Massage Therapy Licensure
Professional Licensure Disclosure
COCC prepares students for jobs that require a license to practice in Oregon. If you plan to work in another state, please check with that state's licensing board. Remember that licensure can help you find a job, even in states that don’t require a license.
Beyond training or licensure, states may have additional requirements including but not limited to: living in the state for a certain amount of time; taking state-approved tests; registering with the state; previous work experience; proof of Oregon state licensure.
COCC provides the information below at the direction of the U.S. Department of Education and National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). Since rules can change, be sure to check the state you want to move to and ask about current guidelines.
| STATE/TERRITORY | COCC SATISFIES REQUIREMENTS? | PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OR LICENSE AUTHORITY | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes |
Alabama Board of Massage Therapy |
Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Alaska | Yes |
Alaska Board of Massage Therapists
|
If not licensed, requires verification of hours sent directly from the massage therapy school; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Arizona | Yes | Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy | Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Arkansas | Yes, with additional requirements. | Arkansas Department of Health Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam and Arkansas Massage Therapy Law Exam. |
| California | Yes | California Massage Therapy Council | State certification is voluntary. However, some cities and counties locally require CAMTC Certification for massage professionals. To find out if your city or county requires CAMTC Certification, please contact the city or county in which you wish to practice. |
| Colorado | Yes | Colorado Office of Massage Therapy Licensure | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Connecticut | Yes, with additional requirements | Connecticut Department of Public Health Massage Therapist License |
Additional verification forms required; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Delaware | Yes | Delaware Board of Massage and Bodywork | Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| District of Columbia | Yes | DC Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript or licensure verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Florida | YES, with additional requirements | Florida Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam; Complete a 10 hour Florida Laws and Rules course. |
| Georgia | Yes | Georgia Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Hawaii | Yes, with additional requirements | Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript, course descriptions and school catalog from training institution; Requires Hawaii Massage Licensing Exam. |
| Idaho | Yes | Idaho Board of Massage Therapy | Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Illinois | Yes | Illinois Massage Licensing Board via IDFPR | Official transcript or licensure verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Indiana | Yes | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX, NCETM, NCETMB or NBCA NCE exam. |
| Iowa | Yes | Iowa Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Kansas | N/A | Kansas is one of a few states in the country that does not license or regulate the profession of massage therapy. However, some cities might have their own requirements. | |
| Kentucky | Yes | Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX, NCCA, NCETMB or NBCA NCE exam. |
| Louisiana | Yes | Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCCA exam. |
| Maine | Yes, with additional requirements | Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation Massage Therapy Licensure |
Additional verification forms required. |
| Maryland | Yes | Maryland Department of Health (MDH) State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners |
Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam; Out-of-state applicants are approved on a case-by-base basis. |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Massachusetts Board of Registration of Massage Therapy | MBLEX or NCETMB exam can count as 100 hours toward required training hours. |
| Michigan | Yes, with additional requirements | Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs | Submit transcript and certification form; Pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Minnesota | N/A | Minnesota is one of a few states in the country that does not license or regulate the profession of massage therapy. However, some cities might have their own requirements. | |
| Mississippi | YES, with additional requirements | Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam; Pass Mississippi State Law Examination. |
| Missouri | Yes | Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX, NCETM, NCETMB or AMMA NBCE exam. |
| Montana | Yes | Montana Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX, NCETM, NCETMB or NESL exam. |
| Nebraska | Yes, with additional requirements | Nebraska Dept of Health and Human Services - Licensure Unit | Additional training hours may be required if only certificate program completed; Official transcript required; Must pass NCETMB or MBLEX. |
| Nevada | Yes | Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass a national exam. |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Advisory Board of Massage Therapists | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| New Jersey | Yes | New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| New Mexico | Yes, with additional requirements | New Mexico Board of Massage Therapy | Requires form sent directly from the massage therapy school and official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| New York | Yes, with additional requirements | New York State Board for Massage Therapy | Additional training hours may be required if only certificate program completed; Official transcript required; Must pass NCETMB or MBLEX. |
| North Carolina | Yes, with additional requirements | North Carolina Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy | Official transcript, course descriptions and school catalog from training institution; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| North Dakota | Yes, with additional requirements | ND Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript and Affidavit from School of Massage; Pass MBLEX or NCETMB. Must complete jurisprudence exam. |
| Ohio | Yes, with additional requirements | State Medical Board of Ohio | Must submit Certificate of Education to be completed by the LMT program at COCC; Must pass MBLEX. |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering Advisory Board on Massage Therapy | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Oregon | Yes | Oregon State Board of Massage Therapists | |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Rhode Island Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| South Carolina | Yes, with additional requirements | South Carolina Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript; Pass MBLEX or NCETMB. |
| South Dakota | Yes | South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy | Official transcript and verification form from school of massage; Must pass MBLEX, NCETM, NCETMB or NBCA NCE exam. |
| Tennessee | Yes | Tennessee Board of Massage Licensure | Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Texas | Yes, with additional requirements | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation - Massage Therapy | Submit official transcript with at least 500 hours; submit school catalog for each course listed on transcript; Complete the Texas Massage Therapist Jurisprudence Exam; Complete the MBLEX exam. |
| Utah | Yes, with additional requirements | Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing | Official transcript and verification form from school; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Vermont | N/A | OPR: Massage Therapists, Body Workers, and Touch Professionals | Must register with the state. However, applicants do not need to provide documentation of qualifications, examination(s), or education. No exam scores are needed to obtain a registration. You do not need to have scores sent to OPR. |
| Virginia | Yes | Virginia Board of Nursing Attn: Massage Therapy Licensure |
Official transcript verification; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Washington | Yes, with additional requirements | Washington State Board of Massage | Official transcript and verification form from school: Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| West Virginia | Yes | West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board | Official transcript; Must pass MBLEX or NCETMB exam. |
| Wisconsin | Yes, with additional requirements | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Massage Therapist | Requires 6 classroom hours in the laws of this state and rules of the board relating to the practice of massage therapy. |
| Wyoming | N/A |
No state licensing board. |