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Massage Therapist
The most comprehensive comparison of massage therapist licensing requirements. The MBLEx is the standard national exam, training hours range widely across states, and a few states remain unregulated.
47
States Require Licensing
7
Voluntary/Unregulated
500–1000
Training Hours Range
44
Require MBLEx
Massage therapy licensing varies significantly by state, from strict requirements with high training hours to states with no regulation at all.
The Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) is administered by the FSMTB and used by the majority of states as the standard licensing exam. It uses scaled pass/fail scoring to evaluate entry-level competency.
Required training hours range from 500 to 1,000+ depending on the state. Most accredited programs cover anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, pathology, massage technique, and ethics.
The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) are the two major professional associations, offering voluntary membership, liability insurance, and continuing education resources.
Click any column header to sort. Click a state to view full requirements.
| State | Status | Hours | MBLEx | Gov. Fees | Renewal | CE Req. | BG Check | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama(AL) | Mandatory | 650 | Yes | $370+ | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Alaska(AK) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $545+ | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Arizona(AZ) | Mandatory | 700 | Yes | $345+ | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Arkansas(AR) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $411.25 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| California(CA) | Voluntary | 500 | No | $300-$495 | 2 years | No | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Colorado(CO) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $314.50+ | 2 years (expires December 31 of even-numbered years) | No | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Connecticut(CT) | Mandatory | 750 | Yes | $574.75 | 4 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Delaware(DE) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $321 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| District of Columbia(DC) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $457 | 2 years (expires January 31 of odd-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Florida(FL) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $350 | 2 years (expires August 31 of odd-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Georgia(GA) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $325 | 2 years (expires October 31 of even-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Hawaii(HI) | Mandatory | 570 | No | $214 | 2 years (expires June 30 of even-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Idaho(ID) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $440 | 1 year (birthday) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Illinois(IL) | Mandatory | 600 | Yes | $370+ | 2 years (last quarter of even-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Indiana(IN) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $295 | 4 years (expires May 15) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Iowa(IA) | Mandatory | 600 | Yes | $315 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Kansas(KS) | Unregulated | — | No | N/A | N/A | No | No | Mar 2026 |
| Kentucky(KY) | Mandatory | 600 | Yes | $395 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Louisiana(LA) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $465 | 1 year | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Maine(ME) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $281 | 1 year (anniversary of original issuance) | No | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Maryland(MD) | Mandatory | 750 | Yes | $495+ | 2 years (expires October 31 of even-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Massachusetts(MA) | Mandatory | 650 | Yes | $420 | 2 years | No | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Michigan(MI) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $465.10 | 3 years (after first renewal) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Minnesota(MN) | Unregulated | — | No | N/A | N/A | No | No | Mar 2026 |
| Mississippi(MS) | Mandatory | 700 | Yes | $481+ | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Missouri(MO) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $363.05+ | 2 years (expires January 31 of odd-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Montana(MT) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $340 | 2 years (expires August 31) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Nebraska(NE) | Mandatory | 1000 | Yes | $305 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Nevada(NV) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $675+ | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| New Hampshire(NH) | Mandatory | 750 | Yes | $305 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| New Jersey(NJ) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $315+ | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| New Mexico(NM) | Mandatory | 650 | Yes | $270 | 2 years (expires October 31) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| New York(NY) | Mandatory | 1000 | No | $303+ | 3 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| North Carolina(NC) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $345+ | 2 years (expires December 31 of even years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| North Dakota(ND) | Mandatory | 750 | Yes | $345 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Ohio(OH) | Mandatory | 750 | Yes | $586 | 2 years | No | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Oklahoma(OK) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $270 | 1 year (expires on birthday) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Oregon(OR) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $727.25 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Pennsylvania(PA) | Mandatory | 600 | Yes | $295 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Rhode Island(RI) | Mandatory | 800 | Yes | $260 | 1 year | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| South Carolina(SC) | Mandatory | 650 | Yes | $345 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| South Dakota(SD) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $315 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Tennessee(TN) | Mandatory | 650 | Yes | $475 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Texas(TX) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $295 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Utah(UT) | Mandatory | 600 | Yes | $295 | 2 years (expires May 31 of odd-numbered years) | No | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Vermont(VT) | Mandatory | — | No | $275 | 2 years | No | No | Mar 2026 |
| Virginia(VA) | Mandatory | 500 | Yes | $335 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Washington(WA) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $421 | 1 year (expires on birthday) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| West Virginia(WV) | Mandatory | 625 | Yes | $545 | 2 years | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Wisconsin(WI) | Mandatory | 600 | Yes | $345 | 2 years (expires February 28 of odd-numbered years) | Yes | Yes | Mar 2026 |
| Wyoming(WY) | Unregulated | — | No | N/A | N/A | No | No | Mar 2026 |
Massage therapists often explore related wellness and personal care professions. See what other licenses are available.
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See the full comparison table above for all 51 states.
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