Estimated wage-and-salary jobs
Kentucky State Guide
Kentucky massage therapy guide
Explore Kentucky massage licensing requirements, insurance considerations, continuing education, workforce data, and official resources, with dated official sources and scheduled review.
Statewide requirements and local rules are identified separately. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Kentucky licensing
State massage therapist license required
Kentucky requires a massage therapist license for regulated practice and protected titles, subject to statutory exemptions.
KRS 309.364 preempts local regulation of massage therapists except generally applicable zoning and occupational-license fees.
Kentucky requires a massage therapist license for regulated practice and protected titles, subject to statutory exemptions.
View the full Kentucky licensing record →- Regulator
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy
- Credential
- Licensed Massage Therapist
- Education
- 600 hours
- Renewal
- Licenses renew every two years on the anniversary of issuance.
Practice risk
Insurance considerations
No statewide practitioner professional-liability insurance mandate was identified in KRS chapter 309 or 201 KAR chapter 42.
General information only—not legal, financial, or coverage advice.
Questions for an insurer
- Does the policy satisfy any state or local requirement that applies to this practice?
- Which modalities, locations, entities, and workers are covered?
- Are defense costs inside or outside the stated limits?
License renewal
Continuing education
Renewal requires 12 CE hours in each two-year period, including three hours of professional ethics.
The renewal lists credited courses and identifies ethics hours; licensees retain and provide completion documentation when requested.
See detailed Kentucky renewal and CE requirements →Official CE starting points
Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage TherapyOpen official resource ↗Employment and wages
Kentucky workforce outlook
BLS May 2025 OEWS estimates 780 wage-and-salary massage therapist jobs in Kentucky; this is not a license count or practitioner census.
Median hourly wage
Projected percentage change
OEWS measures wage-and-salary jobs. Projections Central distributes state long-term occupational projections; its base and projected employment universe is not assumed to match OEWS.
BLS OEWS excludes self-employed workers, which is material in massage therapy.
Kentucky agencies and data
Official resources
The official education resource is a verified starting point, not a comprehensive directory.
Sources and updates
Reviewed July 29, 2026
Information was reviewed against the linked official and first-party sources. Next scheduled review: October 29, 2026.
Official authority and source list
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy
- Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 309 — Massage Therapy
- 201 KAR Chapter 42 — Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy
- 201 KAR 42:035 — Application, Examination, and Curriculum Requirements
- 201 KAR 42:020 — Fees
- 201 KAR 42:040 — Renewal and Reinstatement
- 201 KAR 42:061 — Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
- 201 KAR 42:070 — Endorsement
- 201 KAR 42:080 — Programs of Massage Therapy Instruction
- 201 KAR 42:110 — Continuing Education Requirements
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy — Forms and Documents
- Kentucky 2026 SB 132 — Proposed Local-Regulation Amendment
Local business, zoning, facility, and professional rules may apply in addition to statewide requirements. Confirm current requirements with the responsible authority before acting.