Massage Therapist License Requirements in Wisconsin
- Training hours
- 600 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $415
- Exam
- MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), Wisconsin State Law Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Credentialing Board
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old, High school diploma or high school graduation equivalency, as determined by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, pass a criminal background check. Per DSPS Form #2960: applicants must be 18 or older, and must not have been convicted of an offense under a specific list of Wisconsin statutes (sexual assault, prostitution-related, and similar offenses under Wis. Stat. Sections 940.22, 940.225, 944.15/17/30-34, 948.02/025/08/085/09/095/10, or comparable federal/other-state offenses), nor any other offense substantially related to the practice of massage therapy, subject to Wis. Stat. Sections 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335. Applicants must also carry malpractice liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate per year, and hold a current CPR/AED certificate from a DHS-approved provider. This is a records/conviction-disclosure review rather than an explicitly fingerprint-based background check per the Board's own credentialing document. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 600 hours of training at a state-approved program. Per DSPS Form #2960 (Credentialing Information for Massage Therapist or Bodywork Therapist Applicants): applicants must complete the Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Program Curriculum, which DSPS's own program-curriculum verification form (#2962) and Wis. Stat. Section 460.05 tie to a 600-hour classroom-hour standard, generally broken down as roughly 125 hours anatomy/physiology/pathology/kinesiology, 300 hours massage/bodywork theory/technique/practice, and other business/law/ethics hours. If the applicant's school is not Educational Approval Program (EAP) approved, an official transcript must also be submitted. [1]
- 3
MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination)
Pass the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) (fee: $265). Per DSPS Form #2960, applicants must pass one of: the MBLEx, the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage, the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or the Asian Bodywork Therapy Examination (NCCAOM). Scores must be sent directly to DSPS from the exam agency (FSMTB for the MBLEx). The $265 fee is FSMTB's published current MBLEx fee. [2]
- 4
Wisconsin State Law Examination
Pass the Wisconsin State Law Examination. A separate, Wisconsin-specific online open-book exam on the state statutes and administrative codes governing massage/bodywork therapists (40 multiple-choice/true-false questions, 85% passing score required). Candidates are assigned an ID, test name, and password after applying. DSPS's own credentialing form does not state a separate dollar fee for this exam (retakes require 'an additional fee' per the form, but no specific amount is published), so fee is null rather than guessed. [1]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Credentialing Board with the $150 application fee. [3]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Credentialing Board issues your Massage Therapist or Bodywork Therapist License for Wisconsin.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | $150 |
| License fee [3] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [3] | $75 |
| MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) [2] | $265 |
| Wisconsin State Law Examination [1] | None specified |
| Late renewal fee (total with late fee) [3] | $100 |
| Additional fee for licensure by reciprocity [3] | $7 |
Per DSPS's fee references (Wis. Stat. Section 440.05(1)) and its official Renewal Dates and Fees schedule: the initial licensure-by-examination fee is $150.00, and the biennial renewal fee (due 2/28 of each odd year) is $75.00 ($100.00 total if paid late). Reciprocity applicants pay an additional $7.00 on top of the standard application fee. 'license' is null because DSPS does not itemize a separate license-issuance fee beyond the $150 initial application fee. The MBLEx exam fee ($265) is paid directly to FSMTB and tracked separately in the exams entry.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Per the DSPS renewal fee schedule, the Massage Therapist or Bodywork Therapist credential renews every two years on 02/28 of odd-numbered years. Per Wis. Admin. Code Sections MTBT 4.04 and MTBT 7.02(3) (referenced in DSPS Form #2960), renewal requires 24 hours of acceptable continuing education per biennium, including 2 credits in professional ethics.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Per DSPS Form #2960 (Licensure by Reciprocity section), an applicant may qualify if they hold a current, substantially equivalent license/registration/certificate from another U.S. state/territory or another country — 'substantially equivalent' means either NCBTMB certification (or certification by another National Commission for Certifying Agencies-accredited body) or at least 600 classroom hours of instruction from an accredited school. Reciprocity applicants must still pass the Wisconsin State Law Examination, submit verification letters from every jurisdiction where they've ever held a credential, and meet the same insurance/CPR/background requirements as exam applicants. Per massagecompact.org (checked 2026-07-12), Wisconsin has not enacted the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact): legislation was introduced during the 2026 session but did not advance before the legislature adjourned, so compacts is empty.
9 state-approved training providers in Wisconsin — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $150
- $265
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Wisconsin require for a massage therapist license?
600 classroom hours from an approved massage/bodywork therapy program.
What exams do I need to pass?
A national exam (most commonly the MBLEx), plus a separate Wisconsin State Law Examination — an online open-book test on Wisconsin's massage therapy statutes and rules requiring an 85% passing score.
How much does it cost to get licensed in Wisconsin?
The initial licensure-by-examination fee is $150, plus the separate $265 MBLEx exam fee paid to FSMTB. Renewal every two years is $75.
How often do I need to renew, and how much continuing education is required?
Every two years (renewing 2/28 of odd-numbered years), with 24 hours of continuing education required per cycle, including 2 hours of professional ethics.
Do I need malpractice insurance to get licensed?
Yes. Wisconsin requires proof of malpractice liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate per year, in addition to the education, exam, and background requirements.
Sources
- [1] dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Health/info2960.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] fsmtb.org/mblex-faqs/ — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Renewal/RenewalDatesFees.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12