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United States Licensing Atlas

Nebraska Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

Nebraska requires a massage-therapist license and generally requires practice in a Nebraska-licensed massage establishment.

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

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health
NE · licensing record1 PX ≈ 1.0 MI
Albers equal-area · 99.7°W · SP 40.5/42.5°N · footprint 273 px · MASS-limitedFull Nebraska plate on the state guide →

Overview

State massage therapist and establishment licenses required

Last verified 2026-07-28

State licensure does not displace generally applicable local zoning, occupancy, fire, or business requirements.

Regulatory authority

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health

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
Nebraska requires a massage-therapist license and generally requires practice in a Nebraska-licensed massage establishment.
Minimum education
1000 hours
Approved education
An approved massage school provides at least 1,000 hours over at least nine months, including 100 hours each in physiology, anatomy, massage, pathology, hydrotherapy, hygiene and practical demonstration, and health-service management, plus 300 related clinical-practice hours.
Examination
Applicants pass MBLEx and complete Nebraska's free open-book jurisprudence examination on therapist and establishment law.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is the current national licensure examination in the DHHS application path.
Application
Submit the DHHS application, fee, official education evidence, MBLEx evidence, jurisprudence examination, disclosures, and any required credential verifications.
Application fees
The current application and Title 172 fee schedule list $110 for the initial license and $25 for a temporary license; a reduced $27.50 initial fee applies when issued within 180 days of expiration, subject to waiver rules.
Background check or fingerprinting
The application requires conviction and discipline disclosures. A routine fingerprint-based check for every massage applicant was not identified in the massage-specific application and current profession page.
Reciprocity or endorsement
Nebraska provides credential review and statutory reciprocity paths, including a military-spouse temporary pathway. Equivalency and current good standing remain case specific.
Additional requirements
A practitioner must hold the individual license and generally work in a licensed establishment. The reviewed therapist sources do not impose a general individual liability-insurance mandate.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
Massage therapist licenses expire November 1 of each odd-numbered year.
Continuing education
16 hrs
Renewal fee
The biennial renewal fee is $110. The current reinstatement application lists $145 in every even-year month and in January through April and November through December of odd years; it lists $62.50 in May through October of odd years.
Required topics
At least 8 hours must be hands-on massage technique; current rules also define acceptable professional subject matter.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
Nebraska defines massage therapy as physical, mechanical, or electrical manipulation of soft tissue for specified therapeutic purposes; reflexology is included.
Protected titles
A person may not practice massage therapy without the Nebraska credential.
Restrictions
Practice must remain within the statutory scope and occur in a qualifying licensed establishment unless a specific exception applies.
Municipal or local requirements
No broad preemption of generally applicable local business, zoning, fire, or occupancy rules was identified.
Establishments and other regulated activities
Massage establishments and qualifying school operations are separately licensed. Mobile establishments have additional statutory requirements, including vehicle liability insurance.
Practitioner notes
Use DHHS verification and investigations resources for license status and complaints.

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.