How to Become a Massage Therapist in Michigan

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 years old and of good moral character.
• You must complete a board-approved supervised massage curriculum (at least 625 hours if you enrolled on or after August 1, 2017).
• You must pass the MBLEx (or the NCBTMB NCETMB exam if taken before November 1, 2014).
• You must pass a criminal background check.
• You must complete one-time human trafficking training and 2 hours of implicit bias training within the 5 years before your license is issued.
• You must show a working knowledge of English.

Step by step

1. Complete a board-approved supervised massage therapy curriculum.
2. Register with FSMTB and pass the MBLEx. LARA does not need to make you eligible for the exam.
3. Complete the one-time human trafficking training and 2 hours of implicit bias training.
4. Apply online in MiPLUS and pay the $270.10 application and 3-year license fee by card.
5. Have your school send official transcripts and the Certification of Completion of Massage Therapy Supervised Curriculum form directly to LARA.
6. Have every state or country where you hold or held a license send license verification to LARA.
7. Follow the instructions in your Application Confirmation email to complete the fingerprint-based criminal background check.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: For students enrolled on or after January 10, 2020, Michigan requires a supervised curriculum of at least 625 hours (R 338.722a): 75 hours of supervised student clinic, 200 hours of massage and bodywork assessment, theory and application, 125 hours of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology, 40 hours of pathology, 25 hours of business, professional practice or ethics (at least 10 in ethics), and 160 hours in related areas chosen by the school. Students enrolled before August 1, 2017 needed 500 hours. The program must be offered by an NCBTMB assigned school or be accredited by an accreditor recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education (R 338.726).

Exam: You must pass the MBLEx from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). A passing NCBTMB NCETMB exam is accepted only if taken before November 1, 2014. You register directly with FSMTB. Michigan has no additional state exam.

What it costs in Michigan

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Licenses renew every 3 years in MiPLUS, no sooner than 90 days before expiration. LARA's licensing guide lists the renewal application fee as $248.10. You need 18 board-approved CE hours in the 3 years before renewal, including at least 1 hour in pain and symptom management and 2 hours in professional ethics and boundaries. You must also complete 1 hour of implicit bias training for each year of the license cycle, and certify that you finished the one-time human trafficking training.

Good to know in Michigan

Transferring from another state: If you were first licensed in another state and practiced less than 3 years, you must meet the same requirements as an exam applicant. If you have been licensed elsewhere for 3 years or more, you qualify by endorsement if you are 18 or older, of good moral character, and your license is verified in good standing by each licensing agency.

Trained outside the U.S.: Foreign-trained applicants must pass the MBLEx and have their education evaluated by a NACES member credential evaluation agency.

NCBTMB assigned school status ending: NCBTMB is discontinuing assigned school status for massage schools. LARA says schools must instead meet the accreditation option in R 338.726(b), and the Board is updating the rule to name COMTA as an accreditor. Students should confirm with their school that their education will meet licensure rules.

Expired license: Relicensure is started in MiPLUS and costs $290.10 (LARA's licensing guide). You need 18 CE hours in the 3 years before applying. If the license lapsed 7 years or more, you must also pass the MBLEx within the last 3 years or hold a current license in another jurisdiction.

Sources

• LARA - Massage Therapy
• LARA - Michigan Massage Therapy Licensing Guide (rev. 1/26/2026)
• Massage Therapy - General Rules, R 338.701 to R 338.752