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United States Licensing Atlas

Illinois Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

Illinois licenses massage therapists through IDFPR. Current qualifications effective September 2025 identify a 600-hour supervised curriculum, MBLEx, fingerprints, official education and license records, and CORE application.

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

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Massage Licensing Board

State licensing guide

Overview

State massage therapist license required

Last verified 2026-07-25 · next review 2026-08-25

Local zoning, occupancy, and general business rules may apply. The reviewed IDFPR materials did not establish a separate statewide massage-establishment license.

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.

Training announcement awaits rules

IDFPR announced abnormal-skin-growth training for licenses issued, renewed, or restored on or after January 1, 2026 while stating that implementing rules are forthcoming.

Regulatory authority

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Massage Licensing Board

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
An Illinois massage therapist license is generally required unless a statutory exemption applies; local business controls may also apply.
Minimum education
600 hours
Approved education
The current IDFPR qualification sheet requires a 600-hour supervised massage curriculum documented by official transcript.
Examination
The current qualification sheet identifies MBLEx as the standard examination.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is the national examination identified for initial licensure; endorsement may recognize qualifying legacy NCBTMB examination history.
Application
Apply through IDFPR CORE with official transcript, MBLEx evidence, fingerprints, disclosures, and any license verifications.
Application fees
The current CORE application charge was not exposed in the reviewed public qualification sheet. A legacy form displays $175 but is not treated as current without CORE confirmation.
Background check or fingerprinting
Applicants complete fingerprint-based criminal-history processing within the period specified by IDFPR, described as within 60 days on the current sheet.
Reciprocity or endorsement
Endorsement applicants document current licensure, at least 600 hours, an accepted examination, verifications, and fingerprints.
Additional requirements
Applicants must provide all current identity, education, examination, disclosure, and background materials required in CORE. Applicants on or after January 1, 2026 must account for the abnormal-skin-growth training notice.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
Illinois massage licenses renew biennially.
Deadline model
Licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years.
Fees
The current renewal fee was not extracted from CORE and must be confirmed in the official live workflow.
Continuing education
Current IDFPR guidance requires 25 hours per renewal period except as modified for a first renewal.
Required subjects
The current fact sheet allocates 2 hours ethics, 1 sexual-harassment-prevention hour, 1 domestic-violence and sexual-assault awareness hour, and 21 professional hours.
Documentation
Renewal uses attestation and IDFPR may conduct random audits.
Carryover
No carryover authorization was identified in the reviewed current IDFPR fact sheet.
Late renewal
Late and restoration processing follows IDFPR's current CORE workflow and fee rules.
Inactive license
Inactive, restoration, and reactivation paths must be confirmed through current IDFPR guidance.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
The Massage Licensing Act and Part 1284 define licensed massage practice; a modality label does not override the statutory definition.
Protected titles
Illinois protects licensed massage therapist status under the Massage Licensing Act.
Restrictions
Diagnosis and services reserved to another licensed profession remain outside the massage license.
Municipal or local requirements
Local zoning, occupancy, and general business requirements may apply.
Establishments and other regulated activities
The reviewed IDFPR materials focus on individual professional licensure; local operating controls remain a separate question.
Practitioner notes
Confirm live CORE fees and final abnormal-skin-growth training rules before applying or renewing.

Authoritative sources

Official record evidence

Change history

Public record revisions

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