How to Get an Oregon Massage License

Last updated: August 18, 2026

Oregon’s massage licence runs through the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists, and it asks for more than most first-time applicants expect: 625 hours of approved education (200 in health sciences, 300 in massage theory and practice, 125 elective), a passing score on the MBLEx (or NCBTMB/CESI) plus Oregon’s own open-book jurisprudence exam, electronic fingerprints, and $135 in application fees before the licence fee itself. The business side has a twist worth knowing before you sign a lease: massage facilities need a $270 permit — unless the facility is owned by an Oregon-licensed practitioner, which makes the therapist-owned studio the cheaper structure.

What Oregon Actually Requires

• 625 hours of education (25 quarter credits / 15.74 semester credits) from an accredited or Department of Education–approved school, broken down by rule: at least 200 hours of health sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology), at least 300 hours of massage theory and practical application (including clinical practice, business development, sanitation, communication, ethics), and 125 hours in any of those subjects.
• A board-approved written exam: the MBLEx ($265, 100 questions in 110 minutes at Pearson VUE, registered through the FSMTB), NCBTMB, or CESI. Results must come to the board directly from the exam provider.
• Oregon’s jurisprudence exam: 25 multiple-choice questions, open book, on Oregon massage law and administrative rules.
• Electronic fingerprinting: $47.25 criminal background processing fee to the board, plus a $12.50 Fieldprint service charge.
• Fees: $135 application fee, then the initial licence at $135 (first renewal under 12 months away) or $270.

What It Costs

Item	Cost	Notes
Application fee	$135	Oregon Board of Massage Therapists
Fingerprints	$47.25 + $12.50	Board processing fee + Fieldprint service charge
Initial licence	$135–$270	Depends on where you land in the renewal cycle
MBLEx exam	$265	Paid to FSMTB; retakes are $265 again — prep matters
Massage school (625 hrs)	Tuition varies widely	The dominant cost — compare approved schools
Facility permit (if required)	$270	Exempt when the facility is owned by an Oregon-licensed practitioner
Oregon LLC	$100	$100 annual report to stay in good standing
Renewal (every 2 years)	$270	Plus 25 CE hours and a current BLS card

The Facility Permit: Who Actually Needs One

Facilities providing massage in Oregon hold a $270 facility permit from the board — with one large exemption: facilities owned by a health practitioner licensed by an Oregon health regulatory board are exempt, and that includes licensed massage therapists themselves. In practice: an LMT opening her own studio typically needs no facility permit; an investor or franchise owner who isn’t a licensed practitioner but hires LMTs does — and pays $335 for a name change or ownership transfer later. If you’re choosing between buying into a studio and building your own practice, the permit rules quietly favor the practitioner-owned structure.

How to Get Licensed, In Order

1. Finish the 625 hours at an accredited or DOE-approved school, keeping the subject-hour breakdown in mind — the board checks the 200/300/125 split, not just the total.
2. Pass the MBLEx ($265 through FSMTB) — have the provider send results to the board directly.
3. Pass Oregon’s jurisprudence exam — 25 questions, open book, on ORS 687 and the board’s rules.
4. Get fingerprinted ($47.25 board fee + $12.50 Fieldprint) and clear the background check.
5. Apply through the board’s online portal with the $135 application fee, then pay the initial licence fee ($135–$270).
6. Opening a studio? Register the entity, sort the facility-permit question (exempt if you own it as an LMT), and bind liability insurance before the first client.

Staying Licensed

Oregon licences renew every two years at $270, with 25 hours of continuing education per cycle: at least 8 supervised hours (of which at least 4 in professional ethics, boundaries, or communication), at least 1 hour of cultural competency, the Oregon Pain Management Commission module (once), and a current Basic Life Support card at all times. Late renewal costs $25 per week, capped at $100.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an Oregon massage license cost?

$135 application fee + $47.25 fingerprint processing (plus a $12.50 Fieldprint service charge) + an initial license fee of $135 (if your first renewal is under 12 months away) or $270, paid to the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists. Add $265 for the MBLEx and massage school tuition. Renewal is $270 every two years with 25 hours of continuing education.

How many hours of education does Oregon require for massage therapists?

625 hours (25 quarter credits) from an accredited or Department of Education approved school: at least 200 hours in health sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology), at least 300 hours in massage theory and practical application, clinical practice, business development, sanitation, communication and ethics, and 125 remaining hours in any of those subjects.

What exams does Oregon require for a massage license?

Two: a board-approved written exam — the MBLEx, NCBTMB, or CESI, with results sent directly from the exam provider — plus Oregon’s own 25-question, multiple-choice, open-book Jurisprudence (Law) Examination on Oregon massage law and rules.

Does a massage business in Oregon need a facility permit?

Facilities providing massage services need a $270 facility permit from the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists — but facilities owned by a health practitioner licensed by an Oregon health regulatory board (including a licensed massage therapist) are exempt. An LMT opening their own studio typically needs no facility permit; a non-practitioner owner hiring LMTs does.

Forming the company, taxes, insurance, and hiring are covered in our full guide to starting a business in Oregon.

Sources

Source	What It Covers
OBMT — Licensing	625-hour breakdown, approved exams, jurisprudence exam, fingerprints, application fees
OBMT — Fees & Payments	$135/$270 licence fees, $270 renewal, $270 facility permit, late fees
OBMT — Facility Information Letter	Facility permit requirement and the licensed-practitioner ownership exemption
OAR — Continuing Education	25 CE hours, supervised/ethics minimums, cultural competency, OPMC module, BLS card
FSMTB — MBLEx FAQs	$265 exam and retake fee, format, Pearson VUE administration