How to Become a Massage Therapist: Training Pathways, Hours and Exams

There is no single route. In the United States, the NCCIH says there is no standardized national system for credentialing complementary health practitioners, and state governments decide what credentials are needed to work in their state. [1] The same applies to massage: the sources below show what some regulators require, but they are examples, not a universal rule. Information only. If you are thinking about this career, the regulator in the place where you want to work is the authority.

The Usual Building Blocks

Most regulated places combine some of these, according to NCCIH: graduating from an approved program, meeting a national organization's certification requirements, completing a set amount of training, passing an exam and taking continuing education. [1] NCCIH reported (page dated May 2018) that most states that regulate massage therapists require at least 500 hours of training. [1] Another NCCIH page says state rules typically require graduation from an approved program and passing an examination. [2] The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) also says that standards and requirements vary by state and advises contacting your state board to learn the qualifications needed. [3]

The National Exam in the US

The FSMTB offers the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), which it describes as setting entry-level standards that help state regulators decide whether a person can practise competently and safely. [8] To sit it you must show you are enrolled in, or have graduated from, an approved massage therapy education program, and your school must verify your education with FSMTB. [8] Whether your state uses the MBLEx is a question for your state board. We did not read a list of which states accept it.

Optional Board Certification

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) is a private nonprofit founded in 1992. [9] It offers board certification. In a state with licensing, it asks for proof of a current license, a passing exam score and a background check; in a state without licensing, it asks for graduation from a program of at least 500 hours that meets its requirements. [10] NCCIH explains that government agencies grant and monitor licenses while professional organizations certify practitioners, so a board certification is not the same as a state license. [1] Where mandatory licensure applies, a license is what is required to provide the service. [1]

Students and Graduates Cannot Always Practise Yet

In Ontario, a person cannot practise massage therapy until CMTO grants registration, and students and program graduates are not authorized to practise before then. [11] Taking courses does not allow someone to call themselves a massage therapist there. [12]

Choosing a Program

We found no regulator source that lets us rank or list schools, and this site does not. A safe approach is to ask your state or provincial regulator whether a program counts toward licensure before paying for it. FSMTB's exam rules and New York's rules both tie eligibility to an approved or registered program. [8][5]

Where to Go Next

See massage licensing by state and country for how regulation differs and how to verify a license, scope of practice for what training qualifies a therapist to do, and the category hub Massage and Bodywork.