Estimated wage-and-salary jobs
New York State Guide
New York massage therapy guide
Explore New York 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.
New York licensing
State massage therapy license and current registration required
New York licenses massage therapists through NYSED and protects massage therapist, masseuse, and masseur titles. The current operational requirements page identifies a 1,000-hour program, the New York State examination, character and age qualifications, current CPR, and the state application.
A New York license and current professional registration are generally required to practice massage therapy or use protected massage titles unless an Article 155 exemption applies.
View the full New York licensing record →- Regulator
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, State Board for Massage Therapy
- Credential
- Licensed Massage Therapist
- Education
- 1000 hours
- Renewal
- The professional license is valid for life, while authority to practice requires triennial registration.
Practice risk
Insurance considerations
The reviewed NYSED licensure, Article 155, and Part 78 sources did not identify a general statewide professional-liability insurance minimum for every massage therapist. This does not resolve employers, entities, leases, events, payer contracts, facilities, or local requirements.
General information only—not legal, financial, or coverage advice.
Questions for an insurer
- Which modalities and locations are covered?
- Are defense costs inside or outside policy limits?
- How are entity and individual insureds named?
License renewal
Continuing education
NYSED approves continuing-education sponsors and defines acceptable formal continuing education; the licensing record owns the detailed triennial requirement.
Licensees retain adequate completion documentation and provide it on NYSED request; self-instruction is limited and no carryover is allowed.
See detailed New York renewal and CE requirements →Official CE starting points
NYSED approved massage continuing-education providersOpen official resource ↗Employment and wages
New York workforce outlook
May 2025 BLS OEWS data presented by the U.S. Department of Labor estimate 4,500 wage-and-salary massage therapist jobs in New York. This is not a license count or practitioner census.
OEWS measures wage-and-salary jobs by occupation.
OEWS excludes self-employed workers, which is material in massage therapy.
Workforce sources and regional projections
New York agencies and data
Official resources
Start with NYSED's Massage Therapy profession page.
Sources and updates
Reviewed July 25, 2026
Information was reviewed against the linked official and first-party sources. Next scheduled review: August 25, 2026.
Official authority and source list
- NYSED Massage Therapy License Requirements
- NYSED Massage Therapy Continuing Education
- NYSED Continuing Education Questions and Answers for Massage Therapists
- New York Education Law Article 155
- Commissioner's Regulations Part 52.15 — Massage Therapy
- Commissioner's Regulations Part 78
- NYSED Massage Therapy Questions and Answers
- NYSED Massage Therapy License Application Forms
- NYSED Office of the Professions Fees
Local business, zoning, facility, and professional rules may apply in addition to statewide requirements. Confirm current requirements with the responsible authority before acting.