StateLicensed

Massage Therapist License Requirements in Georgia

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
500 hrs
Upfront cost
$390
Exam
MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Georgia Board of Massage Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, High school diploma, GED, or recognized equivalent (required for the endorsement pathway per Board Rule 345-5-.01; the same standard applies generally), pass a criminal background check. Board Rule 345-5-.01 (Licensure by Endorsement) specifies applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma/GED/equivalent, be a US citizen or permanent resident, and pass a fingerprint-based criminal history check through the Georgia Crime Information Center and FBI via the GAPS/Idemia vendor (applicant pays the vendor's fee directly). Georgia also requires proof of professional liability insurance (at least $1 million per occurrence / $3 million aggregate) before a license is issued. Rule text read via the Internet Archive's 2025-05-29 snapshot; rules.sos.state.ga.us refuses automated clients but is reachable in a browser. [4]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 500 hours of training at a state-approved program. Board Rules Chapter 345-8 require a Board-recognized massage therapy educational program with a minimum curriculum of 500 total clock hours of supervised classroom and supervised hands-on instruction ('supervised' requires the instructor to be physically on-site, qualified, and immediately available — fully online instruction does not qualify). Georgia residents must graduate from a Board-recognized program; out-of-state programs must meet substantially equal requirements. [1]

  3. 3

    MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)

    Pass the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) (fee: $265). The Board also accepts NCBTMB's NCETM, NCETMB, or NESL exams. Georgia requires no separate state law examination — licensees are simply expected to be familiar with Georgia's massage therapy laws and rules. The $265 fee is FSMTB's published current MBLEx fee, paid to FSMTB/Pearson VUE, not the Georgia Board. [1]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Georgia Board of Massage Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) with the $125 application fee. [2]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Georgia Board of Massage Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) issues your Massage Therapist License for Georgia.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] $125
License fee [2] None specified
Renewal fee [2] $75
MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) [1] $265
Online application processing fee [2] $5
Paper application processing fee [2] $10
Late renewal (Nov 1-30 of the even-numbered expiration year) [2] $150
Reinstatement / reactivation of an inactive license [2] $200

Per the Board's official Fee Schedule (rev. 03/03/2022): the Massage Therapist License (Initial and Endorsement) application fee is $125.00, plus a $5.00 online or $10.00 paper processing fee — the Board issues a single license upon approval with no separately itemized 'license' fee, so license is null. On-time renewal (received by October 31 of every even-numbered year) is $75.00. Fingerprint/background-check costs through the GAPS/Idemia vendor are billed separately and not published as a fixed Board fee. Georgia also requires proof of professional liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence / $3 million annual aggregate, which is a coverage requirement rather than a Board fee.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Licenses expire October 31 of every even-numbered year. Renewal requires 24 contact hours of continuing education, of which 12 hours must come from a course that is at least 70% direct hands-on supervised instruction; the remaining 12 hours may be hands-on or other massage-therapy-related CE. CE providers must hold a current NCBTMB provider number, and completions must be recorded in CE Broker.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Georgia's own FAQ states plainly that holding a massage therapy license from another state does not authorize practice in Georgia — 'You must hold an active license issued by the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy to practice as a massage therapist in Georgia.' However, Board Rule 345-5-.01 does provide a Licensure by Endorsement pathway (same $125 application fee as initial licensure) for applicants holding a current out-of-state/foreign license in good standing whose requirements are substantially equal to or exceed Georgia's, subject to the same age/education/citizenship/background-check requirements as new applicants. Georgia has not enacted the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact); massagecompact.org reports 2025 IMpact legislation came close to passage but did not complete final steps before adjournment, and the state remains well-positioned for future enactment.

9 state-approved training providers in Georgia — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $125
  • $265
Total$390

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Georgia require for a massage therapist license?

500 total clock hours of supervised classroom and hands-on instruction from a Board-recognized massage therapy educational program.

Which exam does Georgia require, and is there a state law exam?

The MBLEx or an NCBTMB exam (NCETM, NCETMB, or NESL). No separate Georgia law exam is required.

How much does an initial Georgia massage therapist license cost?

$125 application fee plus a $5 (online) or $10 (paper) processing fee. Fingerprint background-check costs are billed separately by the vendor.

Can I practice in Georgia if I already hold a license from another state?

Not automatically — Georgia requires its own license. You can apply for Licensure by Endorsement (same $125 fee) if your out-of-state license meets or exceeds Georgia's requirements, along with age, education, citizenship, and background-check requirements.

How often do Georgia massage therapists renew, and what continuing education is required?

Every two years (licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years) for a $75 renewal fee, with 24 hours of continuing education required, at least 12 of which must be 70%+ hands-on instruction.

Sources

  1. [1] sos.ga.gov/page/faq-georgia-board-massage-therapy — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/50%20Reference%20-%20Fee%20Schedule.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] sos.ga.gov/page/georgia-board-massage-therapy-continuing-education — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] rules.sos.state.ga.us/gac/345-5 — accessed 2026-07-27