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United States Licensing Atlas

North Carolina Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

North Carolina licenses massage and bodywork therapists and covered establishments under Chapter 90, Article 36. The current path uses age and general-education qualifications, 650 in-class hours, an accepted national competency examination, fingerprints, and the Board application.

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

North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy
NC · licensing record1 MI ≈ 1.1 PX
Albers equal-area · 79.9°W · SP 34.3/36.1°N · footprint 244 px · FIT-limitedFull North Carolina plate on the state guide →

Overview

State practitioner and covered establishment licenses required

Last verified 2026-10-11

State licensure does not resolve local zoning, occupancy, building, or general business rules. Establishment exemptions and requirements must be applied to the actual setting.

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.

Establishment licensing is separate

Covered establishments have Board licensing, inspection, and insurance requirements unless an exemption applies. These requirements are distinct from the individual license.

Regulatory authority

North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork 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 and Bodywork Therapist
Credential requirement
A North Carolina LMBT license is generally required unless a statutory exemption applies; covered establishments require separate Board licensing.
Minimum education
650 hours
Approved education
Applicants complete at least 650 in-class hours of supervised instruction at a Board-approved school (G.S. 90-629(4), as amended by S.L. 2024-45; Rule .0201(b)(5)).
Examination
Applicants submit an official score report from a Board-accepted competency examination: the MBLEx, the NCBTMB NCETMB or NCETM (including their NESL options), or the ABTE.
MBLEx relationship
The MBLEx is one of the Board-accepted competency examinations, alongside the NCBTMB examinations and the ABTE.
Application
Submit the Board application request and license fees, education record, accepted examination scores, fingerprint criminal-history report, and required disclosures.
Application fees
Rule .0204 and the Board fee schedule set a $20 application fee and a $150 initial license fee, within the maximums in G.S. 90-628(b); the fee schedule (revised April 2024) lists $40 for the SBI criminal-history report.
Background check or fingerprinting
The application includes fingerprint-based criminal-history review.
Reciprocity or endorsement
The Board offers endorsement requiring application, fees, age and education qualifications, fingerprints, license verification, and examination records.
Additional requirements
Applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and satisfy current identity, education, examination, background, and disclosure requirements.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
North Carolina LMBT licenses renew biennially.
Continuing education
24 hrs
Renewal fee
Rule .0204 sets the LMBT renewal fee at $100 and the late-renewal penalty at $75.
Required topics
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 …

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
Article 36 and Board rules define massage and bodywork therapy, standards, title use, and establishments.
Protected titles
North Carolina protects licensed massage and bodywork therapist and LMBT title use.
Restrictions
Diagnosis and services reserved to another licensed profession remain outside the LMBT license.
Municipal or local requirements
Local zoning, occupancy, building, and general business requirements may apply.
Establishments and other regulated activities
Covered establishments require Board licensing, inspection, and applicable property-damage and bodily-injury insurance unless a statutory exemption applies.
Practitioner notes
Classify the exact practice setting under the establishment exemptions before acting.

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.