional license application fee","amount":75},{"name":"Provisional license renewal fee","amount":50},{"name":"Student license fee","amount":25}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"20 CSR 2197-2.050(1) requires 12 clock hours of continuing education 'relevant to the practice of massage therapy' each 2-year license period. This recurring CE rule does not carve out a separate ethics-hour minimum — the 50-hour ethics/business/law requirement in Board rules applies only to the initial 625-hour training program (20 CSR 2197-2.010(1)(C)), not to biennial renewal CE."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"RSMo §324.272 preempts local political subdivisions from licensing or regulating individual massage therapists or massage businesses, but explicitly does NOT preempt local zoning requirements, local health department regulations, or occupational license taxes applicable to massage therapists/businesses."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Missouri's dedicated reciprocity rule (20 CSR 2197-2.020) was rescinded effective Feb. 29, 2020. Endorsement now runs through 20 CSR 2197-2.010(2)-(3): an applicant licensed in another state/territory/DC submits a notarized application and fee, fingerprints for an MSHP/FBI background check, and direct verification of licensure (issue/expiration date, complaints, investigations, discipline) from the other jurisdiction. If the Board determines that jurisdiction's requirements are not substantially the same as Missouri's, the applicant must instead qualify under the standard 625-hour/exam pathway."},"sources":[{"label":"20 CSR 2197-2 — Massage Therapist Licensure Requirements","url":"https://www.sos.mo.gov/cmsimages/adrules/csr/current/20csr/20c2197-2.pdf"},{"label":"20 CSR 2197-1 — Fees","url":"https://www.sos.mo.gov/cmsimages/adrules/csr/current/20csr/20c2197-1.pdf"},{"label":"RSMo §324.265 — Qualifications, renewal, CE, exemptions","url":"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=324.265"},{"label":"RSMo §324.272 — State preemption of local regulation","url":"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=324.272"},{"label":"Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage homepage","url":"https://pr.mo.gov/massage.asp"},{"label":"Application for License as a Massage Therapist (MO 375-1104)","url":"https://pr.mo.gov/boards/massage/Application%20for%20Licensure.pdf"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Missouri's codified fee rule sets the late-renewal fee at $50 for the first 1–30 days. The licensing board's own website currently describes a $100 late fee instead. We use the $50 figure from the codified rule; if you're renewing late, confirm the current amount directly with the board before paying."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/missouri"},{"name":"Montana","slug":"montana","abbreviation":"MT","overview":"Montana requires a state-issued Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential to practice, administered by the Montana Board of Massage Therapy under MCA Title 37, Chapter 33. Licensure by examination requires 500 hours of approved massage education and a passing score on one of several accepted national exams (MBLEx, NCETMB, NESL, or NCETM), with licenses renewed every two years alongside 12 hours of continuing education. Montana has also enacted the Interstate Massage Compact, though it is not yet operative pending a seventh member state.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Montana Board of Massage Therapy (Department of Labor & Industry, Business Standards Division)","url":"https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/massage-therapy/license-information/licensed-massage-therapist","phone":"(406) 444-6880"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"Program must meet or exceed curriculum guidelines established by a program or organization accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) or its equivalent/successor (MCA 37-33-502(2)(a))","details":"500 hours minimum, broken out per ARM 24.155.605 as cited in the Board's licensing checklist: 200 hours in-class/instructor-supervised massage & bodywork assessment, theory, and application; 150 hours combined body-systems (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology) and pathology instruction; and 150 hours combined business, ethics, and a related-field topic."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCETMB","NESL","NCETM","or a state examination the Board deems equivalent (MCA 37-33-502(2)(a), ARM 24.155.604)"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":140,"renewal":90,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Litigation fund fee (added to application/license fee)","amount":5},{"name":"Late renewal fee","amount":180},{"name":"Inactive renewal fee","amount":45}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"MCA 37-33-405(3) requires 12 hours of continuing education every 2 years (6 hours if licensed 1–2 years by first reporting date; none if licensed less than 1 year). Per the Board's CE page, ethics is listed as an eligible topic category within the general 12-hour requirement, but no distinct minimum number of ethics hours is mandated in any primary source reviewed."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"License by credential (MCA 37-33-502(2)(b), ARM 24.155.608) is available to applicants holding an active, good-standing license/certificate/registration from another state with equivalent requirements: proof of at least 500 training hours and a passing score on MBLEx/NCETMB/NESL/NCETM or an equivalent state exam, for the same combined $140 application/license fee. Montana has also enacted the Interstate Massage Compact (MCA 37-33-601, via 2025 SB 233), but per the compact's own text it does not take effect until enacted by a 7th member state — as of this research it is codified but not yet operative, and is not a currently-usable reciprocity pathway."},"sources":[{"label":"Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 33 (Massage Therapy Licensing Act) — Board copy","url":"https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/mca/2019-MCA-Title-37-Ch-33-LMT---Massage-Therapy.pdf"},{"label":"Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 33 (official legislative text)","url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0330/parts_index.html"},{"label":"Board of Massage Therapy — Licensed Massage Therapist requirements","url":"https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/massage-therapy/license-information/licensed-massage-therapist"},{"label":"Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist (DLI-BSD-LMT004)","url":"https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/lmt/lmt-checklist.pdf"},{"label":"Application by Credential (endorsement) packet","url":"https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/lmt/lmt-app-cred.pdf"},{"label":"Board Continuing Education page","url":"https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/massage-therapy/Continuing-Education"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/montana"},{"name":"Nebraska","slug":"nebraska","abbreviation":"NE","overview":"Nebraska requires a state license to practice massage therapy, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Public Health Licensure Unit under the Massage Therapy Practice Act, with oversight from the Board of Massage Therapy. Applicants must complete 1,000 hours at an approved massage therapy school and pass a board-approved licensure exam (MBLEx or an NCBTMB exam); applicants licensed in another jurisdiction (reciprocity) must additionally pass a Nebraska-specific jurisprudence exam. Licenses run on a 2-year cycle expiring November 1 of odd-numbered years and require 16 hours of continuing education per renewal period, including a mandatory 3-hour ethics component.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Massage Therapy)","abbreviation":"DHHS","url":"https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Massage-Therapy.aspx","phone":"(402) 471-2117"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":1000,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy school (term of not less than 9 months; requires a high-school diploma/equivalent for admission, a licensed physician on staff, and at least one licensed massage therapist instructor)","details":"Neb. Rev. Stat. §38-1703 requires 1,000 hours at an approved massage therapy school; 172 NAC 81 §004.01 requires an official transcript showing completion of the curriculum specified in 172 NAC 82, which sets the detailed split — 700 hours across physiology, anatomy, massage, pathology, hydrotherapy, hygiene/practical demonstration, and health service management (100 hours each), plus 300 hours in clinical-practice-related subject areas. No COMTA-accreditation requirement was found; approval is a Board determination."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB exams (NCETMB, NCETM, ACE) — accepted as an alternative board-approved licensure examination, per 172 NAC 81 §002.03"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":110,"renewal":110,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Temporary Massage Therapist license (no renewal)","amount":25}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":16,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"172 NAC 81 §008 requires 16 hours of continuing education during the 24 months prior to renewal (up to 50% may be online/electronic), including at least 8 hands-on hours and, per §008.02, at least 3 hours specifically on massage therapy ethics."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Neb. Rev. Stat. §38-1712 allows DHHS, with Board recommendation, to license an applicant based on licensure in another jurisdiction who meets Nebraska's requirements or substantially equivalent requirements. Per 172 NAC 81 §004.02, an out-of-state applicant with fewer than 1,000 training hours may make up the difference via massage program hours, college credit, full-time practice hours, and/or up to 100 hours of NCBTMB/FSMTB-approved CE. Reciprocity applicants must also pass Nebraska's jurisprudence exam with a score of at least 75% (172 NAC 81 §05.01). A temporary license (up to 1 year) is also available for military spouses with an active out-of-state massage license under §38-1712 and §38-129.01."},"sources":[{"label":"Nebraska Admin. Code, Title 172, Chapter 81 — Massage Therapists","url":"http://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/H8310/R172.0081-2021.pdf"},{"label":"Nebraska Admin. Code, Title 172, Chapter 2 — Fees","url":"http://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/H8310/R172.0002-2020.pdf"},{"label":"Massage Therapy Practice Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. §§38-1701–38-1725 (DHHS-published compilation)","url":"https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/Massage%20Therapy.pdf"},{"label":"DHHS Massage Therapy license application","url":"https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/MassageTherApp.pdf"},{"label":"DHHS Massage Therapist Renewal Notice (sample)","url":"https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/MTRenewalApp.pdf"},{"label":"DHHS Massage Therapy landing page","url":"https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Massage-Therapy.aspx"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-25","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/nebraska"},{"name":"Nevada","slug":"nevada","abbreviation":"NV","overview":"Nevada requires a state-issued license to practice massage therapy, administered by the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy under NRS Chapter 640C and NAC Chapter 640C. As of 2024 rule amendments, applicants must complete 625 hours of Board-recognized training and pass one of four approved national exams (three NCBTMB exams or the FSMTB's MBLEx), then renew every 2 years with 24 hours of continuing education including a mandatory ethics component. State law explicitly preempts county or city massage-specific licensing, so no local overlay exists on top of the state credential.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://massagetherapy.nv.gov/","phone":"775-687-9959 (applications)"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Approved by the Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education, or offered by a public college in Nevada or another state (NRS 640C.580(3)); the Board may additionally recognize other programs via a review process requiring submission of a detailed training outline (NAC 640C.060)","details":"Per Adopted Regulation R017-24 (amending NAC 640C.052), a minimum of 625 hours: at least 345 hours in a classroom setting with hands-on instruction in massage therapy courses, assessment, theory and application (including at least 80 clinical hours), plus at least 280 hours across pathology, business, ethics, anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and other Board-required subjects. This 625-hour figure superseded an older 550-hour requirement."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCE — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCBTMB)","NCETMB — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB)","National Examination for State Licensing (NCBTMB)"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":130,"initialLicense":295,"renewal":325,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Application fee (online, discounted)","amount":100},{"name":"Renewal fee (online, discounted)","amount":295},{"name":"Background check fee","amount":85},{"name":"Temporary license fee","amount":250},{"name":"Replacement license fee","amount":50},{"name":"Reinstatement of suspended/revoked license","amount":500}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"NAC 640C.100(1) requires 24 hours of CE per 2-year licensing period for massage therapists (up to 72 hours of excess credit may roll over, usable across up to 6 years). Per Adopted Regulation R017-24, at least 2 hours per licensing period must be on ethics (covering NRS 432B.220 child-abuse reporting, HIPAA, standards of conduct, or human trafficking); additionally, during the applicant's FIRST licensing period only, at least 2 hours must specifically address human trafficking (which may also satisfy the ethics requirement)."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":false,"details":"NRS 640C.100(2) explicitly preempts licensure and regulation of a massage therapist by any county, city, or town. NRS 640C.100(3) carves out only a narrow exception: local jurisdictions may still require a general business license/permit, but only if it applies to persons 'regardless of occupation' (i.e., not massage-specific). No county-specific massage overlay (e.g. Clark County) is referenced in the statute, current NAC text, or the 2024 rule amendments."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"NRS 640C.420 allows the Board to issue a license by endorsement to an applicant holding a current license from another state/territory/possession whose requirements are substantially equivalent to Nevada's; endorsement applicants pay no more than one-half of the standard initial issuance fee (NRS 640C.520(2)). NRS 640C.426 provides an expedited endorsement pathway (decision within 45 days, or 10 days after background check) for active-duty military members, their spouses, and veterans. NRS 640C.640(2)(a) also permits licensure for applicants who have legally practiced massage therapy in another state for at least 3 years."},"sources":[{"label":"NRS Chapter 640C — Massage Therapists, Reflexologists and Structural Integration Practitioners","url":"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-640C.html"},{"label":"Adopted Regulation R017-24 (2024 amendments to NAC 640C — education, exam, fees, CE/ethics)","url":"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Register/2024Register/R017-24A.pdf"},{"label":"NAC Chapter 640C (codified regulations)","url":"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nac/nac-640c.html"},{"label":"Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy — official site","url":"https://massagetherapy.nv.gov/"},{"label":"Board — Contact page","url":"https://massagetherapy.nv.gov/Contact/Contact/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/nevada"},{"name":"New Hampshire","slug":"new-hampshire","abbreviation":"NH","overview":"New Hampshire requires a statewide 'massage therapist' license issued by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification's (OPLC) executive director under RSA 328-B, administered with input from the 3-member Advisory Board of Massage Therapists. Licensure requires graduating from a qualifying massage therapy school (COMTA/ABHES/ACCET-accredited, or a minimum 725-hour non-accredited curriculum) and passing the MBLEx or an equivalent nationally-recognized exam, after which a combined application-and-license fee covers a 2-year license requiring 12 hours of continuing education to renew.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) — Advisory Board of Massage Therapists","abbreviation":"OPLC","url":"https://www.oplc.nh.gov/advisory-board-massage-therapists","phone":"603-271-2152"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":725,"programApproval":"Qualifying massage therapy school accredited by COMTA, ABHES, or ACCET (no separate stated hour minimum in the rule text — the accreditor's own hour standard governs); or, if the school is not accredited, a minimum 725-hour curriculum over not less than 6.5 months","details":"Per N.H. Admin. Code Plc 904.02–904.04 (current version effective 10-17-25), the 725-hour non-accredited pathway breaks down as: anatomy/physiology 150 hrs; history/theory/practice/modalities (incl. Swedish massage, hydrotherapy) 375 hrs; hygiene/sanitary practices incl. bloodborne pathogens/CPR/first aid 50 hrs; health service management/business practices/ethics of massage 50 hrs; and not less than 100 verifiably-documented practical hours."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["Any other written certifying exam recognized by at least one-third of states that license massage therapists (Plc 904.05)"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":121,"renewal":121,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"N.H. Admin. Code Plc 906.05 requires 12 hours of CE per 2-year renewal period (statutory basis RSA 328-B:4, VII(j)). 'Ethical or legal aspects of massage practice' is listed as one of 13 acceptable CE topic categories under Plc 906.06(d)(12), but there is no minimum number of hours that must specifically be ethics — it is an eligible topic, not a mandated carve-out."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Full license by endorsement is available under Plc 313.33: an applicant licensed in another jurisdiction qualifies if that jurisdiction required completion of a state-approved education/training program and passing a nationally-recognized certifying exam (endorsement license valid 2 years). Separately, RSA 328-B:6, III lets the executive director waive licensure requirements (except the age-18 and criminal-history clauses) for an out-of-state/out-of-country licensee whose home jurisdiction's requirements are substantially equivalent to or not less than New Hampshire's. A non-renewable 1-year temporary license (RSA 328-B:5-a; Plc 905.01) is also available to applicants who are at least 21, completed a program with a minimum of 500 hours, and have practiced massage therapy in another state for at least 1 year, as a bridge while completing NH's additional requirements."},"sources":[{"label":"N.H. Admin. Code Plc 900 — Massage Therapists (rules)","url":"https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/plc900.html"},{"label":"RSA 328-B — Massage Therapists and Massage Establishments","url":"https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXX/328-B/328-B-mrg.htm"},{"label":"N.H. Admin. Code Plc 1000, §1002.24 — Fee schedule","url":"https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/plc1000.html"},{"label":"N.H. Admin. Code Plc 300, §313.33 — Licensure by Endorsement (Massage Therapists)","url":"https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/plc300.html"},{"label":"NH OPLC — Advisory Board of Massage Therapists","url":"https://www.oplc.nh.gov/advisory-board-massage-therapists"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["You may see a $110 license fee and a 750-hour training requirement reported for New Hampshire elsewhere. The current official rule sets these at $121 and 725 hours, which is what we use here."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/new-hampshire"},{"name":"New Jersey","slug":"new-jersey","abbreviation":"NJ","overview":"New Jersey requires a state license to practice massage and bodywork therapy, issued by the New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy within the Division of Consumer Affairs. Applicants need 500 hours of board-approved training and a passing score on either the MBLEx or the NCBTMB board certification exam. Licenses renew biennially with 20 hours of continuing education, including dedicated ethics and laws/rules components, and state law expressly supersedes any municipal massage-licensing ordinances.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (Division of Consumer Affairs)","url":"https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mbt","phone":"(973) 504-6520"},"titles":["Massage and Bodywork Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"School accredited by the NJ Dept. of Education, NJ Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, NJ Commission on Higher Education, or an equivalent out-of-state agency","details":"N.J.S.A. 45:11-60 and N.J.A.C. 13:37A-2.1(d) require 500 hours minimum: at least 90 hours anatomy/physiology/pathophysiology, plus ethics and law, theory and practice, electives, and at least 100 hours of supervised clinical practice."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB Board Certification Examination"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":75,"initialLicense":120,"renewal":120,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"License fee if issued in year 2 of the biennial cycle (prorated)","amount":60},{"name":"Inactive-status renewal fee","amount":60}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":20,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"20 CE credit hours are required per 2-year renewal period (10 hours if licensed in year 2 of the cycle), capped at 24 hours biennially by statute (N.J.S.A. 45:11-72). Per the Board's FAQ, these 20 hours 'must include at least two hours in the subject of ethics and one hour in the laws and rules pertinent to the practice of massage and bodywork therapy.' Up to 6 hours may be completed online/via DVD, and up to 18 excess hours may carry over for one biennial period."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":false,"details":"N.J.S.A. 45:11-78 ('Supersedure of municipal ordinance, regulation') states: 'This act shall supersede any municipal ordinance or regulation that provides for the licensing, certification or registration of massage and bodywork therapists.' No local licensing layer survives on top of the state license."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Available under N.J.A.C. 13:37A-2.2 and N.J.S.A. 45:11-64: a license may be issued without exam if the applicant's out-of-state license/certification has substantially similar education and exam requirements. Required documents include a notarized application with photo, license verification from every state ever licensed in, current CPR/First Aid/AED certification, and a completed criminal history background check."},"sources":[{"label":"N.J.S.A. 45:11-53 et seq. — Massage and Bodywork Therapist Licensing Act (P.L. 2007, c.337)","url":"https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2006/PL07/337_.PDF"},{"label":"NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — Application Process (Helpful Information)","url":"https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/Documents/licenseprocess/MBT-Helpful-Information-Regarding-the-Application-Process.pdf"},{"label":"NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — FAQ (renewal/CE detail)","url":"https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mbt/Pages/FAQ.aspx"},{"label":"NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy homepage","url":"https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mbt"},{"label":"NJ Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — Applications page","url":"https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mbt/Pages/applications.aspx"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/new-jersey"},{"name":"New Mexico","slug":"new-mexico","abbreviation":"NM","overview":"New Mexico requires state licensure to practice as a massage therapist, administered by the New Mexico Massage Therapy Board within the Regulation and Licensing Department. Licensure requires completion of a minimum 650-hour board-recognized training program and a passing score on a national exam (MBLEx, NCETM, or NCETMB). Licenses are renewed every two years, expiring October 31, and require 16 hours of continuing education, including at least 4 ethics hours and at least 8 live in-person hours.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"New Mexico Massage Therapy Board (Regulation and Licensing Department)","url":"https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/massage-therapy/","phone":"(505) 476-4622"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"Board-registered massage therapy school (schools pay a registration fee and are subject to board review; curriculum changes require separate board review)","details":"Per the Board's licensing page: minimum 650 hours — Anatomy & Physiology 165 hrs min (incl. physiology, kinesiology; pathology 40 hrs min); Massage Therapy Training 150 hrs min (incl. contraindications; at least 100 hands-on hours before clinical practicum); General Instruction 75 hrs min (business 20 hrs, professional ethics 30 hrs, hydrotherapy 8 hrs, first aid 4 hrs, CPR/AED 4 hrs); plus electives (additional massage/anatomy training, clinical practicum up to 150 hrs, nutrition, other board-approved courses)."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCETM — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCBTMB)","NCETMB — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB)","or other examining/certification agency approved by the Board"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":75,"renewal":125,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Initial licensure fee (pro-rated, per month)","amount":5},{"name":"Late renewal penalty","amount":75},{"name":"Temporary license","amount":25},{"name":"Verification of NM license","amount":15}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":16,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":4,"details":"16 hours of continuing education are required per biennial renewal period (expiring October 31), of which a minimum of 4 hours must be professional ethics and a minimum of 8 hours must be live, in-person courses (hands-on/technique courses are only accepted if taught live, in-person); up to 8 hours may be completed online/home-study."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Called 'Expedited Licensure by Credentials' (16.7.8.10 NMAC; Section 61-1-31.1 NMSA 1978): requires a completed application, proof of a current license in an eligible jurisdiction, a certificate of good standing, and the standard application fee. Several jurisdictions are explicitly listed as ineligible for this pathway: U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, American Samoa, California, Guam, Kansas, Minnesota, Northern Mariana Islands, and Wyoming. At renewal, expedited licensees must pass New Mexico's jurisprudence exam, and — if their original jurisdiction didn't require MBLEx/NCETM/NCETMB — must pass one of those three exams. A separate Military/Veteran Expedited Licensure path waives licensing fees for the first three years."},"sources":[{"label":"NM Massage Therapy Board — Licensing, Registration, and Renewal","url":"https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/massage-therapy/licensing-registration-and-renewal/"},{"label":"NM Massage Therapy Board — Fees","url":"https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/massage-therapy/fees/"},{"label":"NM Massage Therapy Board — Instructors, Training Requirements, and Continuing Education","url":"https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/massage-therapy/instructors-training-requirements-and-continuing-education/"},{"label":"NM Massage Therapy Board — main page","url":"https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/massage-therapy/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/new-mexico"},{"name":"New York","slug":"new-york","abbreviation":"NY","overview":"New York requires a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential from the NYS Education Department's Office of the Professions before anyone may practice massage therapy or use a protected title such as \"massage therapist,\" \"masseur,\" or \"masseuse.\" Unlike most states, New York does not accept the MBLEx for initial licensure — applicants must instead pass the state's own New York State Massage Therapy Examination after completing 1,000 classroom hours (including at least 150 hours of hands-on practice) at a NYSED-registered program. Licenses are re-registered every 3 years and require 36 hours of continuing education.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — State Board for Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"NYSED","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy","phone":"518-474-3817 (press 1, then ext. 150)"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":1000,"programApproval":"School or institute of massage therapy with a program registered by the NYS Education Department","details":"Minimum 1,000 classroom hours, including at least 150 hours of hands-on practice, at a school/institute with a NYSED-registered program. Required coursework includes anatomy, physiology, neurology, myology/kinesiology, pathology, hygiene, first aid, CPR, infection control, product chemistry, and both oriental and western massage/bodywork theory and technique. A high school diploma or equivalent is also required."},"exam":{"name":"New York State Massage Therapy Examination","provider":"NYSED State Board for Massage Therapy (administered via Meazure Learning, twice yearly)","required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":108,"renewalPeriod":"3 years","other":[{"name":"Limited Permit (one-year, provisional, non-refundable)","amount":35}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":36,"period":"3 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"36 hours of mandatory continuing education are required for re-registration every three years (8 NYCRR §78.5). A one-year conditional registration is available for good-cause delays. No ethics-specific hour carve-out was found in the sourced pages."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Licensure by endorsement is available to therapists already licensed elsewhere with at least 2 years of post-licensure experience. The 2–4-year-experience pathway requires meeting NY's 1,000-hour education standard plus documented western/oriental practice experience. The 5+-year pathway (within the preceding 10 years) instead requires at least 800 classroom hours (300+ in anatomy/physiology/neurology/pathology/hygiene/first aid; 200+ in massage theory/technique, split between oriental and western methods) plus qualifying experience. Both pathways require passing an exam the State Board deems satisfactory (NY's own exam, or demonstrated comparability/experience). A separate one-year Limited Permit ($35, non-refundable, non-renewable) allows supervised practice for candidates who meet all requirements except the exam."},"sources":[{"label":"NYSED — Massage Therapy (Office of the Professions)","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy"},{"label":"NYSED — Massage Therapy License Requirements","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy/license-requirements"},{"label":"NYSED — Massage Therapy Continuing Education","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy/continuing-education"},{"label":"NYSED — Massage Therapy License Application Forms","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy/license-application-forms"},{"label":"NYSED — Massage Therapy Contact Information","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy/contact-information"},{"label":"NYSED — Education Law Article 155 (Massage Therapy)","url":"https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/massage-therapy/laws-rules-regulations/article-155"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["New York's current licensing guidance requires 1,000 classroom hours. Older statutory text cites a lower 500-hour minimum — we use the current, actively published 1,000-hour requirement since it reflects what the licensing board enforces today."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/new-york"},{"name":"North Carolina","slug":"north-carolina","abbreviation":"NC","overview":"North Carolina requires a statewide license to practice massage and bodywork therapy, administered by the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy under the Massage and Bodywork Therapy Practice Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 90, Article 36). Applicants must complete a minimum of 650 classroom hours at a Board-approved school, pass a Board-approved competency exam (MBLEx is explicitly recognized, alongside NCBTMB-family alternatives), and pass a criminal background check, receiving the title Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT). The license renews every two years with 24 hours of continuing education, including at least 3 hours specifically in professional ethics, and counties/municipalities retain authority to impose their own consistent regulation on top of the state license.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy","url":"https://www.bmbt.org/","phone":"919-546-0050"},"titles":["LMBT"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"Board-approved school (in NC or elsewhere); NC community-college programs accredited by SACS, and college/university programs accredited by a USDE-recognized agency and licensed by the NC Community College System or UNC Board of Governors, are exempt from separate Board approval but their graduates still qualify for licensure","details":"N.C. Gen. Stat. §90-629(4) and 21 NCAC 30 .0201(b)(5) require a minimum of 650 classroom hours of supervised instruction at a Board-approved school. This requirement was raised from a prior 500-hour minimum by Session Law 2024-45 s.4(a); the Board's own document library still hosts both a legacy '500 Hour' and current '650 Hour' curriculum verification form."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCETMB (NCBTMB)","NCETM (NCBTMB)","ABTE (NCCAOM)"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":20,"initialLicense":150,"renewal":100,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Late renewal penalty","amount":75},{"name":"Duplicate license","amount":25},{"name":"SBI Criminal History Report","amount":40}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"21 NCAC 30 .0701(c) requires 24 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal period (12 hours if the initial licensure period was between 1–2 years), including at least 3 contact hours specifically in professional ethics. Distance learning may not exceed 12 hours (6 for a shorter period) of the total, and business management may not exceed 8 hours. Beginning with the renewal period ending Dec. 31, 2024, a minimum of 12 hours must be completed in-classroom, per the Board's CE Requirements page."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"N.C. Gen. Stat. §90-636 ('Regulation by county or municipality') states: 'Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prohibit a county or municipality from regulating persons covered by this Article, however, a county or municipality may not impose regulations that are inconsistent with this Article.' So counties/cities may add their own regulation as long as it doesn't conflict with the state Practice Act."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Governed by N.C. Gen. Stat. §90-630.1 (the older NCAC reciprocity rule was repealed effective Dec. 1, 2009). Two pathways: (a) applicants from a jurisdiction that licenses/certifies/registers massage therapists must meet NC's base qualifications, hold a current credential in good standing from a jurisdiction with substantially equivalent or higher standards, have no pending disciplinary action, pass the Board's jurisprudence exam, and demonstrate English proficiency if foreign-credentialed; (b) applicants from a jurisdiction with no such credentialing system must meet the same base qualifications, pass a Board-approved competency exam, have graduated from a school with a curriculum substantially equivalent to NC's and properly licensed/approved (or exempt) in its home jurisdiction, and also pass the jurisprudence exam. The Board maintains a list of jurisdictions determined to have substantially equivalent standards."},"sources":[{"label":"N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 90, Article 36 — Massage and Bodywork Therapy Practice Act","url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/ByArticle/Chapter_90/Article_36.pdf"},{"label":"21 NCAC Chapter 30 — Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy Rules and Regulations (rev. Feb 1, 2025)","url":"https://www.bmbt.org/downloads/Rules/Rules%20and%20Regulations.pdf"},{"label":"NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — Fee Schedule","url":"http://www.bmbt.org/downloads/Fee%20Schedule.pdf"},{"label":"NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — CE Requirements","url":"https://www.bmbt.org/mtpages/CE_Requirements.html"},{"label":"NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — Licensure Info","url":"https://www.bmbt.org/mtpages/Licensure_Info.html"},{"label":"NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy — homepage / contact","url":"https://www.bmbt.org/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/north-carolina"},{"name":"North Dakota","slug":"north-dakota","abbreviation":"ND","overview":"North Dakota requires a state-issued massage therapy license from the North Dakota Board of Massage Therapy before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants must complete 750 hours of education from an accredited or board-approved program and pass a national licensing exam (the MBLEx or an accepted NCBTMB certification exam). Continuing education requirements phase in gradually, escalating only after a licensee's second renewal and easing for therapists with 15+ years of active practice.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"North Dakota Board of Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"NDBMT","url":"https://www.ndbmt.org/","phone":"701-712-8624"},"titles":["Licensed Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":750,"programApproval":"Program accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or a program that meets board standards under North Dakota Administrative Code article 49-02","details":"Applicants must complete 750 instructional hours from an approved massage therapy education program, including a required breakdown of classroom instruction (at least 500 hours), anatomy/physiology/kinesiology (150 hours), and First Aid/CPR (10 hours). The board also requires applicants to demonstrate good character and 'temperate habits.'"},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTM — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage","NCBTMB — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":150,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"CE requirements are tiered by years licensed. For licensees in their first 14 years: no CE is required at the first renewal; starting at the second renewal, 24 hours are required every 2 years, including a minimum of 3 hours of ethics education (ethics becomes optional at subsequent renewals for this tier). Of the 24 hours, at least 12 must be classroom/hands-on and no more than 12 may be remote/online. Licensees active 15–24 years need only 6 hours per 2 years (3 hands-on minimum); licensees active 25+ years need only 3 hours per 2 years (1.5 hands-on minimum). The figures recorded here (24 hours / 3 ethics hours) reflect the standard second-renewal-onward tier for licensees under 15 years, which is the most broadly applicable case."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Applicants must have actively practiced massage therapy for at least 2 of the last 3 years in another jurisdiction and provide license verification sent directly from the other state's board. The same education, exam, and documentation requirements as initial licensure otherwise apply."},"sources":[{"label":"ND Board of Massage Therapy — Requirements for Licensure","url":"https://www.ndbmt.org/lic/licenserequirements.asp"},{"label":"ND Board of Massage Therapy — CE Requirements for License Renewal","url":"https://www.ndbmt.org/cerequirements.asp"},{"label":"ND Board of Massage Therapy — Homepage","url":"https://www.ndbmt.org/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/north-dakota"},{"name":"Ohio","slug":"ohio","abbreviation":"OH","overview":"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.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"State Medical Board of Ohio","abbreviation":"SMBO","url":"https://med.ohio.gov/","phone":"614-466-3934"},"titles":["Massage Therapist","MT"],"education":{"trainingHours":600,"programApproval":"Diploma or certificate from a school, college, or institution in good standing as determined by the board (Ohio or out-of-state)","details":"Ohio Revised Code §4731.19 requires completion of a course of massage therapy instruction of at least 600 clock hours from a board-recognized school, college, or institution (in Ohio or another state/jurisdiction meeting board-determined course requirements). As an alternative to the diploma pathway, an applicant with at least 5 years of continuous, current licensure/registration/certification in good standing for massage therapy in another state may qualify without a diploma — but must still pass the MBLEx."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":150},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"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)."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"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."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"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)."},"sources":[{"label":"State Medical Board of Ohio — Massage FAQs","url":"https://med.ohio.gov/help-center/questions/massage-faqs"},{"label":"Ohio Revised Code §4731.19 — Massage therapy license qualifications","url":"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4731.19"},{"label":"Ohio Administrative Code Rule 4731-1-12 — Application and examination for massage therapy certificate","url":"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-4731-1-12"},{"label":"State Medical Board of Ohio — Homepage","url":"https://med.ohio.gov/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Ohio's massage-licensure statute (Ohio Revised Code §4731.19) sets the training requirement at 600 clock hours. You may see 750 hours quoted on other sites — we use the 600-hour figure because it comes directly from the statutory text."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/ohio"},{"name":"Oklahoma","slug":"oklahoma","abbreviation":"OK","overview":"Oklahoma licenses massage therapists through the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering's Advisory Board on Massage Therapy — a cosmetology/barbering regulator rather than a dedicated massage board. Applicants complete 500 hours of education at a state-licensed massage school and pass either the MBLEx or an NCBTMB certification exam, alongside a criminal background check and proof of liability insurance.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering — Advisory Board on Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"OSBCB","url":"https://oklahoma.gov/cosmo/licenses/massage.html","phone":"405-522-5961"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"State-licensed massage school (Oklahoma) or out-of-state equivalent via the reciprocity pathway","details":"Applicants must submit a certificate or transcript of completion from a state-licensed massage school documenting at least 500 hours of formal massage therapy education, along with proof of professional liability insurance and an OSBI criminal history background report."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB — National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork examination"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":100,"renewal":100,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Reciprocity Massage Therapist application (out-of-state education)","amount":115}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":10,"period":"2 years","details":"OSBCB's own massage-licensing page states renewal requires 'five (5) continuing education units (CEUs) per year based on current license,' and separately lists the standard renewal fee as a single $100 charge for a 'two-year period.' The 10-hour/2-year figure recorded here is derived directly from multiplying the sourced 5-CEU/year rate across that 2-year renewal cycle; no ethics-specific CE hour carve-out was found in the sourced page, so ethicsHours is left undefined rather than assumed absent."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Out-of-state applicants (or those trained at an out-of-state school) apply via the Reciprocity option ($115 fee) and must submit a certification/affidavit of licensing history and completed hours from the original state's board or licensing agency, in addition to the standard application requirements."},"sources":[{"label":"Oklahoma.gov — Massage Therapy Licensing (Cosmetology and Barbering)","url":"https://oklahoma.gov/cosmo/licenses/massage.html"},{"label":"OSBCB Form 321 — Application for Individual Massage Therapist License","url":"https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/cosmo/documents/resources/forms/321.2208-massage-therapy-license.pdf"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/oklahoma"},{"name":"Oregon","slug":"oregon","abbreviation":"OR","overview":"Oregon requires a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential from the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists (OBMT) before anyone may practice massage for compensation. Applicants complete 625 hours of approved education and must pass a written examination (typically the MBLEx) plus an electronic fingerprint criminal background check; a state practical exam is required only for applicants using the Health Indorsement pathway, not for standard initial licensure. Licenses renew every two years and require 25 hours of continuing education, including a mandatory ethics/boundaries/communication component.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Oregon Board of Massage Therapists","abbreviation":"OBMT","url":"https://www.oregon.gov/obmt/pages/index.aspx","phone":"503-365-8657"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"In-state school licensed as a private career school, or approved by a community college/university/Higher Education Coordinating Commission, or an accredited college; out-of-state schools must be approved by their home jurisdiction or a regional accrediting body (OAR 334-010-0046)","details":"625 total hours: minimum 200 hours of Health Sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology), minimum 300 hours of Massage Theory & Practice (theory, clinical practice, business development, communication, sanitation, and ethics), and 125 elective hours in any of the above subject areas."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam) or another board-approved written exam","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) for the MBLEx; Oregon Board of Massage Therapists approves which written exams qualify","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB — National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM) or for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB)","CESI — Certification Examination for Structural Integration"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":135,"initialLicense":270,"renewal":270,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Practical examination (Health Indorsement pathway only)","amount":350},{"name":"Credentialing Review (alternative pathway for experienced out-of-state practitioners)","amount":250}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":25,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":4,"details":"OAR 334-010-0050 requires 25 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal, of which at least 8 must be supervised continuing education; of those 8 supervised hours, at least 4 must be in Professional Ethics, Boundaries, and/or Communication (a combined category, not an ethics-only carve-out); at least 1 of the 25 hours must be in Cultural Competency; and licensees must complete a 1-hour Pain Management module (Oregon Pain Management Commission) once — the rule text is explicit that this module 'is only required to be completed once,' though it may optionally be repeated in a later cycle and counted toward that cycle's hours."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"OAR 334-010-0008 provides two pathways: 'State Indorsement' grants a license (after passing only the jurisprudence exam, no additional exam) to any applicant holding a valid license from a jurisdiction whose requirements meet or exceed Oregon's; 'Health Indorsement' is available to applicants who already hold an active Oregon license in a related health field and can document at least 300 hours of qualifying curriculum, after passing the practical and jurisprudence exams. A separate Credentialing Review pathway ($250) exists for applicants who have legally practiced massage/bodywork for at least 3 years without formal indorsement eligibility, after passing the jurisprudence and written exams."},"sources":[{"label":"Oregon Board of Massage Therapists — Administrative Rules, OAR Chapter 334, July 2025 Edition (fees, CE, licensure, indorsement)","url":"https://www.oregon.gov/obmt/Documents/Effective%2007.01.2025%20OAR-WC.pdf"},{"label":"Oregon Board of Massage Therapists — Laws, Rules & Policies","url":"https://www.oregon.gov/obmt/Pages/regulation.aspx"},{"label":"Oregon Board of Massage Therapists — Licensing Information","url":"https://www.oregon.gov/obmt/pages/license.aspx"},{"label":"Oregon Board of Massage Therapists — Homepage","url":"https://www.oregon.gov/obmt/pages/index.aspx"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-25","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/oregon"},{"name":"Pennsylvania","slug":"pennsylvania","abbreviation":"PA","overview":"Pennsylvania requires a state-issued massage therapist license from the State Board of Massage Therapy, part of the Department of State's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, before anyone may practice or use a protected massage-therapist title. Applicants complete 600 hours of Board-approved postsecondary education — including 25 hours of professional ethics — and pass the MBLEx. Licenses renew every two years and require 24 hours of continuing education, including a dedicated child-abuse recognition and reporting component.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/massage-therapy","phone":"1-833-367-2762"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":600,"programApproval":"Regionally accredited college/university, or a Pennsylvania private licensed school approved by the Board","details":"600 hours of in-class postsecondary education instruction approved by the Board, broken down as: 175 hours of anatomy/physiology/kinesiology/pathology; 250 hours of massage therapy techniques (including hygiene); 25 hours of professional ethics; and 150 hours of related coursework."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensure Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":100,"renewal":175,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","details":"24 hours of continuing education are required per biennial renewal, of which a minimum of 16 must be contact hours; 2 of the 24 hours must specifically cover child abuse recognition and reporting. Separately, first-time (initial) licensure requires 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting before the license is issued. No ethics-specific CE-hour carve-out (distinct from the child-abuse-recognition requirement) was found for renewal; the 600-hour initial education curriculum does include a dedicated 25-hour professional-ethics component, but that is an initial-education requirement, not a continuing-education one."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Under Act 41, the Board may endorse licensees from other states, territories, or jurisdictions with substantially equivalent licensing requirements who are active, in good standing, and free of discipline — allowing licensure without repeating all Pennsylvania-specific requirements."},"sources":[{"label":"PA Department of State — Massage Therapist Licensure Snapshot","url":"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/massage-therapy/massage-therapist-licensure-snapshot"},{"label":"PA Department of State — State Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/massage-therapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/pennsylvania"},{"name":"Rhode Island","slug":"rhode-island","abbreviation":"RI","overview":"Rhode Island requires a state-issued massage therapist license from the Rhode Island Department of Health before anyone may practice massage therapy. Effective for applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, initial licensure requires 800 hours of in-class, hands-on coursework and clinical work (up from a previous 650-hour standard), plus passing the MBLEx. Licenses renew annually, and the Department of Health reports its continuing-education requirement recently increased from 6 to 24 hours.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"RIDOH","url":"https://health.ri.gov/licensing/massage-therapy","phone":"401-222-5960"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":800,"details":"For applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, applicants must submit an official transcript documenting 800 hours of in-class, hands-on coursework and clinical work (or the equivalent, for applicants already licensed in another state). This is an increase from a previously codified 650-hour standard. No specific program-accreditation standard (e.g. a named accrediting body) was found on the sourced pages, so education.programApproval is left undefined."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":65,"renewal":65,"renewalPeriod":"1 year"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"RIDOH's current licensing page states continuing-education requirements 'have increased from 6 to 24' hours, to be completed during the reporting period of 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2027, even though the license itself still renews annually (expires each June 30). The codified regulation (216-RICR-40-05-10, effective 03/20/2024) still shows the older figure of '6 continuing education units (annually)' — this conflict between the live departmental page and the codified rule text is flagged for human review rather than silently resolved. No ethics-specific CE-hour carve-out was found in either version; ethics appears only as an example elective topic, and licensees are separately required to follow the NCBTMB Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (incorporated by reference in the regulation)."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Applicants already licensed in another state may submit equivalent credentials for initial licensure rather than repeating all Rhode Island-specific requirements."},"sources":[{"label":"RI Dept. of Health — Massage Therapists Regulation (216-RICR-40-05-10, current)","url":"https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/216-40-05-10"},{"label":"RI Dept. of Health — Fee Structure for Licensing (216-RICR-10-05-2)","url":"https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/216-10-05-2"},{"label":"RI Dept. of Health — Massage Therapy licensing page","url":"https://health.ri.gov/licensing/massage-therapy"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["Rhode Island's continuing-education requirement recently increased from 6 to 24 hours per renewal period. The codified regulation text still shows the older 6-hour figure, but the Department of Health's current licensing page confirms 24 hours is now in effect — that's the figure we use.","Rhode Island's training-hour requirement increased from 650 to 800 hours for applications filed on or after January 1, 2026. We use the current 800-hour figure."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/rhode-island"},{"name":"South Carolina","slug":"south-carolina","abbreviation":"SC","overview":"South Carolina requires a state-issued massage therapy license from the South Carolina Board of Massage/Bodywork Therapy, part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR), before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. A 2023 regulatory overhaul raised the education requirement to 650 hours — including a notably large 45-hour minimum in professional ethics instruction — and applicants must pass an FSMTB (or other Board-approved) national exam. Licenses renew every two years and require 12 hours of continuing education.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"South Carolina Board of Massage/Bodywork Therapy","abbreviation":"LLR","url":"https://llr.sc.gov/mas/","phone":"(803) 896-4588"},"titles":["Massage Therapist","MT","LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage therapy education program (school affidavit required; Board may request an official transcript)","details":"Effective May 26, 2023 (S.C. Code Regs. 77-101), a massage therapy education program must provide at least 650 hours of instruction: 250 hours Anatomy/Physiology/Kinesiology (incl. minimum 40 hours pathology); 200 hours Massage Theory and Practice; 85 hours Business and Ethics (incl. a minimum 45 hours specifically in professional ethics); 15 hours Laws (incl. minimum 5 hours state-specific law); and 100 hours of supervised Student Clinics (minimum 75 hours of actual full-body massage on the public). Schools/students had up to one year from the effective date to transition, so applicants who enrolled before that date may qualify under the prior standard instead."},"exam":{"name":"FSMTB examination (MBLEx)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["Other Board-approved national examination (S.C. Code §40-30-110(A)(3), which governs standard initial licensure, does not name specific alternatives)","NCBTMB examination taken prior to November 1, 2014 — named explicitly, but only for licensure-by-endorsement applicants under S.C. Code §40-30-117"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":150,"renewal":75,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Endorsement application","amount":200},{"name":"Reinstatement (from lapsed status)","amount":210},{"name":"Duplicate license","amount":10}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"S.C. Code §40-30-190 caps the Board's continuing-education requirement at 'not to exceed twelve hours per biennium,' and the Board's own FAQ confirms the current requirement is 12 hours, beginning with a licensee's second renewal cycle (licensing period runs July 1 of even years through June 30 of even years). Neither §40-30-190 nor S.C. Code Regs. Chapter 77 (§77-120, governing CE provider approval) carve out a specific ethics-hour requirement within that 12-hour renewal total — the 45-hour ethics component only applies to the initial 650-hour education program, not to ongoing CE."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"S.C. Code §40-30-117 (the statutory endorsement provision) authorizes the Board to grant a license by endorsement to an applicant holding an active, good-standing massage therapist license from another state, DC, or a US territory, if the Board finds that jurisdiction's licensing standards 'at least substantially equivalent' to South Carolina's; the statute explicitly names an NCBTMB exam taken before November 1, 2014 as acceptable. S.C. Code Regs. 77-106 implements this pathway procedurally, requiring a Board-approved application with a $200 fee (S.C. Code §40-30-80) and SLED/FBI fingerprint-based criminal history checks."},"sources":[{"label":"S.C. Code of Regulations, Chapter 77 — Massage Therapy Board (education, endorsement, CE provider standards)","url":"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/Chapter%2077.pdf"},{"label":"S.C. Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 30 — Massage/Bodywork Practice Act","url":"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c030.php"},{"label":"SC LLR — Board of Massage Therapy Fees","url":"https://llr.sc.gov/mas/fees.aspx"},{"label":"SC LLR — Board of Massage Therapy FAQs","url":"https://llr.sc.gov/mas/faq.aspx"},{"label":"SC LLR — Board of Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://llr.sc.gov/mas/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-25","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/south-carolina"},{"name":"South Dakota","slug":"south-dakota","abbreviation":"SD","overview":"South Dakota requires a state-issued massage therapy license from the South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy (Department of Health) before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants complete 500 hours of education at a board-recognized facility — including a minimum 6 hours specifically in ethics — and pass one of four accepted national exams, most commonly the MBLEx. Licenses renew annually, and South Dakota notably offers no license-by-reciprocity pathway: therapists licensed elsewhere must still obtain a full South Dakota license before practicing in-state.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy","abbreviation":"SD DOH","url":"https://doh.sd.gov/licensing-and-records/boards/massage/","phone":"605-295-8590"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"Board-recognized facility; the Board recognizes programs accredited by COMTA, ACICS, NACCAS, ACCET, ACCST, DETC, HLC, or ABHES","details":"500 total hours, broken down as: 125 hours on body systems/anatomy/physiology/kinesiology; 200 hours on massage/bodywork assessment, theory, and application; 40 hours on pathology; 10 hours on business and ethics (with a minimum of 6 hours specifically in ethics); and 125 additional hours in a related field. At least 200 of the 500 hours must be hands-on training."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCETM — National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage","NCETMB — National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork","NBCA/AMMA exam — American Medical Massage Association"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":100,"initialLicense":65,"renewal":65,"renewalPeriod":"1 year"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":8,"period":"1 year","details":"The Board's licensing-requirements page specifies 8 hours of board-approved continuing education for 2026 renewal. No subject-matter breakdown (e.g. an ethics-specific carve-out) for this renewal CE requirement was found on the sourced page, so ethicsHours is left undefined rather than assumed. (Separately, the 500-hour initial education curriculum requires a minimum of 6 hours of ethics instruction, but that is an initial-education requirement, not part of ongoing renewal CE.)"},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":false,"details":"The South Dakota Department of Health states directly: 'South Dakota does not have a reciprocity application at this time... You must hold a valid South Dakota Massage Therapy license before you can practice in South Dakota, even if you have a valid license in another state.' Out-of-state licensees must complete the same application process as first-time applicants."},"sources":[{"label":"SD Dept. of Health — Board of Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements","url":"https://doh.sd.gov/licensing-and-records/boards/massage/licensing-requirements/"},{"label":"SD Dept. of Health — Board of Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://doh.sd.gov/licensing-and-records/boards/massage/"},{"label":"SD Dept. of Health — Massage Therapy Renewal Application (exam options and fee detail)","url":"https://doh.sd.gov/Boards/Massage/assets/RenewalApplication2021.pdf"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["You may see a 12-hour continuing-education requirement reported for South Dakota elsewhere. The state health department's page for the current renewal cycle specifies 8 hours, which is what we use here."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/south-dakota"},{"name":"Tennessee","slug":"tennessee","abbreviation":"TN","overview":"Tennessee requires a state license from the Tennessee Massage Licensure Board (Department of Health, Division of Health Related Boards) before anyone may practice or advertise massage therapy. Applicants must complete 650 hours of approved training — including 20 hours of ethics instruction — and pass either the MBLEx or the NCBTMB certification exam. Licenses renew every 2 years and require 24 hours of continuing education.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Tennessee Massage Licensure Board","url":"https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure/ml.html","phone":"(615) 741-3807"},"titles":["MT","LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":650,"programApproval":"Post-secondary institution approved by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (or an equivalent out-of-state agency), or approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Massage Licensure Board","details":"Rule 0870-01-.05(1)(e) requires 650 total classroom hours: 200 hours of sciences (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, pathology, bloodborne pathogens, hygiene), 300 hours of basic massage theory and practice, 125 hours of related subjects (business practice, communication, CPR/First Aid, ADA, specialized modalities), 20 hours of ethics instruction, and 5 hours on Tennessee massage statutes and regulations. Effective July 20, 2025, the Board raised this from a prior 500-hour / 10-ethics-hour standard."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) exam — explicitly named by the Board as an accepted alternative to the MBLEx"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":85,"initialLicense":185,"renewal":185,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"State regulatory fee (individual application)","amount":10},{"name":"Late renewal fee","amount":100},{"name":"Replacement license fee","amount":25}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"Rule 0870-01-.12(1) requires 24 CE hours every 2 years: 2 hours must specifically cover Tennessee statutes/rules, and a separate 2-hour block must cover 'the management of practicing massage therapy, professional ethics, or substance abuse' — ethics is one of three interchangeable options for that block, not a standalone mandatory ethics requirement, so a licensee could satisfy the full 24 hours without any ethics-specific content. ethicsHours is recorded as 0 to reflect that there is no guaranteed/mandatory ethics-only carve-out, though ethics content is an available option."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Rule 0870-01-.05(1)(m) provides two reciprocity paths: (i) submit transcripts meeting Tennessee's curriculum content plus proof of passing an approved exam (MBLEx or other Board-approved exam); or (ii) under T.C.A. §63-18-116, bypass the education-content requirement entirely by submitting proof of NCBTMB certification held continuously for the preceding 5 years plus documented practice in another state during that period. All reciprocity applicants, regardless of path, must additionally complete 5 classroom hours on Tennessee statutes/regulations and at least 10 classroom hours of ethics instruction (must not be self-directed), plus submit verification of licensure from each state where licensed."},"sources":[{"label":"Rules of the Tennessee Massage Licensure Board, Ch. 0870-01 (rev. July 20, 2025)","url":"https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0870/0870-01.20250720.pdf"},{"label":"Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Massage Licensure","url":"https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure/ml.html"},{"label":"TN Board of Massage Licensure — Recommended Ethics Curriculum policy (May 4, 2016)","url":"https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/Massage_Policy_-_Ethics_Curriculum_.pdf"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/tennessee"},{"name":"Texas","slug":"texas","abbreviation":"TX","overview":"Texas requires a state-issued massage therapist license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) before anyone may practice or advertise massage therapy. Applicants complete a 500-hour approved training program and pass either TDLR's own state exam or the MBLEx (plus a separate Texas jurisprudence exam if the MBLEx route is chosen), along with a criminal background check. Licenses run on a 2-year cycle and require 12 hours of continuing education to renew.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation","abbreviation":"TDLR","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/","phone":"(512) 463-6599"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"TDLR-approved massage therapy program, or an equivalent college/out-of-state program accepted by TDLR","details":"Applicants must complete all requirements of 16 Tex. Admin. Code §117.20, including an approved massage therapy studies program of at least 500 hours. The 500 hours do not have to be completed at a TDLR-licensed massage school specifically — a college or an out-of-state school can satisfy the requirement if TDLR accepts it as equivalent."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB); Texas state exam administered by PSI","alternativesAccepted":["Texas Massage Therapist State Exam (PSI) — includes Texas jurisprudence content, so no separate jurisprudence exam is needed if this option is chosen"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":100,"renewal":75,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":12,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":0,"details":"12 hours of TDLR-approved or TDLR-recognized continuing education are required each 2-year renewal cycle. Acceptable curriculum includes professional ethics as a topic area, but no minimum number of hours is specifically mandated for ethics."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Massage therapists licensed in another state may apply through TDLR's out-of-state applicant pathway: submit transcripts/course descriptions proving the 500-hour minimum education, obtain a letter of good standing from the original state licensing board, and pass both the Texas Jurisprudence Exam and the MBLEx (the state PSI exam already covers jurisprudence, but out-of-state applicants using MBLEx must sit for jurisprudence separately). Fingerprinting/background check and the $100 application fee are also required."},"sources":[{"label":"TDLR Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/"},{"label":"TDLR — Massage Therapist Exam requirements","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/masexam.htm"},{"label":"TDLR — Apply for a Massage Therapist License","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/apply-therapist.htm"},{"label":"TDLR — Renew a Massage Therapist License","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/renew-therapist.htm"},{"label":"TDLR — Massage Therapy Continuing Education","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/masce.htm"},{"label":"TDLR — Out-of-State Applicants","url":"https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mas/out-of-state"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/texas"},{"name":"Utah","slug":"utah","abbreviation":"UT","overview":"Utah requires a state license from the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) to practice massage therapy, issued through a tiered system: Massage Therapist is the full credential, with lower-requirement Massage Apprentice, Massage Assistant, and Massage Assistant In-Training classifications beneath it. Massage Therapist applicants must pass the MBLEx; a separate law-and-rule exam applies to the Apprentice tier. Effective October 1, 2025, Utah also began requiring separate state registration for massage 'establishments' (the physical locations where massage is performed), a distinct new requirement layered on top of individual practitioner licensure.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce","abbreviation":"DOPL","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/massage-therapy/","phone":"(801) 530-6628"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"programApproval":"Documented completion of a massage therapy education program, or a verified apprenticeship program","details":"DOPL's Massage Therapist application requires 'Verification of your Massage Therapy Education (including curriculum breakdown) OR Verification of your Apprentice Program (apprenticeship logs).' Utah also licenses three lower tiers with reduced requirements: Massage Apprentice, Massage Assistant, and Massage Assistant In-Training. trainingHours is left undefined here because DOPL's website (dopl.utah.gov) sits behind a Cloudflare bot challenge that blocked automated retrieval, and Utah's statute (Title 58, Ch. 47B) and administrative rule (R156-47b) are both served as JavaScript single-page apps on le.utah.gov / adminrules.utah.gov that returned only navigation shells — including via Wayback Machine snapshots. Multiple non-primary sources describe a 600-hour program or 1,000-hour apprenticeship, but this could not be verified against Utah's own statutory or regulatory text, so no hour figure is recorded rather than risk an unverified number."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"application":60,"renewal":52,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Massage Apprentice — application","amount":35},{"name":"Massage Apprentice — renewal","amount":20},{"name":"Massage Assistant — application","amount":35},{"name":"Massage Assistant-in-training — application","amount":35}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"DOPL's own 'Renew a Massage Therapy License' page lists only renewal fees (Therapist $52 / Apprentice $20) with no continuing education requirement mentioned, and the Massage Therapy FAQ page likewise contains no CE requirement for any tier. Based on the absence of any CE requirement on the two DOPL pages that would be expected to state one if it existed, continuingEducation.required is recorded as false."},"localLicensing":{"additionalLocalRequirements":true,"details":"Under Utah's new massage-establishment registration law (H.B. 278, 2025 General Session, effective Oct. 1, 2025), an owner registering a massage establishment with DOPL must separately 'provide a city or county business license, if required at that location' — meaning DOPL's own registration process explicitly contemplates and requires compliance with local business licensing on top of the state establishment registration."},"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Massage Therapists currently licensed in another U.S. state, territory, or district may qualify for licensure by endorsement. Requirements include fingerprint cards/background check, a request to FSMTB or NCBTMB to transfer national exam results to the Division, and verification of massage therapy education or apprenticeship completion."},"sources":[{"label":"DOPL — Massage Therapy Exam Information","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/massage-therapy/exam-information/"},{"label":"DOPL — Apply for a Massage Therapist License","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/massage-therapy/apply-for-a-license/massage-therapist/"},{"label":"DOPL — Renew a Massage Therapy License","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/massage-therapy/renew-a-license/"},{"label":"DOPL — Massage Therapy Frequently Asked Questions","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/massage-therapy/frequently-asked-questions/"},{"label":"DOPL — Massage Therapy homepage","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/massage-therapy/"},{"label":"DOPL — Division of Professional Licensing Fees (FY2025)","url":"https://dopl.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fee-schedule.pdf"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/utah"},{"name":"Vermont","slug":"vermont","abbreviation":"VT","overview":"Vermont requires anyone practicing massage therapy, bodywork, or touch professions for compensation to register with the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), a requirement that took effect April 1, 2021. Unlike a conventional license, Vermont's registration imposes no education, examination, or continuing-education requirements at all — OPR's own FAQ states applicants 'do not need to provide documentation of qualifications, examination(s), or education.' This makes Vermont a genuine outlier: a mandatory statewide credential with no professional competency bar behind it.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), Secretary of State","abbreviation":"OPR","url":"https://sos.vermont.gov/massage-therapists-bodyworkers-and-touch-professionals/"},"titles":["Massage Therapist","Bodyworker","Touch Professional"],"education":{"details":"Vermont imposes no training-hour or program-approval requirement. OPR's own FAQ states plainly: 'To register with OPR, a massage therapist, bodyworker or touch professional need only complete the application and submit the fee for registration. Applicants do not need to provide documentation of qualifications, examination(s), or education.' trainingHours is left undefined because none is required, not because a figure is unknown."},"exam":{"name":"None required — Vermont's registration process requires no examination","required":false},"fees":{"initialLicense":275,"renewal":90,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"OPR's FAQ directly answers 'Is continuing education required?' with: 'No, registered massage therapist, bodyworkers and touch professionals are not required to complete any continuing education to maintain a registration.'"},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"An applicant who holds, in good standing, a massage therapist/bodyworker/touch professional license or authorization in another U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction may register by submitting a verification of that out-of-state licensure instead of Vermont-specific qualifications. In practice this pathway offers little advantage over a first-time Vermont application, since Vermont does not require education, exam, or experience of ANY applicant regardless of background."},"sources":[{"label":"Vermont OPR — Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, and Touch Professionals FAQs","url":"https://sos.vermont.gov/massage-therapists-bodyworkers-and-touch-professionals/massage-body-touch-prof-faqs"},{"label":"Vermont OPR — Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, and Touch Professionals (main page)","url":"https://sos.vermont.gov/massage-therapists-bodyworkers-and-touch-professionals/"},{"label":"Vermont OPR — Initial Licensing/Renewal Fees & Dates, 90-Day Initial Licensing Policy (updated 7/1/2025)","url":"https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/general/initial_licensing_renewal_fees_dates_90-day_licensing_policy.pdf"},{"label":"Vermont OPR — Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, and Touch Professionals Forms & Instructions","url":"https://sos.vermont.gov/massage-therapists-bodyworkers-and-touch-professionals/forms-instructions/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/vermont"},{"name":"Virginia","slug":"virginia","abbreviation":"VA","overview":"Virginia requires a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) credential before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation — but unusually, the credential is administered by the Virginia Board of Nursing rather than a dedicated massage board. Applicants complete 500 hours of training at an approved school and pass the MBLEx. Licenses renew every 2 years and require 24 hours of continuing education, including at least 1 hour of professional ethics.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Virginia Board of Nursing, Virginia Department of Health Professions","url":"https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/ApplicantResources/ApplyforLicense/MassageTherapist/"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":500,"programApproval":"Massage therapy school licensed/accredited by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) or a similar agency of another state","details":"18VAC90-50-40 requires completion of a massage therapy educational program of at least 500 hours of training from an accredited institution, with an official transcript sent directly to the Board of Nursing."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":140,"renewalPeriod":"2 years"},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":1,"details":"18VAC90-50-75 requires 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years for renewal: at least 12 hours from approved providers (NCBTMB, FSMTB, AMTA, ABMP, COMTA, accredited massage schools, or SCHEV-approved programs), with the remaining hours available via alternative learning activities (consultation, independent reading/research, presentation prep, CPR coursework, etc.). At minimum, 1 hour must focus specifically on professional ethics. The first biennial renewal following initial licensure is exempt from this requirement."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"The Board may license without examination any applicant who is licensed as a massage therapist in good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction and who meets Virginia's requirements, based on verification submitted directly from each jurisdiction where the applicant holds or held a license."},"sources":[{"label":"Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC90-50-40 — Initial Licensure Requirements","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter50/section40/"},{"label":"Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC90-50-75 — Continued Competency Requirements","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter50/section75/"},{"label":"Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC90-50-30 — Fees","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter50/section30/"},{"label":"Virginia Board of Nursing — Massage Therapist Licensure","url":"https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/ApplicantResources/ApplyforLicense/MassageTherapist/"},{"label":"Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 30, Article 5 — Licensure of Massage Therapists","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title54.1/chapter30/article5/"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/virginia"},{"name":"Washington","slug":"washington","abbreviation":"WA","overview":"Washington requires a massage therapist credential from the Department of Health before anyone may practice massage therapy, overseen by an advisory Board of Massage Therapy. Applicants complete a minimum 625-hour board-approved program and pass a national competency exam (MBLEx or NCBTMB) plus a Washington jurisprudence exam. Licenses renew annually and require 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance — Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist"},"titles":["Massage Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Board-approved massage school, massage program, transfer program, or apprenticeship program, completed in no fewer than 24 weeks","details":"Minimum 625 hours: 90 hours anatomy and physiology, 60 hours kinesiology, 70 hours pathology, 260 hours massage theory/principles/practice, 50 hours student clinic (up to 75 hours for programs exceeding 625 total hours), 55 hours clinical/business practices, and 40 hours professional ethics."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) examination"],"required":true},"fees":{"initialLicense":210,"renewal":150,"renewalPeriod":"1 year","other":[{"name":"HEAL-WA online access fee (charged with initial and renewal)","amount":16},{"name":"Late renewal penalty","amount":75},{"name":"Intraoral massage endorsement","amount":25}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":4,"details":"WAC 246-830-475 requires 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years, with mandatory minimums within that total: at least 8 hours of in-person, direct-application massage therapy instruction; at least 4 hours covering professional ethics, client/patient communication, professional roles and boundaries, OR Washington state massage laws and rules (up to 2 of these 4 hours may be satisfied by attending board meetings); and at least 2 hours of health equity continuing education. ethicsHours is recorded as 4 to reflect this mandatory minimum, though the category is shared with communication/boundaries/law topics rather than being ethics-exclusive."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"Available to applicants holding an active, unrestricted massage therapy license in another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent education: either 625+ hours completed in 24+ weeks, or 500+ hours plus 2 years of licensed experience and 24 hours of continuing education completed within the prior 2 years."},"sources":[{"label":"WAC 246-830-475 — Continuing Education Requirements","url":"https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-830-475"},{"label":"WAC 246-830-990 — Massage Therapist Fees","url":"https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-830-990"},{"label":"Washington DOH — Massage Therapist Licensing Requirements","url":"https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist/licensing-requirements"},{"label":"Washington DOH — Massage Therapist Frequently Asked Questions","url":"https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist/frequently-asked-questions"},{"label":"Washington DOH — Board of Massage Therapy","url":"https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist/board-information"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-25","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/washington"},{"name":"West Virginia","slug":"west-virginia","abbreviation":"WV","overview":"West Virginia requires a state license from the Massage Therapy Licensure Board before anyone may practice massage therapy. Applicants complete 625 hours of supervised academic instruction (raised from 500 hours effective July 1, 2023) and pass the MBLEx or an equivalent board-approved exam. Licenses renew every 2 years and require 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of professional ethics. A separate Massage Establishment License requirement for business locations was added by 2023 legislation.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board","url":"http://www.wvmassage.org/","phone":"304-558-1060"},"titles":["LMT"],"education":{"trainingHours":625,"programApproval":"Program of massage education at a school approved by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education, or an equivalent state-approved program","details":"W. Va. Code §30-37-7 requires a high school diploma or equivalent for admission and, as of July 1, 2023, completion of at least 625 hours of supervised academic instruction (raised from a prior 500-hour minimum)."},"exam":{"name":"MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)","alternativesAccepted":["NCTMB (National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork) — legacy NCBTMB credentialing exam; the Board's own site notes it is 'no longer offered'","Any other board-approved examination"],"required":true},"fees":{"application":50,"initialLicense":300,"renewal":200,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Duplicate or replacement license","amount":25},{"name":"Late fee (late renewals)","amount":50},{"name":"License verification fee","amount":30}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":3,"details":"The Board's own Continuing Education page states a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education is required each 2-year licensure period, of which at least 3 hours must be in professional ethics; up to 6 CEU's may be carried over from the prior period. The underlying statute (W. Va. Code §30-37-8) delegates the specific hour count to board rule ('conforming to NCBTMB, FSMTB, or board approved guidelines') rather than fixing a number itself."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"W. Va. Code §30-37-7 allows reciprocal licensing for professionals already licensed in another state; reciprocal applicants may satisfy requirements via successful completion of the NCTMB examination, MBLEx, or any other board-approved examination."},"sources":[{"label":"West Virginia Code §30-37-7 — Requirements for Licensure","url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/30-37-7/"},{"label":"WV Massage Therapy Licensure Board — Continuing Education","url":"http://www.wvmassage.org/ce.asp"},{"label":"WV Massage Therapy Licensure Board — FAQ (fee schedule)","url":"http://www.wvmassage.org/faq.asp?show=q2"},{"label":"State of West Virginia — Massage Therapy Licensure Board (agency directory)","url":"https://www.wv.gov/agencies/massage-therapy-licensure-board"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":["West Virginia's licensing board FAQ page shows two different fee schedules — a current fee table and a leftover paragraph describing fees from around 1998. We use the current table: $50 application, $300 two-year initial license, $200 two-year renewal."],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/west-virginia"},{"name":"Wisconsin","slug":"wisconsin","abbreviation":"WI","overview":"Wisconsin requires a state license, issued jointly under the title 'Massage Therapist or Bodywork Therapist,' from the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) and its affiliated Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Credentialing Board. Applicants complete 600 classroom hours at an approved school and pass both a national competency exam (MBLEx or NCBTMB) and a Wisconsin statutes-and-rules jurisprudence exam. Licenses renew every 2 years and require 24 hours of continuing education, including 2 hours of ethics.","licenseRequired":true,"licensingAuthority":{"name":"Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services — Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board","abbreviation":"DSPS","url":"https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Professions/MassageTherapistBodyworkTherapist/Default.aspx","phone":"(608) 266-2112"},"titles":["Massage Therapist","Bodywork Therapist"],"education":{"trainingHours":600,"programApproval":"DSPS-approved massage therapy/bodywork therapy training program meeting Wis. Admin. Code ch. MTBT 3 curriculum requirements","details":"Wis. Admin. Code ch. MTBT 3 requires a minimum of 600 classroom hours covering anatomy/physiology, business/law/ethics, massage theory and technique, and CPR/first aid, at an approved school. Applicants must also be high school graduates (or hold equivalent DPI-recognized equivalency)."},"exam":{"name":"Nationally administered entry-level competency exam (typically the MBLEx) plus the Wisconsin Statutes and Rules Exam","provider":"Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) for the MBLEx; DSPS for the state jurisprudence exam","alternativesAccepted":["NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) certification examination","NCCAOM Asian Bodywork Therapy Exam"],"required":true},"fees":{"renewal":75,"renewalPeriod":"2 years","other":[{"name":"Renewal with late fee","amount":100}]},"continuingEducation":{"required":true,"hours":24,"period":"2 years","ethicsHours":2,"details":"Wis. Admin. Code ch. MTBT 7 requires 24 hours of continuing education per biennial registration period (running 3/1 of odd years to 2/28 of odd years), with at least 2 hours addressing ethics topics. New licensees are exempt from the requirement for their first renewal. One CE hour equals 50 minutes of instruction."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":{"available":true,"details":"An applicant is eligible for reciprocal licensure if they hold a current, substantially equivalent license, registration, or certificate to practice massage therapy or bodywork therapy in another U.S. state/territory or another country — 'substantially equivalent' includes certification by the NCBTMB or another National Commission for Certifying Agencies-accredited organization. Applicants submit Form #2960 and pay the fee specified under Wis. Stat. §440.05(1)."},"sources":[{"label":"Wis. Admin. Code ch. MTBT 7 — Continuing Education","url":"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/mtbt"},{"label":"DSPS — Massage Therapist/Bodywork Therapist Continuing Education","url":"https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Professions/MassageTherapistBodyworkTherapist/CE.aspx"},{"label":"DSPS — Massage Therapist or Bodywork Therapist Application Instructions (Form #2960)","url":"https://dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Health/info2960.pdf"},{"label":"DSPS — Renewal Dates and Fees (Health, Business, and Unarmed Combat Sports)","url":"https://dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Renewal/RenewalDatesFees.pdf"},{"label":"DSPS — Massage Therapist or Bodywork Therapist profession page","url":"https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Professions/MassageTherapistBodyworkTherapist/Default.aspx"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/wisconsin"},{"name":"Wyoming","slug":"wyoming","abbreviation":"WY","overview":"Wyoming has no statewide massage therapy license, certification, or registration of any kind. Confirmed against the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services' own 2025 Directory of Licensed Occupations — a comprehensive, alphabetically organized list of every state-licensed profession, published December 2025 — which jumps directly from 'Manicurist/Nail Technician' to 'Marriage and Family Therapist' with no massage therapy entry between them, and against the Department of Administration & Information's roster of state-supported professional licensing boards, which likewise includes no massage board.","licenseRequired":false,"licensingAuthority":null,"titles":[],"education":{"details":"No state training-hour or program-approval requirement exists because Wyoming does not regulate massage therapy at the state level."},"exam":{"name":"None required — Wyoming has no statewide massage therapy licensing exam requirement","required":false},"fees":{},"continuingEducation":{"required":false,"details":"Wyoming does not regulate massage therapy at the state level, so no continuing education requirement exists statewide."},"localLicensing":null,"endorsement":null,"sources":[{"label":"Wyoming Department of Workforce Services — 2025 Directory of Licensed Occupations","url":"https://doe.state.wy.us/lmi/dir_lic/lic-occs-2025.pdf"},{"label":"Wyoming Department of Administration & Information — Professional Licensing Boards","url":"https://ai.wyo.gov/divisions/directors-office/professional-licensing-boards"}],"verifiedBy":"agent","lastVerified":"2026-07-24","disclosures":[],"url":"https://www.getmassagelicense.com/wyoming"}]}