How to Become a Massage Therapist in North Carolina

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
• You must be of good moral character, shown in part by signed statements from four people.
• You must complete at least 650 in-class hours of supervised instruction at a board-approved school (other schools are reviewed case by case).
• You must pass a board-approved competency exam such as the MBLEx.
• You must submit fingerprints and consent to a state and national criminal history check.
• You must show proficiency in English.

Step by step

1. Complete a massage and bodywork therapy program of at least 650 classroom hours at a board-approved school.
2. Apply for and pass a board-approved competency exam, such as the MBLEx from FSMTB.
3. Request an online application from the board and pay the $20 application request fee. The board emails you login instructions.
4. Complete the online application and upload or arrange the required documents: photo, diploma or transcript, proof of age, official school transcript, exam score report and four moral character statements.
5. Submit a fingerprint card and consent form for the criminal history check.
6. Pass the free Jurisprudence Learning Exercise with a score of 100%.
7. Pay the $150 initial license fee. Once your license number appears in the board's online verification, your certificate should arrive in 10 to 15 business days.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: North Carolina requires at least 650 in-class hours of supervised instruction at a board-approved school. The curriculum must include at least 230 hours of massage and bodywork theory and practice (with at least 115 hours of hands-on methods), 100 hours of anatomy and physiology, 55 hours of kinesiology, 45 hours of pathology, 70 hours of ethics, laws and rules, business and psychological concepts, and 150 hours of related courses. If your school is not board-approved, the board reviews your curriculum case by case.

Exam: You must pass a competency assessment exam approved by the board. The application lists the MBLEx (FSMTB), NCETMB, NCETM and ABTE. The MBLEx is a computer-based test of 100 multiple-choice questions in 110 minutes; the FSMTB application fee is $265 and FSMTB does not limit retakes. You must also pass the board's Jurisprudence Learning Exercise: 30 multiple-choice questions on the Practice Act and rules, taken online, free, and retaken as many times as needed until you score 100%.

What it costs in North Carolina

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 board says it takes about 1 to 2 weeks to issue a license once the application is complete and all documents are received; criminal history reviews take longer.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Licenses renew every two years and expire on December 31; renewal is $100 and must be done online, with a $75 late fee. If your licensure period is two years or more, you need 24 hours of continuing education, including at least 3 hours of ethics. At least 12 hours must be in a classroom, at most 12 can be distance learning, and at most 8 can be business management. If your licensure period is more than one year but less than two, you need 12 hours, including at least 3 hours of ethics (at most 6 distance learning and 8 business management). A license expired more than 24 months cannot be renewed; you must apply for a new one.

Good to know in North Carolina

Initial license length: If you apply between October 1 and December 31, your first license runs two full years plus up to three months. If you apply between January 1 and September 30, you pay the full fee but the first license runs two years minus the time since January 1.

Criminal history: A conviction does not automatically bar a license. The board weighs how serious the crime was, when it happened, your age at the time, the circumstances, and how it relates to massage work. Applications with criminal history take longer to process.

Licensed in another state: North Carolina has no reciprocity, but you may qualify for licensure by endorsement if your state's requirements are substantially equivalent, you are in good standing, and you pass the jurisprudence exam. If your state does not license massage therapists, you can still apply by endorsement with a board-approved exam and an equivalent school.

Military applicants: Military-trained applicants and military spouses who email the board a copy of their military orders and ID get the $150 initial license fee waived.

Advertising rules: All your ads must show your name, the title LMBT (Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist), and your North Carolina license number.

Sources

• NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy - Application Process
• NC BMBT - Frequently Asked Questions
• NC BMBT - Jurisprudence Learning Exercise
• NC BMBT - Continuing Education Requirements
• NC BMBT - Fee Schedule (rev. 4/24)
• NC Massage and Bodywork Therapy Practice Act (rev. 7/24)
• NC BMBT Rules and Regulations (21 NCAC 30)
• NC BMBT - Verification of Official Curriculum Form (650 hours)
• FSMTB - MBLEx Candidate Handbook 2026