how to become a licensed massage therapist

Licensing Requirement & Certification

In most states, massage therapists must be licensed to practice and receive fees for massage and bodywork services. You must apply to your state's board of massage therapy to meet this licensing requirement. Prerequisites for licensure as a massage therapist include at least 700 hours of massage school. Upon successfully completing Arizona College's massage therapy program, our graduates are eligible to pursue certification through the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy.

The Certified Massage Therapist Application Process

We recommend that you submit your application to become a certified massage therapist as soon as possible to the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy. The time for processing your application may take six to eight weeks. If you plan to start your own business, you will also most likely need a business license from your state or municipality before you can legally begin to practice massage therapy on clients.

Massage Therapy License Application Instructions

You can download your massage therapy license application to the Arizona State Board for Massage Therapy on the organization's website. Follow the specific instructions outlined for the application process and ensure you submit all required documents and fees with your application. These include:

2 x 2 color photograph (the same format you would use for a passport).

Obtain and submit your fingerprint card.

Obtain and submit your proof of citizenship.

Arrange to have your massage therapy school transcript reflecting clocked hours submitted directly from a board-recognized school, such as Arizona College. If your school is not board-approved, you may need to successfully pass the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) to fulfill this requirement.

Application fee of $217.00, payable to the AZ Massage Board via cashier check or money order. For an additional $25.00 ($242.00 total), you can obtain an optional wall certificate

The application itself must be notarized.

The Arizona state board will consider granting applicants reciprocity massage therapy certification if they have been continuously licensed for at least five years in another state, or if they have received licensure from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

Your Arizona massage therapy license will be valid for two years. You will need to renew this license through the state board to remain up-to-date with licensing requirements. Information about the renewal process is available on the state board's website.

Get Started on Your Massage Therapy Career Today

If you're interested in a career in massage therapy, take the first step to becoming a massage therapist with our 35-week massage therapy program at the Arizona College of Allied Health Glendale campus. Our comprehensive curriculum provides you with hands-on clinical experience as well as knowledge about anatomy, physiology, massage therapy techniques, business, and marketing (particularly helpful for those who go into private practice!) that will help you in your practice as a certified massage therapist.

Fill out a request for information form today to connect with the Arizona College of Allied Health Admissions team and learn more about our Massage Therapy training program.