Alabama Massage Therapy Continuing Education & Renewal Requirements
CE hours: 16 hrs. The current therapist license is issued and renewed on a two-year cycle tied to the licensee's renewal date.
Statewide requirements and local rules are identified separately. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Overview
CE and renewal at a glance
Licensing information reviewed 2026-08-02
- CE hours
- 16 hrs
- License renewal
- The current therapist license is issued and renewed on a two-year cycle tied to the licensee's renewal date.
- CE reporting period
- The 16-hour requirement applies to the 24 months preceding the biennial renewal.
Check the requirement's scope, exceptions and reporting period. An item marked “Not confirmed” never means that no CE is required.
Before you rely on these answers
- Not confirmed: Online and course format, Practical / hands-on
Each item explains the issue and links its official sources. Everything else on this page is sourced as stated.
Responsible authority
Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH)
- AuthorityVisit the official authority
- RenewalOfficial renewal information
- StatutesOfficial statutes or rules
The authority’s current rules govern your renewal. Confirm requirements with it before you rely on a course or a date.
CE hours
- CE requirement and exceptions
A therapist completes 16 hours of qualifying continuing education during the 24 months preceding renewal.
- Hour total
16
Renewal timing and fees
- Renewal cycle
The current therapist license is issued and renewed on a two-year cycle tied to the licensee's renewal date.
- Renewal deadline
Renew through ADPH by the license expiration date. Upload CE documentation and proof of current professional and general liability insurance; follow ADPH fingerprinting instructions when a background check is required.
- Renewal fees
The current ADPH fee schedule lists $125 for timely therapist renewal and $175 for reinstatement, with the background-check cost separate.
Reporting period, first renewal and carryover
- CE reporting period
The 16-hour requirement applies to the 24 months preceding the biennial renewal.
- CarryoverConfirm details
No carryover authorization was identified in the reviewed current rule.
- First renewal / prorationConfirm details
No distinct requirement confirmed in the reviewed official sources.
Required topics
- Required categoriesConfirm details
The current Chapter 532-X-6-.01, amended effective September 14, 2026, no longer specifies the former 8-hour first-renewal topic allocation. The 16-hour total remains; confirm course eligibility with ADPH.
- State-specific topicsConfirm details
Consult Alabama's renewal requirements for current subject requirements. The September 14, 2026 rule amendment removed the former first-renewal topic allocation; confirm course eligibility with ADPH.
- CPR / first aidNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Online and course format
- Online and course formatNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
- Practical / hands-onNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Proof of CE, audits and record keeping
- Renewal documentation
Upload CE completion certificates during ADPH renewal and retain them for at least 4 years. Certificates identify the licensee, program title, hours, completion date, and provider number. Approved providers retain the records specified by Chapter 532-X-6 for at least 4 years. Submit proof of current liability insurance with renewal.
- Reporting and proof of CE
Alabama's renewal requirements cover concurrent certificate submission, certificate fields, and the licensee and provider retention rules; Numeric requirements are shown with the CE requirement.
- Certificate requirements
Alabama's renewal requirements cover concurrent certificate submission, certificate fields, and the licensee and provider retention rules; Numeric requirements are shown with the CE requirement.
- Record retention
Alabama's renewal requirements cover concurrent certificate submission, certificate fields, and the licensee and provider retention rules; Numeric requirements are shown with the CE requirement.
- AuditsNot confirmed
This has not yet been checked against the official sources, so no answer is shown.
- Renewal attestationNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Approved providers and courses
- How CE is approved
ADPH administers CE requirements and provider approval under Chapter 532-X-6; the renewal requirements cover the detailed legal requirement.
- Provider & course recognitionConfirm details
Alabama's renewal requirements cover qualifying organization and CE-provider approval routes and standards; confirm eligibility through ADPH.
- Official CE resourceConfirm details
ADPH — Massage Therapy Continuing Education
Open official resource →Use the authority's current provider and course acceptance rules.
- Professional organizations' role in CENot confirmed
The official sources for this item are missing or incomplete, so no answer is shown.
Late renewal, reinstatement and inactive status
- Late renewal / reinstatement
ADPH publishes a reinstatement fee and process for an expired license; exact eligibility depends on the lapse and current rules.
- Inactive status / reactivation
No general inactive-license pathway was established in the reviewed current therapist application and rule materials.
Who these requirements apply to
- Credential and statewide scopeConfirm details
A state massage therapist license is generally required under Chapter 43A, subject to statutory exemptions; separate local operating requirements may apply.
- Local requirements
The reviewed state sources do not establish broad preemption of generally applicable local business, zoning, or health requirements; verify the practice address.
Changes in the law
- Enacted changes / implementation
The October 1, 2026 ADPH transition is effective. Monitor successor rules and forms; ADPH still links rule documents bearing the former agency name.
Authoritative sources
Sources for Alabama
Each answer shows the date it was reviewed and numbers the official sources behind it. An access date records when a source was last opened; it does not change a review date.
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 532-X-6 — Continuing Educationaccessed
- Alabama Code Section 34-43A-8accessed
- ADPH — Massage Therapist Licensure Requirementsaccessed
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 532-X-3 — Massage Therapist Licensureaccessed
- ADPH — Massage Therapy Fingerprintingaccessed
- ADPH — Massage Therapy Frequently Asked Questionsaccessed
- ADPH — Massage Therapy Fee Scheduleaccessed
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 532-X-6 — Continuing Educationaccessed
- ADPH — Massage Therapyaccessed
- ADPH — Massage Therapy Continuing Educationaccessed
- Alabama Act 2026-162 Enrolled Textaccessed