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United States Licensing Atlas

Texas Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements

Texas generally requires a TDLR massage therapist license to advertise, offer, or administer massage therapy for compensation. The standard path uses a 500-hour program, an accepted examination, fingerprint review, and the state application. MBLEx applicants also complete the separate Texas jurisprudence examination; the Texas massage examination includes law-and-rule content.

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

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Massage Therapy Program
TX · licensing record1 PX ≈ 1.9 MI
Albers equal-area · 100.1°W · SP 27.6/34.7°N · footprint 273 px · MASS-limitedFull Texas plate on the state guide →

Overview

State massage therapist license required

Last verified 2026-10-05

Municipality-specific operating requirements were not researched in this record. Massage establishments are separately regulated at the state level, with a fact-specific solo-practitioner exemption.

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.

CE carryover not established

No carryover authorization was identified in the reviewed current TDLR guidance.

Regulatory authority

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Massage Therapy Program

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 license is generally required to provide or advertise massage therapy for compensation. This record does not determine whether a municipality-specific requirement applies to a particular address.
Minimum education
500 hours
Approved education
Applicants complete a 500-hour course of instruction that meets TDLR requirements and provide an official transcript.
Examination
Texas accepts the MBLEx or the Texas massage examination where applicable. The qualifying examination generally must have been passed within the preceding two years.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is an accepted national examination, but an MBLEx applicant must also satisfy Texas jurisprudence.
Application
Submit the TDLR application, fee, transcript, accepted examination evidence, fingerprints, and disclosures. Applicants using MBLEx must also pass the separate Texas jurisprudence examination.
Application fees
The current therapist application fee published by TDLR is $100 for a two-year license.
Background check or fingerprinting
TDLR requires one-time fingerprint submission for a national criminal-history record check.
Reciprocity or endorsement
Texas uses an out-of-state application review rather than automatic reciprocity. It evaluates education, examination, license verification, experience, jurisprudence, and fingerprints.
Additional requirements
All applicants must satisfy current identity, disclosure, transcript, examination, and fingerprint requirements. The separate Texas jurisprudence examination applies to the MBLEx path; the Texas massage examination includes law-and-rule content.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
The massage therapist license renews every two years.
Continuing education
12 hrs
Renewal fee
The current published biennial renewal fee is $75. TDLR lists increasing late-fee multipliers and separate review for longer lapses.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
Texas law and rules govern compensated massage and manipulation of soft tissue. A modality label does not avoid licensure when the actual service meets the statutory definition.
Protected titles
A person must not represent that they hold a Texas massage therapist license unless licensed.
Restrictions
Massage therapists must not diagnose disease or represent massage as medical diagnosis or treatment outside lawful scope.
Municipal or local requirements
Municipality-specific requirements were not researched in this record; verify the intended practice address separately.
Establishments and other regulated activities
Massage establishments and massage schools are separately licensed and regulated by TDLR; a solo-practitioner establishment exemption is conditional.
Practitioner notes
Confirm current TDLR guidance and any address-specific local requirements before applying or opening a practice.

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.