Licenses/ Certification

Massage therapy requirements vary significantly from state to state, and where states do not have a state-level board, regulations can vary from city to city.

As the laws are always changing, it makes sense to confirm necessary requirements from the state entities themselves. For state-specific resources, see links below.

While licensing requirements and contact hour minimums may vary, a number of states utilize a national certification service called the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB). Utilized in 32 states (+ the District of Columbia), NCBTMB certification ensures a minimum amount of training and knowledge of massage. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Candidates must have completed a minimum of 500 hours of in-class, supervised instruction as follows:
• 125 hours of body systems, anatomy, physiology and kinesiology
• 200 hours of massage and bodywork assessment, theory and application
• 40 hours of pathology
• 10 hours of business and ethics (minimum of 6 hours in ethics)
• 125 hours of additional instruction in an area or related field that theoretically completes the massage program of study

State specific regulations are detailed at the state or local level.