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United States Licensing Atlas

Georgia Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

Georgia licenses individual massage therapists through the Board. Current rules identify age 18, high school completion, 500 hours, an accepted national examination, fingerprints, professional-liability insurance, and the state application.

Statewide requirements and local regulation are identified separately. This record is general information, not legal advice.

Georgia Secretary of State, Georgia Board of Massage Therapy

State licensing guide

Overview

State practitioner license required with local establishment regulation

Last verified 2026-08-02 · next review 2026-09-02

The Board states that it does not license massage establishments. County and city business, establishment, zoning, inspection, and operating rules must be checked by address.

Before you act

Details worth confirming

Requirements can change, and some official materials differ on narrow details. Use the current official instructions when applying or renewing.

CE carryover not established

No carryover authorization was identified in reviewed current Board materials.

Regulatory authority

Georgia Secretary of State, Georgia Board of Massage Therapy

Visit the official authority

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

Entry requirements

Education, examination, and application

Credential
Licensed Massage Therapist
Credential requirement
A Georgia practitioner license is generally required statewide, while counties and cities may separately regulate massage businesses.
Minimum education
500 hours
Approved education
Applicants complete a 500-hour Board-recognized massage education program meeting Chapter 345-8 and applicable Georgia education authorization.
Examination
Georgia accepts MBLEx and qualifying legacy NCBTMB examinations under current rules.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is an accepted national route; qualifying legacy NCBTMB examinations may also be recognized.
Application
Apply through GOALS with the fee, transcript, national examination result, GAPS fingerprints, liability-insurance evidence, and required disclosures.
Application fees
The Board directs applicants to the current fee schedule and GOALS; the current amount was not extracted from the reviewed public page and must be confirmed in the live official workflow.
Background check or fingerprinting
Applicants complete GAPS fingerprint processing for the required criminal-history review.
Reciprocity or endorsement
Chapter 345-5 provides endorsement based on current good-standing licensure, substantially equivalent requirements, and background review.
Additional requirements
Applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, satisfy citizenship or lawful-status requirements, and document $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate liability coverage.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
Georgia massage licenses renew biennially.
Deadline model
Renew by October 31 of even-numbered years to avoid late processing.
Fees
The current GOALS renewal charge was not extracted and must be confirmed in the live official workflow.
Continuing education
The standard requirement is 24 hours per biennium. A license issued during the second year of the biennium requires 12 hours for that renewal, including 6 hands-on hours. A qualifying applicant who graduated from a Board-recognized program within one year before application is exempt for the initial biennium only. Reinstatement uses a separate 24-hour lookback that cannot also satisfy the reinstatement biennium.
Required subjects
The standard cohort includes at least 12 hours of direct hands-on supervised instruction; the shortened second-year cohort includes 6. A course qualifies as hands-on only when at least 70 percent consists of direct hands-on experience or demonstration under the rule.
Documentation
Licensees attest to completed CE on renewal and maintain the CE record in CE Broker with supporting completion documents; the Board and its representatives may access the record to audit and verify compliance. Accepted NCBTMB providers report attendee credit to CE Broker within 7 days. Certificates must include the licensee and license number, course title and dates, hours, instructor name and signature, provider name/number/expiration, delivery location or format, and hands-on designation when claimed.
Carryover
No carryover authorization was identified in reviewed current Board materials.
Late renewal
Late renewal requires the renewal form, renewal and penalty fees, and proof of required CE.
Inactive license
A licensee may request inactive status before expiration and must follow Board reactivation requirements before practice.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
O.C.G.A. Chapter 43-24A and Board Rules Chapter 345 define massage therapy and professional conduct; modality names do not override the definition.
Protected titles
Georgia protects licensed massage therapist status under the Practice Act and Board rules.
Restrictions
Diagnosis and services reserved to another licensed profession remain outside the massage license.
Municipal or local requirements
Counties and cities may regulate massage businesses and establishments because the Board licenses individuals rather than establishments.
Establishments and other regulated activities
Education programs require Board recognition and applicable postsecondary authorization; establishment regulation may be local.
Practitioner notes
Confirm GOALS fees, current insurance evidence, and address-specific county or city requirements before applying or opening a practice.

Authoritative sources

Official record evidence

Change history

Public record revisions

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