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United States Licensing Atlas

Ohio Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

Ohio licenses massage therapists through the State Medical Board. Current law identifies age 18, high school completion, 600 hours, MBLEx, criminal-record checks, and the state application. Local establishment permits can also apply.

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

State Medical Board of Ohio
OH · licensing record1 MI ≈ 1.3 PX
Albers equal-area · 82.7°W · SP 39.0/41.4°N · footprint 273 px · MASS-limitedFull Ohio plate on the state guide →

Overview

State massage therapist license required with material local establishment authority

Last verified 2026-10-05

Ohio Revised Code Chapter 503 authorizes township massage-establishment regulation. Address-specific permit, fee, inspection, background, and operating rules must be checked separately.

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.

Ohio's CE hours and approved activities are not yet set

Section 4731.191, effective October 6, 2026, requires proof of Board-approved CE before renewal, but leaves the hours and approved activities to State Medical Board rules. As of October 5, 2026, no such rule had been proposed or adopted. Confirm the requirement with the Board before relying on a course or an hour total for renewal.

Regulatory authority

State Medical Board of Ohio

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
A State Medical Board license is generally required statewide, while local massage-establishment permits may also apply.
Minimum education
600 hours
Approved education
Applicants complete at least 600 hours in a compliant massage-therapy program. Rule 4731-1-15 addresses school standing, distance-education limits, and evaluated therapeutic-massage instruction.
Examination
Current Board rule identifies MBLEx for the standard application path.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is the national examination identified by current Board rule.
Application
Submit the Medical Board application, $150 fee, education and examination records, completed criminal-record checks, and required disclosures.
Application fees
Ohio Revised Code Section 4731.19 lists a $150 application fee.
Background check or fingerprinting
Applicants complete the criminal-record checks required by the Medical Board process.
Reciprocity or endorsement
Out-of-state occupational-license recognition is processed under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4796 and Board-specific requirements.
Additional requirements
Applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and satisfy all current education, examination, criminal-record, and disclosure requirements.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
The massage therapist license renews every two years.
Continuing education
CE required; hours not yet set
Renewal fee
The current statutory renewal fee is $100. Reinstatement within two years is $125 and restoration after two years is $150, plus applicable record-check requirements.

Required; hours not yet set. The law requires CE for renewal, but the authority has not yet set the number of hours or which activities qualify. This is not a finding that no CE is required; confirm the current requirement with the authority before you renew.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
Current Chapter 4731-1 governs massage techniques applied to soft tissue and applicable referral conditions.
Protected titles
Ohio protects licensed massage therapist and LMT title use.
Restrictions
Massage therapists may not diagnose; services requiring an authorized referral must satisfy that condition, and services reserved to another profession remain outside scope.
Municipal or local requirements
Townships may require massage-establishment permits, fees, inspections, and background-related controls. Chapter 503 publishes a $250 application and $125 annual permit framework.
Establishments and other regulated activities
Massage establishments may be locally permitted. Ohio enacted the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) in 2024 in Section 4731.156; Senate Bill 276 rewrites that section to a different compact text effective October 6, 2026. The IMpact commission states that Ohio is therefore no longer part of IMpact and that no multistate license is available under Ohio's law. No interstate compact privilege to practice massage in Ohio was in operation as of October 5, 2026.
Practitioner notes
Obtain direct Board confirmation of CE and check address-specific local establishment rules 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.