StateLicensed

Massage Therapist License Requirements in Ohio

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
600 hrs
Upfront cost
$415
Exam
Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
State Medical Board of Ohio

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, 600-hour course of instruction from a board-recognized school (see training); high school diploma or equivalent required., pass a criminal background check. R.C. 4731.19(A)(1)-(2): applicant must be at least 18 and have attained high school graduation or its equivalent. R.C. 4731.171 requires every massage therapy applicant to comply with R.C. 4776.01 to 4776.04, Ohio's criminal records check statute (BCI and FBI background check). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 600 hours of training at a state-approved program. Ohio Revised Code 4731.19(A)(3) requires a diploma or certificate showing completion of a course of instruction in massage therapy of at least 600 clock hours from a school in good standing (in Ohio) or an out-of-state/foreign school meeting equivalent standards (Ohio Admin. Code 4731-1-15). No more than half of the required instruction may be via distance education, and each student must perform at least one therapeutic massage on a licensed massage therapist, evaluated for minimally acceptable competency, before completing the course. Some Ohio-based schools advertise 750-hour programs that exceed this statutory 600-hour floor. Statute effective December 29, 2023, verified directly from codes.ohio.gov via archive snapshot 2025-03-11 (direct fetch to codes.ohio.gov times out/connection-refused from this environment). [1]

  3. 3

    Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx)

    Pass the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) (fee: $265). R.C. 4731.19(A)(4) requires passing an examination prescribed in rules under R.C. 4731.16 to determine competency to practice massage therapy; the State Medical Board's own guidance identifies this as the MBLEx. The $265 figure is FSMTB's current published MBLEx fee, paid directly to FSMTB, not the Ohio board. [1]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to State Medical Board of Ohio with the $150 application fee. [2]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, State Medical Board of Ohio issues your License to Practice Massage Therapy (limited branch of medicine) for Ohio.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] $150
License fee [2] None specified
Renewal fee [2] $100
Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) [1] $265
Reinstatement fee (license suspended 2 years or less for failure to renew) [2] $125
Restoration fee (license suspended more than 2 years) [2] $150

R.C. 4731.19(C): $150 non-refundable application fee, which functions as the combined application/initial-license fee — 'license' is null since there is no separate license-issuance fee beyond the $150 application fee. R.C. 4731.15(C)(1): $100 biennial renewal fee. R.C. 4731.15(E): $125 reinstatement fee (suspended for failure to renew, 2 years or less) or $150 restoration fee (suspended more than 2 years).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

R.C. 4731.15(B)-(C): a license to practice a limited branch of medicine (including massage therapy) is valid for a 2-year period and renews biennially for a $100 fee. No continuing education hour requirement for massage therapist license renewal was found in R.C. Chapter 4731 or OAC Chapter 4731-1 — ceHours is null because Ohio does not appear to mandate CE for this license, not because a figure is unpublished.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

R.C. 4731.19(E): the board shall issue a license under Ohio's universal-recognition law (R.C. Chapter 4796) to an applicant who either (1) holds a license or certificate to practice massage therapy in another state, or (2) has satisfactory work experience or a government/private certification to practice massage therapy in a state that does not issue such a license, without requiring the applicant to separately meet Ohio's 600-hour education/exam pathway. Separately, OAC 4731-1-15(B)(4) allows a diploma/certificate requirement to be satisfied by a current out-of-state license held in good standing for the 5 years preceding application. Ohio previously enacted the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) but per massagecompact.org is now listed as 'IMpact Adopted – At Risk': the page states a subsequent bill (cited on the page as both SB 276 and, in its own heading, SB 246 — the source page is internally inconsistent on the bill number) substantively altered Ohio's enacted compact language so that it no longer conforms to the official multistate model, and Ohio needs corrective legislation to restore full participation. Because Ohio is not currently a conforming, active member, compacts is recorded as empty.

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

Cost calculator

  • $150
  • $265
Total$415

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Ohio require for a massage therapy license?

At least 600 clock hours from a board-recognized school, though some Ohio schools offer longer 750-hour programs that exceed this statutory minimum.

What exam does Ohio require?

The FSMTB MBLEx, currently $265, paid directly to FSMTB.

Does Ohio require continuing education to renew a massage therapy license?

No continuing education requirement for massage therapist license renewal was found in Ohio law; renewal is biennial (every 2 years) for a $100 fee.

Is Ohio part of the Interstate Massage Compact?

Ohio previously enacted IMpact, but a later bill altered its compact language so it no longer conforms to the official multistate model. Per the compact's own site, Ohio needs corrective legislation to fully rejoin.

Can an out-of-state massage therapist get licensed in Ohio without retaking the exam?

Often yes — Ohio's universal-recognition law (R.C. Chapter 4796) lets the board issue a license to an applicant already licensed in another state, or with equivalent work experience/certification, without repeating Ohio's standard education/exam pathway.

Sources

  1. [1] codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4731.19 — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4731.15 — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] massagecompact.org/states/ohio — accessed 2026-07-12