StateLicensed

Massage Therapist License Requirements in Washington

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
625 hrs
Upfront cost
$491
Exam
MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), Washington State Massage Jurisprudence Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Board of Massage

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, pass a criminal background check. Per WAC 246-830-020: applicants must be 18 years of age or older, submit to a state criminal background check (and fingerprint cards for a national/state fingerprint-based background check if required by the Department), and maintain American Red Cross first aid and American Heart Association CPR certification or equivalent (the initial CPR course must be completed in person; hybrid courses are acceptable for renewals). A prostitution-related conviction within the 8 years immediately preceding the application date disqualifies an applicant. [3]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 625 hours of training at a state-approved program. Per WAC 246-830-020 and the Board's licensing-requirements page: a minimum of 625 hours of education/training completed in no fewer than 24 weeks from an approved program, broken down as: 90 hours anatomy and physiology, 60 hours kinesiology, 70 hours pathology, 260 hours massage theory/principles/practice, 50-75 hours student clinic, 55 hours clinical/business practices, and 40 hours professional ethics. [1]

  3. 3

    MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)

    Pass the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) (fee: $265). Per WAC 246-830-201, applicants must pass one of: the FSMTB MBLEx, the NCBTMB National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or another board-approved exam. The $265 fee is FSMTB's published current MBLEx fee, paid directly to FSMTB. [2]

  4. 4

    Washington State Massage Jurisprudence Examination

    Pass the Washington State Massage Jurisprudence Examination. Per WAC 246-830-020(1)(d), a separate Washington-specific jurisprudence exam (laws and rules) is required in addition to the national exam. It is taken online through the DOH's own website; applicants must score 100% to pass and must print their completion certificate immediately since results are not retained by the system. fee is null because this DOH-run online exam does not appear to carry a separate dollar fee (it is not a third-party vendor exam). [3]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Board of Massage with the $226 application fee. [4]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Board of Massage issues your Massage Therapist License for Washington.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [4] $226
License fee [4] None specified
Renewal fee [4] $166
MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) [2] $265
Washington State Massage Jurisprudence Examination [3] None specified
Late renewal penalty [4] $75
Expired license reissuance [4] $50
Duplicate license [4] $10
License verification [4] $10
Intraoral massage endorsement [4] $25

Per DOH's official licensing-information page: Application and initial license is a single combined fee of $226.00 (so 'license' is null, no separate itemized license-issuance charge), and renewal is $166.00. Some fees include a $16 surcharge that funds access to the University of Washington HEALWA health resources website. All fees are non-refundable. DOH's own pages do not itemize a separate dollar amount for the state/fingerprint-based criminal background check beyond the $226 combined application fee.

Renewal & continuing education

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

Per WAC 246-830-475, licenses renew every two years (expiring on the licensee's birthday), requiring 24 hours of continuing education per cycle: at least 8 hours must be in-person and directly supervised hands-on massage application, at least 4 hours must cover professional ethics/client communication/professional boundaries/Washington massage laws and rules, and at least 2 hours must cover health equity training (these 2 hours count toward the 24-hour total). CPR certification (American Heart Association or equivalent) must also be maintained, with up to 4 CE hours creditable per reporting period for it.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Per WAC 246-830-035 and DOH's FAQ page, out-of-state applicants may qualify for licensure by endorsement if their jurisdiction's requirements are substantially equivalent to Washington's: either (1) at least 625 hours of education completed in 24+ weeks from an approved program, or (2) at least 500 hours of education plus 2+ years of practice experience and 24 hours of continuing education completed within the two years prior to application. Applicants with a practice gap of 3+ years must document 24 hours of hands-on CE from the two most recent years. Per massagecompact.org (checked 2026-07-12), Washington does not currently have Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) legislation introduced, so compacts is empty.

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

Cost calculator

  • $226
  • $265
Total$491

Frequently asked questions

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

625 hours from an approved program, completed in no fewer than 24 weeks, covering anatomy/physiology, kinesiology, pathology, massage theory/practice, student clinic, business practices, and ethics.

What exams do I need to pass?

The MBLEx (or NCBTMB exam), plus a separate Washington State Massage Jurisprudence Examination, an online open-book test requiring a 100% passing score.

How much does it cost to get licensed in Washington?

The application and initial license fee is $226 (combined), plus the separate $265 MBLEx exam fee paid to FSMTB. Renewal is $166 every two years.

How often do I need to renew, and how much continuing education is required?

Every two years (expiring on your birthday), with 24 hours of continuing education required per cycle, including at least 8 hands-on hours, 4 hours of ethics/laws, and 2 hours of health equity training.

Can I transfer my out-of-state massage therapy license to Washington?

Yes, via licensure by endorsement, if your prior state's requirements are substantially equivalent — either 625+ hours of education, or 500+ hours plus 2+ years of experience and recent continuing education.

Sources

  1. [1] doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist/licensing-requirements — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] fsmtb.org/mblex-faqs/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist/licensing-information — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/massage-therapist/continuing-education — accessed 2026-07-12