The requirements for practicing massage therapy vary greatly from state to state across the U.S. Currently, there are only 24 states which have a state regulatory board which governs the standards for practicing. What this means is, if your state is not listed here then massage may not be regulated at all, or (as is usually the case) is regulated by the city or county.
You can click on each state's name for information on contacting the regulatory board.
STATE |
EDUCATION |
NCE | RECIPROCITY |
| Alabama | 650 Hours | YES | |
| Arkansas | 500 Hours | YES | case-by-case |
| Arizona | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Connecticut | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Delaware | 300 or 500 Hours | YES | case-by-case |
| Florida | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Hawaii | 570 Hours | ||
| Illinois | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Iowa | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Kentucky | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Louisiana | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Maine | 500 Hours | ||
| Maryland | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Mississippi | 700 Hours | YES | |
| Missouri | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Nebraska | 1000 Hours | YES | case-by-case |
| New Hampshire | 750 Hours | YES | case-by-case |
| New Jersey | 507 Hours | YES | |
| New Mexico | 650 Hours | YES | case-by-case |
| New York | 1000 Hours | case-by-case | |
| North Carolina | 500 Hours | YES | |
| North Dakota | 750 Hours | ||
| Ohio | 600 Hours | case-by-case | |
| Oregon | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Rhode Island | 500 Hours | YES | |
| South Carolina | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Tennessee | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Texas | 300 Hours | ||
| Utah | 600 or 1000 Hours | YES | case-by-case |
| Virginia | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Washington | 500 Hours | YES | |
| Washington, D.C. | 500 Hours | YES | |
| West Virginia | 500 Hours | ||
| Wisconsin | 600 Hours | YES |
National Certification Examination (NCE)- There is now a National Certification Examination, the mandate of this exam’s board is to create a standardized test which is accepted by every state’s regulatory commission. This will allow massage therapists to be able to work from state to state with ease of reciprocity. Currently only some states accept those therapists who are nationally certified. In the chart, any state whose NCE listing is marked YES does allow this certification as meeting requirements for licensure. More Info? See the NCBTMB website
Reciprocity- Many states do still allow other means of reciprocity. If you have met the educational requirements in one state and are wanting to practice in another, you need to contact that state's commission to see if you can practice with your current education/certification. In some cases you still may be required to test in the state you are entering, or complete more training to qualify.
COMTA- The Commission on Massage Training Accreditation is an organization which accredits massage therapy training programs. They are the only agency which accredits only massage programs. COMTA is not recognized by the federal department of education, so schools who have met COMTA standards do not necessarily have available federal education grants, some schools may have these grants available through other accreditations. Schools who meet the COMTA standards have met strict requirements within their programs, and are more likely to offer a higher standard of education. If COMTA is listed above, then you must complete education at a COMTA accredited school to meet state requirements.
Alabama
Board of Massage Therapy
660 Adams Avenue, Suite 150
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 269-9990
www.adeca.state.al.us
Arkansas
State Board of Massage Therapy
P.O. Box 20739
Hot Springs, AR 71903
(501) 623-0444
www.state.ar.us
Arizona
(602) 542-8604
http://massagetherapy.az.gov
Connecticut
Massage Therapy Licensure Program
Department Of Public Health
150 Washington St.
Hartford CT 06106
(860) 509-7570
www.state.ct.us/dph/
Delaware
Delaware Board of Massage & Bodywork
Cannon Building, suite 203
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
(302) 739-4537
Florida
Florida Department Of Health
Board Of Massage Therapy
1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 245-4161
www.doh.state.fl.us
Hawaii
Hawaii Department Of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Professional and Vocational Licensing Division
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801
(808) 586-3000
www.state.hi.us/dcca/pvl/areas_massage.html
Illinois
(217) 785-0800
Iowa
Iowa Massage Therapy Advisory Board
321 E. 12th St.
Lucas State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-6959
www.idph.state.ia.us/licensure
Kentucky
(502) 564-3296
Louisiana
Louisiana Board Of Massage Therapy
11853 Bricksome Ave., Suite A
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225) 771-4090
www.lsbmt.org
Maine
Maine
Department Of Professional and Financial Regulation
Division of Licensing and Enforcement- Massage Therapists
State House Station #35
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 624-8603
www.state.me.us/pfr/olr/
Maryland
(410) 764-4738
Mississippi
(601) 856-6127
www.msbmt.state.ms.us
Missouri
(573) 522-6277
www.ecodev.state.mo.us/pr/massagetherapy/
Nebraska
Nebraska Bureau of Examining Boards
Department of Health
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 95007
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2117
www.hhs.state.ne.us
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Facilities Administration
6 Hazen Dr.
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-4592
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/ie
New Jersey
(973) 504-6200
New Mexico
New Mexico Board Of Massage Therapy
P.O. Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 476-4870
www.rld.state.nm.us
New York
New York State Education Department
Division of Professional Licensing Services
Massage Unit, Room 3041
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
(518) 474-3717 ext. 150
www.op.nysed.gov
North Carolina
(919) 546-0050
www.bmbt.org
North Dakota
North Dakota Massage Board
22 Fremont Dr.
Fargo, ND 58103
(701) 225-3906
www.ndboardofmassage.com
Ohio
Ohio State Medical Board
77 South High St., 17th Floor
Columbus, OH 43266
(614) 466-3934
www.state.oh.us
Oregon
Oregon Board Of Massage Technicians
407-B State Office Building
800 NE Oregon St., #21
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 365-8657
www.oregonmassage.org
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Health
Room 104, Cannon Building
Three Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2828
www.info.state.ri.us
South Carolina
South Carolina
Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
Board of Massage Therapy
P.O. Box 11329
Columbia, SC 29211-1329
(803) 896-4830
www.llr.state.sc.us
Tennessee
Massage Licensure Board
Cordell Hull Bldg., First Floor
426 5th Avenue, North
Nashville, TN 37247-1010
(800) 778-4123
Texas
Texas
Deptartment of Health
Massage Therapy Registration
1100 W. 49th St.
Austin, TX 78756
(512) 834-6616
www.tdh.state.tx.us/hcqs/plc/massage.htm
Utah
Utah Department Of Commerce
Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
Herber M. Wells Building
160 East 300 South
P.O. Box 45805
Salt Lake City, UT 84145
(801) 530-6628
www.dopl.utah.gov
Virginia
Virginia Department of Health Professions
Board of Nursing
6606 W. Broad St., Fourth Floor
Richmond, VA 23230-1717
(804) 662-9909
www.dhp.state.va.us
Washington
Washington Department of Health
Professional Licensing Services
1300 SE Quince St.
P.O. Box 47869
Olympia, WA 98504
(360) 236-4700
www.doh.wa.gov
Washington, D.C.
Board of Massage Therapy
941 N. Capitol St. NE Suite. 7243
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-9200
West Virginia
Massage Therapy Licensure Board
P.O. Box 8038
South Charleston, WV 25303
(304) 487-1400
www.state.wv.us
Wisconsin
Department of Regulation & Licensure
1400 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708
(608) 266-0145
www.drl.state.wi.us