Massage License Requirements in Washington
Verified against Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance — Board of Massage Therapy · 2026-07-25 · verified by agent
Washington's 625-hour training requirement is sourced from WAC 246-830-475 — Continuing Education Requirements, verified 2026-07-25. Its required exam — MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) — comes from the same source.
Compiled and verified against primary state-board sources by GetMassageLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
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.
Washington Massage License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance — Board of Massage Therapy |
| Title | Massage Therapist |
| Training Hours | 625 hours — Board-approved massage school, massage program, transfer program, or apprenticeship program, completed in no fewer than 24 weeks |
| Exam | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)) Alternatives accepted: NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) examination |
| Renewal Period | 1 year |
Fee Breakdown
| Initial License Fee | $210 |
| Renewal Fee (every 1 year) | $150 |
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| HEAL-WA online access fee (charged with initial and renewal) | $16 |
| Late renewal penalty | $75 |
| Intraoral massage endorsement | $25 |
Recommended MBLEx exam prep
Formal prep pays for itself against a $265 retake. These are the resources we point candidates to for the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination). Read the full MBLEx exam-prep guide for what the exam covers, what it costs, and how to schedule it.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Secrets Study GuideFull-length practice tests and step-by-step review for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.See the study guide →
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx FlashcardsPortable flashcards covering the MBLEx's high-frequency topics — a cheaper add-on for drilling terms and definitions on the go.See the flashcards →
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Online Prep CourseA guided video course with instructor-led lessons, quizzes, and a study plan for the MBLEx — a subscription option for a more structured review.See the course →Continuing Education
24 hours every 2 years, including 4 ethics hours.
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.
Starting your own practice in Washington?
Working for yourself usually means a business entity. An LLC keeps your personal assets separate from the practice and is the name your business bank account, lease and liability policy go under. Northwest forms it and acts as your registered agent in Washington — a flat fee, no upsell funnel.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Form an LLC with Northwest →Licensure by Endorsement
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
Data last verified: 2026-07-25 (verified by: agent) | Source: WAC 246-830-475 — Continuing Education Requirements