How to Become a Massage Therapist in Minnesota

Who can apply

• Minnesota has no state massage therapist license today. Massage is listed as a complementary and alternative health care practice under Minnesota Statutes chapter 146A.
• A 2026 law creates an optional state registration for massage therapists. MDH says the registry starts January 1, 2028.
• To register you will need a postsecondary massage program from a school licensed by or registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, a passing score on a credentialing exam approved by the commissioner, liability insurance, and a criminal background check.
• Applicants with at least two years of massage practice in the five years before applying can register by prior experience, without the school and exam proof, if they apply before July 1, 2031.

Step by step

1. Today: follow the rules for unlicensed complementary and alternative health care practitioners in chapter 146A, including giving each client the written Client Bill of Rights before treatment.
2. Check with the city where you will work. Until July 1, 2028, cities may still license massage therapists.
3. To register when the registry opens (January 1, 2028): complete a postsecondary massage program at a school licensed by or registered with the Office of Higher Education.
4. Pass a credentialing exam approved by the commissioner of health.
5. Get professional liability insurance of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence and $6,000,000 annual aggregate.
6. Apply to MDH, pay the registration fee, and complete the state and FBI criminal background check.

Training and exam

Training: The state sets no training requirement today. For the new registration, applications received before July 1, 2031 need a postsecondary program from an Office of Higher Education licensed or registered school that covers anatomy, physiology, pathology, massage therapy, massage history, theory and research, professional ethics, communication and standards of practice, business and legal practices, and supervised practice. From July 1, 2031, the program must have programmatic accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or include at least 625 contact hours (500 hours of instruction and 125 hours of student clinical practice).

Exam: No state exam is required to practice today. Registration applicants must pass a credentialing exam approved by the commissioner of health (Minn. Stat. 148.6366). The statute does not name the exam. Applicants registering by endorsement or by prior experience are exempt from the exam requirement.

What it costs in Minnesota

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

How long it takes

MDH says the optional registry starts January 1, 2028. City licensing is preempted starting July 1, 2028.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Registrations expire two years from issuance. To renew you submit a renewal application, the renewal fee (capped at $640.50) and proof of current liability insurance of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence and $6,000,000 annual aggregate. A registration that has lapsed more than two years is canceled and you must apply again. The statute does not set a continuing education requirement.

Good to know in Minnesota

Protected titles from 2028: Starting January 1, 2028, only people registered with MDH may use the titles "registered massage therapist" or "RMT". Registration is optional: unregistered practitioners may still practice under chapter 146A if they do not use a protected title or imply they are registered.

City licenses end in mid-2028: Effective July 1, 2028, the state law preempts city licensing and regulation of massage therapists, including city background checks and exams. Cities may still require a business license for a massage establishment.

Client Bill of Rights today: Unlicensed complementary and alternative health care practitioners must give each client a written Client Bill of Rights before treatment, post it in the office, and have the client sign a statement that they received it (Minn. Stat. 146A.11).

Transferring from another state: You can register by endorsement if you hold a current, unrestricted equivalent credential in another state with at least equivalent requirements, and your training program met that state's postsecondary rules when you enrolled.

Rules still being written: MDH is writing rules for standards of practice and a code of ethics. Its timeline lists a Notice of Intent to Adopt Rules in December 2027.

Asian bodywork therapists: The same 2026 law creates a parallel optional registration for Asian bodywork therapists (therapy based on Chinese medical principles). From January 1, 2028, only registrants may use the titles "registered Asian bodywork therapist" or "RABT".

Suspended or revoked registrants: Effective July 1, 2028, a person whose massage or Asian bodywork registration is suspended or revoked may not practice as an unlicensed complementary and alternative health care practitioner during the suspension or revocation.

Sources

• MDH - Massage Therapy
• MDH - Massage Therapy and Asian Bodywork Therapy Registration rulemaking
• Minnesota Session Laws 2026, Chapter 115, Article 3 (HF 3825)
• Minn. Stat. 146A.11 - Client Bill of Rights