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United States Licensing Atlas

Kentucky Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

Kentucky requires a massage therapist license for regulated practice and protected titles, subject to statutory exemptions.

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

Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy
KY · licensing record1 MI ≈ 1.3 PX
Albers equal-area · 85.8°W · SP 36.9/38.7°N · footprint 264 px · FIT-limitedFull Kentucky plate on the state guide →

Overview

State massage therapist license required

Last verified 2026-10-06

KRS 309.364 preempts local regulation of massage therapists except generally applicable zoning and occupational-license fees.

Regulatory authority

Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy

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
Kentucky requires a massage therapist license for regulated practice and protected titles, subject to statutory exemptions.
Minimum education
600 hours
Approved education
Applicants complete 600 supervised curriculum hours from a qualifying program, including instruction required by 201 KAR 42:035 and KRS 309.358.
Examination
Applicants pass MBLEx or another massage licensing examination administered by FSMTB and accepted by the Board.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is the named current examination pathway; it does not replace Kentucky education, application, background screening, or licensure.
Application
File the Board application, fee, photograph, education transcript, examination evidence, and required state and national criminal-background materials; the Board verifies qualifications before issue.
Application fees
201 KAR 42:020 sets a $200 initial license fee and $200 biennial renewal fee, with separate late, reinstatement, inactive-status, endorsement, and program-certificate fees.
Background check or fingerprinting
KRS 309.355 requires state and national fingerprint-supported criminal background investigations for applicants. As of October 6, 2026 the Board's home page says it can no longer accept background checks directly from applicants and cannot finalize applications until it receives the FBI ORI number it has applied for; applicants should continue to submit applications.
Reciprocity or endorsement
Kentucky provides endorsement for an applicant holding an out-of-state credential in good standing who documents qualifying equivalency, including education, experience, CE, or other credentials.
Additional requirements
No statewide practitioner liability-insurance mandate or separate massage-establishment license was identified in KRS chapter 309 or 201 KAR chapter 42.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
Licenses renew every two years on the anniversary of issuance.
Continuing education
12 hrs
Renewal fee
Biennial renewal is $200; late renewal is $225 through 60 days and $250 from days 61 through 90, with reinstatement fees after 90 days and a $50 inactive-status fee.
Required topics
At least three of the 12 hours are professional ethics; all hours must relate to massage practice, and animal therapeutic-technique coursework is excluded.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
KRS 309.350 defines regulated massage therapy and the Board's regulations establish professional standards.
Protected titles
A Kentucky license is required to practice massage therapy or represent oneself as a massage therapist, subject to statutory exemptions.
Restrictions
Licensees follow the current code of ethics and standards, including client confidentiality, informed practice, and training documentation for specialized modalities. Since July 15, 2026, grounds for discipline also include violating KRS 304.39-215 and conduct penalized under KRS 304.99-060(4) or (5) of the Insurance Code (2026 Ky. Acts ch. 65).
Municipal or local requirements
KRS 309.364 preempts local massage-therapist regulation while preserving zoning requirements and occupational-license fees.
Establishments and other regulated activities
No statewide massage-establishment credential was identified; programs of massage instruction instead require a Board certificate of good standing and separate education authorization.
Practitioner notes
Use the Board's verification, forms, and complaint procedures; check the Board's home page for the status of fingerprint background checks before applying.

Authoritative sources

Official record evidence

Change history

Public record revisions

No revision to this record has been published yet. Its current review dates are in the overview above, and its official sources are listed below.