Connecticut massage licensing record

The statewide credential does not displace generally applicable local business, zoning, premises, health, or safety requirements.

• Official application
• Official renewal information
• Official statutes or rules

Local business, facility, zoning, and professional rules may apply in addition to statewide requirements. Confirm current requirements with the responsible authority before acting.

Credential

Licensed Massage Therapist

Minimum education

750 hours

Approved education

Applicants ordinarily complete at least 750 classroom hours in person at an accredited school plus at least 60 hours of unpaid, supervised clinical or internship experience; the statute preserves narrower qualification provisions for specified prior cohorts.

Examination

The Department accepts MBLEx or a National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork examination. The Department expressly states that the National Examination for State Licensing is not accepted.

MBLEx relationship

MBLEx is an accepted national examination pathway but does not replace education, supervised clinical experience, the Department application, fees, or the Connecticut license.

Application

Apply through the Department with the required fee, official education verification, supervised clinical or internship evidence, examination score, identity information, and any out-of-state credential verification.

Application fees

Chapter 384a sets a $375 application fee. The current Department requirements page displays a $379.75 complete-application amount that includes a National Practitioner Data Bank query component; the Department licensure page separately lists $375 as the initial fee.

Background check or fingerprinting

The reviewed chapter and current Department licensing requirements do not identify a routine criminal-history report or fingerprint submission for every massage therapist applicant. The displayed NPDB query is not represented as a criminal background check.

Reciprocity or endorsement

The statute and Department application process provide an out-of-state credential pathway subject to Connecticut qualification review and official verification of each credential held.

Additional requirements

A massage therapist providing direct patient care must maintain professional liability insurance of at least $500,000 per person per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate under section 20-206i.

Cycle

Connecticut massage therapist licenses expire biennially under the Department's current health-care credential schedule.

Deadline model

Renew on the Department-assigned biennial expiration schedule; the online credential record is the operative source for the individual expiration date.

Fees

The Department licensure page lists a $255 renewal fee and a $375 reinstatement fee.

Continuing education

Licensees complete 24 contact hours during each four-year continuing-education reporting period. The first renewal is exempt, and the statute retains an exemption for continuously licensed practitioners meeting its February 1, 1994 condition.

Required subjects

The Department recognizes qualifying massage-related education and limits the portion from providers that are not NCBTMB approved; no recurring ethics or Connecticut-law subminimum was identified on the current CE page.

Documentation

Licensees retain completion certificates for six years and supply them if audited; the Department may grant a waiver or extension for qualifying medical disability or illness.

Carryover

The reviewed authority does not authorize carryover beyond the applicable four-year period. No more than 18 of the 24 hours may be completed through Internet-based or distance learning.

Late renewal

An expired credential requires Department reinstatement handling and the listed reinstatement fee; no massage-specific grace period was identified on the current licensure page.

Inactive license

No separate elective inactive massage therapist status was identified in chapter 384a or the current Department massage-therapy pages.

Scope of practice

Chapter 384a defines massage therapy and establishes the licensed practice boundary and statutory exemptions.

Protected titles

A current Connecticut license is required to practice as or represent oneself as a massage therapist within the statutory scope.

Restrictions

Practice must remain within the statutory massage-therapy scope, professional conduct requirements, and direct-care liability-insurance requirement.

Municipal or local requirements

No massage-specific statewide preemption provision was identified; verify generally applicable municipal business, zoning, premises, health, and safety requirements for the practice address.

Establishments and other regulated activities

The reviewed chapter and Department pages do not establish a separate statewide massage-establishment license; other business and facility obligations may still apply.

Practitioner notes

Use the Department's online license verification and complaint resources and recheck the individual credential before practice.

• Connecticut Department of Public Health — Massage Therapist Licensure · accessed 2026-07-29
• Connecticut DPH — Massage Therapist Licensing Requirements · accessed 2026-07-29
• Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 384a — Massage Therapists · accessed 2026-07-29
• Connecticut DPH — Massage Therapist Continuing Education Requirements · accessed 2026-07-29
• Connecticut DPH — Health Care Practitioner License Types That Expire Biennially · accessed 2026-07-29
• Connecticut Office of Higher Education — Data and Regulations · accessed 2026-07-29
• Connecticut Office of Higher Education — Authorization and Accreditation · accessed 2026-07-29

Future verified changes will be listed from this Git-backed record.