How to Become a Massage Therapist in New York

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be of good moral character.
• You must have finished high school or its equivalent.
• You must graduate from a massage therapy program registered by NYSED as licensure qualifying (or a substantially equivalent program) of at least 1,000 classroom hours.
• You must have completed a CPR course within three years before you are licensed.
• You must pass the New York State Massage Therapy Examination.
• You may need to show English proficiency, if it applies to you.

Step by step

1. Complete a NYSED-registered, licensure-qualifying massage therapy program of at least 1,000 hours, including at least 150 hours of practice on a person.
2. Submit the Application for Licensure (Form 1) to the Office of the Professions with the fee, and have your school and other required forms sent in.
3. Wait for NYSED to approve your education. You cannot test until your education is approved.
4. Meet the licensure application deadline for the exam date you want (for example, November 1, 2026 for the March 12, 2027 exam).
5. File the separate exam scheduling application with Meazure Learning and pay its fee by NYSED's deadline (December 1, 2026 for the March 12, 2027 exam; July 1, 2027 for the September 10, 2027 exam).
6. Pass the exam. NYSED issues your license and first registration, and your name appears in the online license verification.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: New York requires graduation from a school or institute of massage therapy whose program is registered by NYSED as licensure qualifying, or its substantial equivalent, with at least 1,000 hours of classroom instruction. Coursework must cover anatomy, physiology, neurology, myology or kinesiology, pathology, hygiene, first aid, CPR, infection control, the chemical ingredients of products used, and the theory, technique and practice of both oriental and western massage. At least 150 of the 1,000 hours must be practice on a person. If you finished an approved program of at least 500 hours elsewhere, NYSED will review it and tell you what deficiencies to make up; a New York registered program can accept no more than 250 hours from another school.

Exam: You must pass the New York State Massage Therapy Examination, not the MBLEx. It is given only twice a year (March and September). Your education must be approved before you can sit for it. Upcoming dates: March 12, 2027 (licensure application due November 1, 2026; exam application due December 1, 2026) and September 10, 2027 (licensure application due June 1, 2027; exam application due July 1, 2027). You file a separate exam scheduling application with Meazure Learning and pay its scheduling fee; NYSED does not publish that fee. Meazure charges a $40 processing fee for cancellations, which must be made at least 30 days before the exam. NYSED does not report scores online.

What it costs in New York

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

The exam is given only in March and September, and the licensure application is due about 3.5 months before each exam date.

Keeping your license

Renewal: You register every three years. Education Law sets a $50 triennial registration fee plus a $45 continuing education fee. You need 36 hours of approved continuing education each three-year period, of which no more than 12 hours may be self-study. You are exempt from CE during the registration period in which you are first licensed. NYSED may issue a one-year conditional registration if you are short on hours and agree to make them up.

Good to know in New York

Title protection: Using the title massage therapist, masseuse, masseur or any similar title in New York requires a New York license.

Licensed in another state: Licensure by endorsement requires you to be at least 21, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, in good standing, and to have not failed the New York exam. With 2 to 4 years of licensed practice you must meet the 1,000-hour education rule. With 5 or more years of practice in the last 10, you need an approved program of at least 500 hours and 800 total classroom hours. One year of experience means 52 weeks averaging 12 hours of massage a week. Licenses issued only by a city or county do not qualify.

National exam is not enough: Passing the NCETMB does not replace the New York exam unless another state licensed you using it and you qualify for endorsement.

Limited permit: If you meet every requirement except the exam, you can get a limited permit ($35, Form 5). You must work under the on-site supervision of a New York licensed massage therapist, not in private practice. It lasts up to 12 months or until results of the next exam you are eligible for, cannot be renewed, and is not available if you previously held a limited permit or already failed the state exam.

License vs. registration: A New York license is issued for life; what renews every three years is your registration, which you must keep current to practice.

Sources

• NYSED Office of the Professions - Massage Therapy License Requirements
• NYSED - Massage Therapy Frequently Asked Questions
• NYSED - Education Law Article 155 (Massage Therapy)
• NYSED - Massage Therapy Continuing Education
• Meazure Learning - NYSED Massage Therapy Examination (linked from NYSED)