Hawaii Massage License: Cost & Requirements (2026)

Last updated: August 25, 2026

Hawaii runs the most self-contained massage licensing system in the country: its own 570-hour standard, its own state exam — the MBLEx is not accepted — and no reciprocity at all. An out-of-state license cannot be transferred; a twenty-year LMT from the mainland documents the same hours and sits the same exam as a new graduate. The Board of Massage Therapy (DCCA) balances that strictness with two things most states lost long ago: a genuine apprenticeship path under a sponsoring therapist, and licensure that expressly includes lomilomi, Hawaiian massage, in its definition of the practice.

What Hawaii Actually Requires (MAT License)

• 570 total education and training hours, broken down by the Board: at least 50 hours of anatomy, physiology and structural kinesiology; at least 100 hours of theory and demonstration; and at least 420 hours of supervised practical massage training. Work experience cannot be counted toward any of it.
• The State of Hawaii licensure examination — and only that exam. In the Board’s words, passing MBLEx scores or other states’ exam scores “are not accepted in lieu of the Hawaii State Exam.” The exam is proctored by PSI at $90, with another $90 for each retake.
• Current infant AND adult CPR certification from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
• No reciprocity, full stop. “Your out-of-state license CANNOT be transferred to Hawaii.” Every applicant submits the Hawaii application, documents the Hawaii hours, and passes the Hawaii exam.
• The clock: processing runs a minimum of 45–60 business days with no expedite option, and under HRS §436B-9 an application is abandoned and destroyed if you have not completed licensure — including passing the exam — within one year of filing.

The Apprenticeship Door (MAP Permit)

Hawaii still licenses people who learned at the table instead of the classroom — but the path is bring-your-own: there are no Board-approved apprenticeship programs. You find a sponsoring massage therapist with a current Hawaii MAT license, and the apprenticeship runs under their direct supervision inside a Hawaii-licensed massage establishment. The apprentice permit costs a $50 application fee with no licensure fee. Before committing, verify both licenses — your sponsor’s MAT and the establishment’s MAE — in the state’s public license search; an apprenticeship under a lapsed license is wasted hours.

What It Costs

Item	Cost	Notes
MAT application	$50.00	Non-refundable; online via MyPVL or by mail
Hawaii State Exam	$90.00	Paid directly to PSI; $90 per re-examination
MAT licensure fee	$164 or $82	$164 if issued July 1 (even year)–June 30 (odd year); $82 in the other half of the biennium
Apprentice permit (MAP)	$50.00	Application only; no licensure fee
Establishment license (MAE)	$25 + $189 or $107	Application + biennium-dependent licensure fee
CPR (infant + adult)	Varies	American Red Cross or American Heart Association
Massage school (570 hrs)	Tuition varies	Or the apprenticeship path above
Hawaii LLC	$50 + $15/yr	Form LLC-1 (+$1 archives fee); annual report due the quarter of your registration anniversary

The Establishment License Reaches Everyone — Sole Proprietors Included

Hawaii’s Massage Establishment (MAE) license covers any premises occupied and used for practicing or teaching massage therapy — and the Board is explicit that this includes sole proprietorships. The rules that follow shape how you set up:

• Home studios must be set apart. When an establishment sits in a residential building, the licensed premises “shall be set apart and shall not be used for any other purpose.” A massage table in the living room does not qualify; a dedicated room can.
• Every establishment runs under a principal massage therapist — a Hawaii-licensed MAT designated as the person in charge and recorded with the Board. A non-therapist owner needs a licensed principal on record.
• The license does not move with you. An MAE is not transferable to a new location — file the relocation application and get approval before opening at the new address.
• Out-call services designate a principal massage therapist as well — the person-in-charge rule follows the service, not just the room.

Staying Licensed — and the Forfeit Trap

• Everything renews on one date: MAT and MAE licenses renew by June 30 of every even-numbered year, regardless of when they were issued — which is why the initial licensure fee is prorated by biennium half.
• CE: 12 hours per biennium, of which 2 must be first aid, CPR or other emergency-related courses; the other 10 in subjects directly related to massage practice.
• Miss renewal and restoration, and the license is forfeit — you reapply as a new applicant and retake the Hawaii State Exam. The Board considers an exam waiver only for previously Hawaii-licensed therapists who held a license in another jurisdiction continuously since their Hawaii license expired. Diary June 30 of even years like it is a court date.

Setting Up the Practice, In Order

1. Pick the path: a 570-hour program, or the apprenticeship under a verified sponsoring MAT in a licensed establishment.
2. Get infant and adult CPR certified (ARC or AHA).
3. Apply via MyPVL ($50), get exam approval, and pass the Hawaii State Exam ($90 to PSI) inside the application’s one-year life.
4. Form the entity. A Hawaii LLC is $50 (+$1 archives fee) with a $15 annual report — among the cheapest recurring costs in the country.
5. License the premises: the MAE application ($25 + licensure fee), the set-apart rule for home studios, and the principal massage therapist designation.
6. Bind liability insurance before the first client.
7. Diary June 30 of even years for every license, and log the 12 CE hours (2 emergency-related) each biennium.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for a Hawaii massage license?

570 total education and training hours – at least 50 hours of anatomy, physiology and structural kinesiology, 100 hours of theory and demonstration, and 420 hours of supervised practical massage training – plus a passing score on the State of Hawaii licensure examination and current infant AND adult CPR certification from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. Work experience cannot be counted toward the hours. Hawaii’s definition of massage expressly includes lomilomi, Hawaiian massage.

Does Hawaii accept the MBLEx or an out-of-state massage license?

No and no – Hawaii is the strictest state in the country on this point. Passing MBLEx scores or scores from other states’ licensing exams are not accepted in lieu of the Hawaii State Exam, and an out-of-state license cannot be transferred: Hawaii does not license by reciprocity. Every applicant, however experienced, documents the Hawaii hours and passes the Hawaii exam ($90 to the proctor, PSI; $90 for each retake).

What does a Hawaii massage license cost?

A $50 non-refundable application fee, the $90 state exam fee paid to PSI, and then a licensure fee that depends on where you land in the two-year cycle: $164 if your license issues between July 1 of an even-numbered year and June 30 of an odd-numbered year, or $82 in the other half of the biennium. All massage licenses then renew by June 30 of every even-numbered year regardless of issue date, with 12 continuing education hours per biennium – two of them in first aid, CPR or other emergency-related courses.

Can you apprentice into a Hawaii massage license instead of going to school?

Yes – Hawaii is one of the few states with a real apprenticeship door. There are no board-approved apprenticeship programs; instead, you find a sponsoring massage therapist who holds a current Hawaii license, and the apprenticeship runs under their direct supervision inside a Hawaii-licensed massage establishment. The apprentice permit (MAP) costs a $50 application fee with no licensure fee. Verify your sponsor’s MAT license and the establishment’s MAE license in the state’s public license search before you commit.

Do you need a separate license to open a massage business in Hawaii?

Yes – the Massage Establishment (MAE) license, and it reaches further than most states’ versions: it covers any premises used for practicing or teaching massage, including sole proprietorships. A home-based establishment must be set apart from the residence and used for no other purpose; the business must operate under the direct management of a Hawaii-licensed massage therapist designated as the principal massage therapist on record with the Board; and the license is not transferable to a new location – you file a relocation application and get approval before opening. The application is $25, with a licensure fee of $189 or $107 depending on the biennium half.

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

Sources

Source	What It Covers
Hawaii Board of Massage Therapy — FAQs & Guidance (Rev. 04/28/2025)	The 570-hour breakdown, the Hawaii-State-Exam-only rule, the no-reciprocity rule, infant + adult CPR, all application/licensure/exam fees, the apprenticeship mechanics, the MAE establishment rules (sole proprietors, set-apart home premises, principal massage therapist, non-transferable location), the June 30 even-year renewal, CE, and the forfeit/retake rule
Hawaii DCCA — Board of Massage Therapy	The board itself, HRS chapter 452 definitions (including lomilomi), applications and MyPVL filing
Hawaii DCCA Business Registration — Domestic LLC	The $50 Form LLC-1 filing fee (+$1 State Archives fee) and the $15 annual report due in the quarter of the registration anniversary