How to Become a Massage Therapist in Oklahoma

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must complete at least 500 hours of formal massage therapy education at a state-licensed massage school.
• You must pass the MBLEx (the board's license page and application also accept the NCBTMB exam).
• You must carry current professional liability insurance for massage therapy.
• You must submit an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) criminal history report dated within 30 days of applying.
• You must verify lawful presence in the United States.

Step by step

1. Complete at least 500 hours of massage therapy education at a state-licensed massage school.
2. Apply to FSMTB and pass the MBLEx.
3. Buy professional liability insurance for massage therapy.
4. Get an OSBI criminal history report, including the sex offender and Mary Rippy Violent Offender searches, no more than 30 days before you apply.
5. Complete Form 321 (Application for Individual Massage Therapist License) and the lawful presence affidavit, have it notarized, and attach a 2x2 photo, ID, school certificate and transcript, exam score report and insurance proof.
6. Mail it with the $100 fee by cashier's check or money order (personal checks are not accepted). If your education was out of state, the fee is $115.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Oklahoma requires a certificate and certified transcript from a state-licensed massage school showing at least 500 hours of formal education in massage therapy. Education completed outside Oklahoma is handled as reciprocity and adds $15 to the fee.

Exam: Oklahoma's rules require a passing score on the MBLEx from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards; the board's license page and application form also accept the NCBTMB exam. The board points applicants to FSMTB for exam requirements. 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, but you must reapply and pay again each time.

What it costs in Oklahoma

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 two years on the last day of your birth month; renewal is $100. You need 5 hours of continuing education per year (CPR or first aid can count if you complete a full certified course), in person or by distance learning, and you must show current liability insurance. There is a 30-day grace period with a $10 late fee. After that the license goes inactive for up to one year; if it is not reactivated, it expires and you must apply as a new licensee.

Good to know in Oklahoma

Licensed in another state: If you hold a valid massage license from another state, territory, D.C. or a foreign nation and met education and exam requirements equal to Oklahoma's, you can apply by reciprocity for $115. You need liability insurance and a current criminal history report from the place you are licensed (or from OSBI if none is available).

Low-income fee waiver: If you receive government assistance or are at or below 140% of the poverty level, the board grants a one-time, one-year waiver of the license fee. Include documentation with your application.

Criminal history: The board has adopted a list of crimes that may disqualify a massage therapy applicant. If you pleaded guilty or no contest to, or were convicted of, a listed crime, you are not eligible for three years from the date of the plea or conviction; older convictions are reviewed case by case (OAC 175:20-5-7(e)). Before you apply, you can ask the board in writing for an initial determination of whether your record might disqualify you. Sealed or expunged convictions do not need to be disclosed. A felony conviction does not necessarily disqualify you.

Sources

• OSBCB - Massage Therapy License
• OSBCB - Massage Therapy Exams
• OSBCB Form 321 - Application for Individual Massage Therapist License (rev. 10/24)
• OSBCB Rules, Regulations and Statute Book (effective 9/11/2023), OAC 175:20
• OSBCB - Criminal History
• FSMTB - MBLEx Candidate Handbook 2026
• Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering Rules, OAC 175:20-5-7 (eff. 12/1/2025)