For massage therapists, students and educators
The public atlas for massage therapy.
Licensing, education, techniques, continuing education, practice, history and the MBLEx — one connected record, every claim dated and sourced, and every absence stated rather than left blank.
Every public page is open to read. No account is needed.
Scroll · five layers of one record ↓
01Origins · Techniques
Methods from many places, each with its own record
A technique record states where a method comes from, how it is performed, and how confident the historical sources are.
Select a technique
Choose a name above, or a point on the globe, to bring the region its record names into focus.
02Regulation · Licensing
What each state requires, and how it is known
The licensing atlas holds each state’s practitioner credential with its statute, sources and review dates. Where a state has no requirement, the record says so in words.
- State license required
- Mixed state and local
A dashed copper edge marks a record that is Bounded: it states where its knowledge stops.
Review needed: continuing education · Oregon
State license required for compensated massage practice
Sources differ on the carryover limit · Two official sources differ on the limit: the Board's frequently-asked-questions page states that a maximum of 25 hours may be carried over, while the text of the continuing-education rule sets no numeric figure. Confirm the limit that applies to you with the Board before relying on more than 25 carried hours.
- Regulator
- Oregon State Board of Massage Therapists
- Minimum education
- 625 hours
- Renewal
- Licenses renew every two years. Expiration falls in the licensee's birth month in odd-numbered years for odd birth years and even-numbered years for even birth years.
03Examinations · Study guides
Massage examinations and qualifications
Explore examination and qualification information by country, with MBLEx study guides available now.
Guides open · United States
The seven content domains of the MBLEx
100 questions·110 minutes·Pass/fail·Administered by FSMTB
- A&PAnatomy & Physiology≈11%
- KINKinesiology≈12%
- PATPathology, Contraindications, Areas of Caution and Special Populations≈14%
- BSTBenefits and Effects of Soft Tissue Manipulation≈15%
- CARClient Assessment, Reassessment and Treatment Planning≈17%
- ETHEthics, Boundaries, Laws and Regulations≈16%
- GPPGuidelines for Professional Practice≈15%
State examination
Germany
Germany's standard medical-massage training pathway includes a state examination.
National examination
Japan
The anma, massage and shiatsu license requires recognized training followed by a national examination.
Training & registration
Thailand
Massage providers in spas and health establishments register with a recognized health-service certificate.
Qualifications & assessment
Australia
Remedial massage has a national vocational qualification, and a separate assessment compares training completed overseas.
04History · By region
A practice older than its regulations
Seven of the twelve history plates are tied to a place. Each separates what is documented from tradition and interpretation. The full timeline, in order, is on the History page.
Plate II · Ancient practices and records
Egypt · the Saqqara relief
05The record
Every answer says how it is known
- Verified
State license required to practice or represent oneself as a massage therapist
- Verified not applicable
No statewide massage therapist license identified
- Bounded
The current Massage Therapy Act is scheduled to repeal January 1, 2030 unless later legislation extends or replaces it.
- Not yet reviewed
Official CE starting points
The collection
Eight hubs, in the order the site is organised
- HistoryTwelve plates, from touch before the record to the organized record.
- TechniquesRecords with region, history, published pressure and source confidence.
- EducationStarting points for entry-level massage education, state by state.
- MBLExGuides to the seven content domains of the licensing examination.
- LicensingCountry guides, and each U.S. state's practitioner credential with sources and review dates.
- CEContinuing-education requirements and official starting points.
- PracticeReferences for running a massage practice.
- ResourcesA working library: books, tools, printables and how the record is kept.