Pennsylvania Massage Therapy Continuing Education & Renewal Requirements
CE hours: 24 hrs. 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
- Licenses renew biennially.
- CE reporting period
- The 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
Pennsylvania Department of State, State Board of Massage 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
Licensees complete 24 hours during each biennial period. A license first issued during the biennium is exempt from the ordinary 24-hour total for that first renewal, but still must complete the separately applicable 2-hour Act 31 child-abuse training requirement.
- Hour total
24
Renewal timing and fees
- Renewal cycle
Licenses renew biennially.
- Renewal deadline
Massage therapist licenses expire January 31 of odd-numbered years.
- Renewal fees
The current published renewal fee is $175.
Reporting period, first renewal and carryover
- CE reporting period
The 24-hour requirement aligns with the biennial renewal period.
- CarryoverConfirm details
No carryover authorization was identified in the reviewed current Board materials.
- First renewal / proration
Licensees complete 24 hours during each biennial period. A license first issued during the biennium is exempt from the ordinary 24-hour total for that first renewal, but still must complete the separately applicable 2-hour Act 31 child-abuse training requirement.
Required topics
- Required categories
The current framework includes at least 16 contact hours, 4 professional-ethics hours, and 2 hours of Act 31 child-abuse recognition and reporting training. Current CPR certification is separately required for renewal; CPR-renewal courses must use contact hours and may not count toward the 24 CE hours.
- State-specific topics
Pennsylvania's renewal requirements cover the contact-hour, professional-ethics, Act 31, first-renewal exception, and noncredit CPR treatment; Numeric requirements are shown with the CE requirement.
- CPR / first aid
The current framework includes at least 16 contact hours, 4 professional-ethics hours, and 2 hours of Act 31 child-abuse recognition and reporting training. Current CPR certification is separately required for renewal; CPR-renewal courses must use contact hours and may not count toward the 24 CE hours.
Online and course format
- Online and course format
The current framework includes at least 16 contact hours, 4 professional-ethics hours, and 2 hours of Act 31 child-abuse recognition and reporting training. Current CPR certification is separately required for renewal; CPR-renewal courses must use contact hours and may not count toward the 24 CE hours.
- Practical / hands-onNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Proof of CE, audits and record keeping
- Renewal documentation
Licensees retain CE certificates for at least 5 years and may be audited after renewal. Certificates must identify the licensee, provider, course title, course date, and hours; providers retain participant documentation for at least 5 years. The renewal process separately requires current CPR proof and CE verification.
- Reporting and proof of CE
Pennsylvania's renewal requirements cover the five-year licensee and provider retention rules, certificate fields, post-renewal audit model, CE verification, and separate CPR proof requirement.
- Certificate requirements
Pennsylvania's renewal requirements cover the five-year licensee and provider retention rules, certificate fields, post-renewal audit model, CE verification, and separate CPR proof requirement.
- Record retention
Pennsylvania's renewal requirements cover the five-year licensee and provider retention rules, certificate fields, post-renewal audit model, CE verification, and separate CPR proof requirement.
- Audits
Pennsylvania's renewal requirements cover the five-year licensee and provider retention rules, certificate fields, post-renewal audit model, CE verification, and separate CPR proof requirement.
- Renewal attestationNot confirmed
The official sources reviewed do not establish this.
Approved providers and courses
- How CE is approved
The Board defines accepted CE, contact-hour, ethics, and Act 31 requirements; the renewal requirements cover the detailed hour requirement.
- Provider & course recognition
Pennsylvania's renewal requirements cover the Board-recognized provider routes and course-approval rules; course acceptance remains subject to current content, faculty, and contact-hour requirements.
- Official CE resourceConfirm details
Pennsylvania Board massage therapy resources
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
Late renewal and reactivation follow Board requirements; extended lapse may require competency evidence.
- Inactive status / reactivationConfirm details
Reactivation may require current CPR and, after longer nonpractice, practice evidence or retesting under current Board guidance.
Who these requirements apply to
- Credential and statewide scope
A Pennsylvania massage therapist license is generally required unless a statutory exemption applies; local business controls may also apply.
- Local requirementsConfirm details
Local zoning, occupancy, fire, building, and general business requirements may apply.
Changes in the law
No separate item is recorded for Pennsylvania here.
Authoritative sources
Sources for Pennsylvania
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.