Mississippi massage licensing record

State law states that massage therapists and establishments may not be discriminated against in local business licensing, but generally applicable local business, zoning, health, and safety rules remain.

• 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

600 hours

Approved education

The effective February 27, 2026 rule requires at least 550 hours of instruction plus 50 hours of student clinic, for 600 total hours, with the detailed curriculum and supervised-clinic requirements in Rules 4.2 and 4.3.

Examination

Applicants pass one Board comprehensive examination, which may include MBLEx, NCETMB, Mississippi Professional Examination I or II, or another Board-approved examination, and also pass the Mississippi State Law Examination with at least 70 percent.

MBLEx relationship

MBLEx is a current Board comprehensive examination option but does not replace the Mississippi law exam, education, fingerprinting, or state license.

Application

Submit the Board application and fees, certified school transcript, examination evidence, CPR and first aid evidence, required disclosures, fingerprint-based state and federal criminal-history check, and Mississippi law-exam result.

Application fees

Current fees include $50 application, $200 two-year initial or renewal license, $100 Mississippi State Law Examination, $30 provisional permit, and the applicant's criminal-history cost; a mailed application packet is $15 and paper renewal adds $35.

Background check or fingerprinting

Every applicant undergoes a fingerprint-based check of the Mississippi and FBI criminal-history databases and pays the Board's incurred screening cost.

Reciprocity or endorsement

Reciprocity requires a current out-of-state license, recognized education with requirements similar to Mississippi, and all other current requirements; grandfathering from another state is excluded.

Additional requirements

No practitioner liability-insurance mandate was identified. Licensed schools must maintain professional liability insurance, and massage establishments register annually with the Board.

Cycle

Licenses are valid through May 31 of the second year following issue or renewal.

Deadline model

Paper renewals are due 30 days before expiration; online renewal opens 60 days before and remains available through 90 days after expiration, but practice is prohibited after expiration until renewed.

Fees

The two-year renewal is $200; paper renewal adds $35. Late fees are $100 for days 1–30, $150 for days 31–60, and $200 for days 61–90; later reapplication adds $250.

Continuing education

The rule requires 12 CE hours each calendar year, producing 24 hours per two-year renewal period, from Mississippi-approved or registered providers and programs.

Required subjects

Each renewal period includes three hours of Mississippi law, three hours of ethics, three hours of CPR/first aid, and one hour of human trafficking; the balance is approved massage-related study.

Documentation

Providers report CE and the licensee submits certificates with electronic renewal and verifies that the Board account is complete.

Carryover

The rule states that CE hours do not expire. All approved hours may be online, interactive, or classroom, but the annual accrual and renewal-period subject requirements still apply.

Late renewal

Practice stops at expiration. Renewal within 90 days carries tiered late fees; after 90 days the licensee uses paper reapplication and satisfies accumulated CE, and after three years applies as new.

Inactive license

Inactive status may continue for up to three years with a $30 fee and no compensated practice; reactivation requires current fees, reapplication, and CE that would have accrued.

Scope of practice

The Professional Massage Therapy Act and Board rule define regulated soft-tissue massage and permitted adjunctive modalities.

Protected titles

A current Board license is required to practice or advertise massage for compensation or use a massage-therapist title.

Restrictions

Licensees follow the Board code of ethics, display requirements, advertising-license-number rules, recordkeeping, sanitation, and scope restrictions.

Municipal or local requirements

State law prohibits discriminatory business-license treatment of therapists and establishments while leaving generally applicable local requirements in place.

Establishments and other regulated activities

Massage establishments register annually for $50 and must verify practitioners, meet sanitation and recordkeeping rules, and permit Board inspection.

Practitioner notes

Use the Board portal for renewal, CE compliance, verification, business registration, and complaints.

• Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi 2025 SB 2695 — Professional Massage Therapy Act Reauthorized Through July 1, 2029 · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi Legislature — 2025 General Legislation Summary · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy Rules and Regulations — effective February 27, 2026 · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy — Licensure · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy — Continuing Education · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy — Licensed Schools and Status · accessed 2026-07-29
• Mississippi Board FAQ — Massage Therapy Education Hours, April 2024 · accessed 2026-07-29

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