North Carolina Massage Therapy Continuing Education & Renewal Requirements
CE hours: 24 hrs. North Carolina LMBT licenses renew biennially.
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
- 24 hrs
- License renewal
- North Carolina LMBT licenses renew biennially.
- CE reporting period
- The standard 24-hour requirement aligns with the biennial renewal period.
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: Practical / hands-on
Each item explains the issue and links its official sources. Everything else on this page is sourced as stated.
Responsible authority
North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy
- 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 licensee who has held the license for at least two years completes 24 CE hours for renewal. A licensee held for more than one year but less than two years completes 12 hours; the reviewed sources did not resolve a license held for one year or less.
- Hour total
24
Renewal timing and fees
- Renewal cycle
North Carolina LMBT licenses renew biennially.
- Renewal deadline
Renew through the Board's online process by the credential deadline; late fees apply after expiration.
- Renewal fees
The published LMBT renewal fee is $100, with a $75 late-renewal fee.
Reporting period, first renewal and carryover
- CE reporting period
The standard 24-hour requirement aligns with the biennial renewal period.
- CarryoverConfirm details
No carryover authorization was identified in reviewed Board guidance.
- First renewal / prorationNot confirmed
The applicable requirement or implementation remains unresolved; confirm with the responsible authority.
Required topics
- Required categories
The standard 24-hour cohort includes 3 ethics hours, at least 12 classroom hours, no more than 12 distance-learning hours, and no more than 8 business-management hours. The shortened 12-hour cohort may use no more than 6 distance-learning hours.
- State-specific topicsNot confirmed
The applicable requirement or implementation remains unresolved; confirm with the responsible authority.
- CPR / first aidNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Online and course format
- Online and course format
The standard 24-hour cohort includes 3 ethics hours, at least 12 classroom hours, no more than 12 distance-learning hours, and no more than 8 business-management hours. The shortened 12-hour cohort may use no more than 6 distance-learning hours.
- Practical / hands-onNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Proof of CE, audits and record keeping
- Renewal documentation
Renewal applicants upload CE certificates and remain subject to random Board audit. The reviewed current sources did not establish a numeric licensee CE-record retention period, so no duration is inferred.
- Reporting and proof of CE
North Carolina's renewal requirements cover the requirement to upload CE certificates and the random-audit model. The reviewed sources do not establish a numeric licensee retention period.
- Certificate requirementsNot confirmed
This has not yet been checked against the official sources, so no answer is shown.
- Record retentionNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
- Audits
North Carolina's renewal requirements cover the requirement to upload CE certificates and the random-audit model. The reviewed sources do not establish a numeric licensee retention period.
- Renewal attestationNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Approved providers and courses
- How CE is approved
The Board defines qualifying CE, classroom and online limits, ethics content, and documentation; the renewal requirements cover the detailed hour requirement.
- Provider & course recognition
Current Board materials recognize qualifying education from NCBTMB-approved providers, NCCAOM, FSMTB, the International Association of Structural Integrators, and accredited colleges or universities, subject to Board content and delivery rules; detailed requirements remain in North Carolina's renewal requirements.
- Official CE resourceConfirm details
North Carolina Board continuing education requirements
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
The published fee schedule lists a $75 late-renewal fee in addition to the regular renewal fee.
- Inactive status / reactivation
An expired license may use the Board reinstatement path within 24 months after expiration. After more than 24 months, the person applies under the then-current new-license process rather than treating the credential as a routine late renewal.
Who these requirements apply to
- Credential and statewide scope
A North Carolina LMBT license is generally required unless a statutory exemption applies; covered establishments require separate Board licensing.
- Local requirementsConfirm details
Local zoning, occupancy, building, and general business requirements may apply.
Changes in the law
No separate item is recorded for North Carolina here.
Authoritative sources
Sources for North Carolina
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.
- North Carolina Continuing Education Requirementsaccessed
- North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 90 Article 36accessed
- North Carolina Massage and Bodywork Therapy Rules revised February 1, 2025accessed
- North Carolina Board Licensure Informationaccessed
- North Carolina License Online Renewalaccessed
- North Carolina Board Fee Scheduleaccessed