How to Become a Massage Therapist in Nebraska

Checked against Nebraska Board of Massage Therapy, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Licensure Unit · Verified 2026-10-17

Exam: Required
Training: Required
Term: 2 years
State fee: $110 initial license fee; $27.50 if your license is issued May through October of an odd-numbered year. Temporary license: $25. Fees are waived for young workers, low-income individuals and military families.
Licensed by: Nebraska Board of Massage Therapy, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Licensure Unit

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Who can apply

You must be at least 19 years old (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-1710).
You must show U.S. citizenship or lawful presence.
You must graduate from an approved massage therapy school with at least 1,000 hours of study over at least nine months.
You must pass the MBLEx (FSMTB) or an NCBTMB exam and submit the official score report.
You must list all misdemeanor and felony convictions on the application.

Step by step

Complete at least 1,000 hours of massage therapy training over at least nine months at an approved school.
Register directly with FSMTB and pass the MBLEx.
Gather your citizenship or lawful presence document (a driver's license is not accepted) and any conviction records.
Complete the Massage Therapy License Application and mail it to the DHHS Licensure Unit with the fee (check or money order) unless you qualify for a fee waiver.
Have your school send your official transcript directly to the Licensure Unit, and have any other state where you held a health license send a verification.
If anything is missing, DHHS emails you. You have 90 days to complete the application or it is closed.
DHHS emails you when your license is issued. To practice, you must also work in a Nebraska-licensed massage therapy establishment.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Nebraska requires graduation from an approved massage therapy school with a continuous course of at least 1,000 hours over at least nine months: 100 hours each of physiology, anatomy, massage, pathology, hydrotherapy, hygiene and practical demonstration, and health service management, plus 300 hours in subjects related to the clinical practice of massage therapy (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-1703).

Exam: You must pass the MBLEx, registering directly with FSMTB, and submit an official score report from FSMTB or NCBTMB. Applicants licensed in another state must also pass Nebraska's jurisprudence exam: a free, open-book, 50-question multiple-choice exam on massage therapy and establishment rules, with a passing score of at least 75%.

Practice for the MBLEx free — anatomy, kinesiology, pathology, ethics and client assessment →

What it costs in Nebraska

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

Initial license fee ($27.50 if issued May-October of an odd year; waivers available)$110
MBLEx exam (FSMTB)$
Massage school tuition$
Temporary license (optional)$25
Preliminary conviction review (optional)$100

Estimated total in Nebraska$110Plus 2 items with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

MBLEx exam fee paid to FSMTB.
Massage school tuition varies by program.
Preliminary conviction review (optional): $100 per license type.
Practicing on an expired license: administrative penalty of $10 per day, up to $1,000.

How long it takes

Applications are reviewed in the order received. If information is missing you have 90 days to complete the application.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Massage therapist licenses expire November 1 of odd-numbered years. You need 16 continuing education hours to renew, and up to 50% can be online or electronic (172 NAC 81). The Board does not approve CE programs; each licensee decides whether a program is an acceptable massage topic. To reinstate an expired or inactive license you must complete 16 CE hours and file a reinstatement application with the fee: $145, or $62.50 from May through October of an odd-numbered year (check or money order only).

Good to know in Nebraska

Establishment license required: To practice in Nebraska you must hold a Nebraska license and practice in a Nebraska-licensed massage therapy establishment.

Temporary license while waiting to test: If you meet every requirement except the exam, you can get a temporary license and practice under a licensed massage therapist's supervision. It lasts 60 days or until you take the exam, and cannot be extended past six months.

Transferring from another state: If you are licensed elsewhere with fewer than 1,000 training hours, you can make up hours: 200 hours for each year of full-time practice, 15 hours per semester credit of related college coursework, and up to 100 hours from NCBTMB- or FSMTB-approved CE. You must also pass the jurisprudence exam with at least 75%.

Reflexology: Reflexology is included in the practice of massage therapy in Nebraska and requires a massage therapist license.

Military spouses: A military spouse with an active massage license in another state and a spouse stationed in Nebraska can get a temporary license for up to one year (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-129.01).

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Nebraska Board of Massage Therapy, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Licensure Unit before you apply.