How to Become a Massage Therapist in Vermont

Who can apply

• Vermont does not license massage therapists. It requires state registration with OPR (since April 1, 2021) for anyone who practices massage or bodywork for pay where clients have a reasonable expectation of privacy, or who holds themselves out as a massage therapist, bodyworker or touch professional.
• Registration needs only an application and the fee. OPR does not require proof of education, exams, or qualifications.
• The application asks about taxes, child support, criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, and professional discipline.

Step by step

1. Create an account in OPR's Online Services System.
2. Submit the online registration application and pay the $90 nonrefundable fee.
3. If you are licensed in another state, upload a verification of that license (an online verification screenshot is accepted).
4. Once registered, display your registration where you practice and give each new client the required written disclosure before the first treatment.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Vermont sets no education or training hours for registration. Students and apprentices practicing as part of a massage or bodywork education program or apprenticeship do not need to register.

Exam: No exam is required. OPR says you do not need to send exam scores.

What it costs in Vermont

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

OPR's application instructions say to allow 3-5 business days for processing.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Registrations renew every two years and expire May 31 of odd-numbered years. The renewal fee is $275. No continuing education is required. A registration issued 90 days or less before the renewal date runs through the next full two-year period.

Good to know in Vermont

Client disclosure: Before the first treatment, you must give each new client your qualifications and experience, what counts as unprofessional conduct, how to file a complaint with OPR, and how to get more information about registered practitioners.

Reiki and energy work: If you are paid, use any structured touch meant to affect the body's energy fields, and clients have a reasonable expectation of privacy, you must register.

Who is exempt: Licensed professionals such as physicians, nurses, chiropractors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, cosmetologists and estheticians do not register when massage is part of their customary duties.

Licensure bill did not pass: H.623 (2026), which would have replaced registration with licensure (650 hours, an exam and liability insurance), was referred to committee in January 2026 and was not enacted.

Establishment registration starting December 1, 2026: Act 119 of 2026 (signed June 8, 2026) requires massage establishments to register with OPR starting December 1, 2026, and to name a registered practitioner responsible for compliance. Registration is not required where only one practitioner works or only exempt persons practice. Practicing at an unregistered establishment becomes unprofessional conduct. OPR's fee chart lists a $100 application fee ($50 for establishments with two or fewer practitioners) and a $275 renewal fee ($75 for two or fewer), expiring May 31 of odd years. OPR's FAQ saying businesses need not register will be out of date after December 1, 2026.

Sources

• Vermont OPR - Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, and Touch Professionals
• Vermont OPR - Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, and Touch Professionals FAQs
• Vermont OPR - Application Instructions
• Vermont OPR - Initial Licensing/Renewal Fees & Dates (updated 7/1/2025)
• 3 V.S.A. 125 - OPR fees
• Vermont Act 119 of 2026 (H.588) as enacted
• Vermont Legislature - H.623 (2026) bill status