How to Get a Washington Massage License

Last updated: August 24, 2026

Washington is the state that regulates how long your education takes, not just how much of it there is. The Department of Health requires 625 hours — and those hours must be completed in no fewer than 24 weeks. You cannot compress the program into an intensive summer. The state also publishes the subject split down to the hour, wants your CPR card earned in person for initial licensure, and folds health equity training into continuing education.

What Washington Actually Requires

• 625 hours over a minimum of 24 weeks — the duration floor is part of the rule, not a scheduling suggestion.
• The subject breakdown the state publishes: 90 hours anatomy and physiology, 60 kinesiology, 70 pathology, 260 massage theory and practice, 50 student clinic, 55 clinical and business practices, and 40 professional ethics.
• A national exam: the NCBTMB examination or the FSMTB’s MBLEx ($265, registered through the FSMTB).
• First aid and CPR cards. For initial licensure the CPR course must be in person; a hybrid course is acceptable at renewal.
• A criminal history check. The Department runs one on every massage license applicant, and may require fingerprint cards for a state or national check under RCW 18.130.064(2).
• CPR taken in person for initial licensure — along with first aid certification. Only the renewal CPR may be online.

What It Costs

Item	Cost	Notes
Application and license fees	Set by DOH	Confirm current amounts with the Department of Health — they are not published on the requirements page
MBLEx exam	$265	Paid to FSMTB; the NCBTMB exam is also accepted
Massage school (625 hrs)	Tuition varies widely	The dominant cost, and the 24-week floor means a longer calendar than some states
First aid and CPR	Varies	In-person CPR required for initial licensure
Continuing education	Varies	24 hours per two years, at least 8 of them in-person hands-on
Washington LLC	$200	Certificate of formation, Washington Secretary of State
Criminal history check	Run on every applicant	Fingerprint cards for a Washington State Patrol and FBI check where the Department requires them
Local business license	General city or county fee	A general, nondiscriminatory business fee is allowed — a massage-specific local license is not (RCW 18.108.210)

Before You Open a Practice: Premises, Background Checks and Out-of-State Licenses

Does Washington license massage establishments?

No — and Washington went further than almost any other state to keep it that way. There is no state massage establishment license, and under RCW 18.108.210 your city or county cannot invent one. The legislature said so in terms when it passed the 2007 amendment:

“The legislature finds that licensed massage practitioners should be treated the same as other health professionals under Title 18 RCW and that additional registrations or licenses regulating massage or massage practitioners are not authorized.”

What a local government may still do is levy “a general and nondiscriminatory license fee levied upon all businesses,” or a tax on gross business done in its jurisdiction. In other words: you pay the same business license fee as the accountant next door, and nothing extra for being a massage practice. If a city tries to impose a massage-specific permit, RCW 18.108.210 — together with the limitations at RCW 35.21.692, 35A.82.025 and 36.32.122 — is what to point at.

Two things fill the space where an establishment license would otherwise sit, and both fall on the owner.

First, your premises can be inspected without warning. Under RCW 18.108.195, the secretary or an authorized representative may inspect “the premises of any massage or reflexology business establishment during hours such business is open,” within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner. The statute states expressly that it does not require advance notice, and if access is refused the secretary may apply to a court for a warrant. No license to hold, but an open door.

Second, and more serious: the owner is criminally liable for who works there. RCW 18.108.035 imposes penalties on the owner of a massage business where unlicensed practice has occurred. Anyone who with knowledge or criminal negligence allows or permits the unlicensed practice of massage therapy or reflexology within their business is guilty of a misdemeanor for a single violation, and each subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor under chapter 9A.20 RCW.

Note the phrase criminal negligence — not knowledge alone. “I assumed they were licensed” is exactly the defense that clause is written to defeat. Verify every therapist’s credential yourself before their first shift, and again at each renewal, since Washington licenses expire on the therapist’s birthday rather than on a common date.

One related trap on hiring and menus: reflexology is a separate credential in Washington. A certified reflexologist may practice reflexology, but under RCW 18.108.040 it is unlawful for anyone not licensed as a massage therapist to advertise using the term “massage” or any other term implying a massage technique. What you call a service on your price list is a regulated question.

Does Washington require a background check?

Yes. The Department states that criminal history checks are conducted for all massage license applicants — there is no version of this application that skips it. Where the Department requires it, you also submit fingerprint cards for a state or national fingerprint-based check through the Washington State Patrol and the FBI, under RCW 18.130.064(2).

Expect this to be the slow part. The Department warns that processing time varies with how complete your file is, that required documentation may take several weeks to arrive, and that applications requiring additional background information may take longer than routine applications. It also asks applicants not to call about status for six weeks from the date of submission — a useful signal for how long the queue actually runs. Build that into your plan rather than your patience.

Can you transfer an out-of-state massage license to Washington?

Yes, and you may be able to skip the examination entirely. Under RCW 18.108.095, an applicant holding a license in another state or foreign jurisdiction may be granted a Washington license without examination if, in the board’s opinion, that jurisdiction’s examination and educational requirements are substantially equivalent to Washington’s.

Two conditions attach, and the second one catches people out:

• The burden of proof is yours. The applicant must provide proof, in a manner approved by the department, that the other jurisdiction’s examination and requirements are equivalent. The board does not go and look it up for you.
• You must still demonstrate a working knowledge of Washington law pertaining to the practice of massage — that is, the jurisprudence examination does not go away even when the practical examination does.

Given that Washington asks for 625 hours completed in no fewer than 24 weeks, the equivalence question usually turns on the calendar as much as the hour count — a compressed program elsewhere can match the hours and still raise a question here. Settle that with the Department before you move, not after.

The 24-Week Floor Changes Your Timeline

Most states publish an hour count and let the school decide the calendar. Washington sets both: 625 hours completed in no fewer than 24 weeks. An accelerated program that delivers the hours in three months does not satisfy the rule, however good it is.

Plan around that if you are switching careers or relocating — the earliest you can be licensed is roughly six months of schooling plus exam and application time, and no amount of money shortens it. The 50 hours of student clinic inside the 625 add a second scheduling constraint, since clinic slots depend on the school’s client flow rather than your availability.

The other Washington-specific item is health equity training: at least 2 hours of it are mandatory continuing education under WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830, alongside the massage-specific hours.

How to Get Licensed, In Order

1. Choose a program that satisfies both the hours and the 24-week floor, with the 90/60/70/260/50/55/40 subject split.
2. Complete the 50 hours of student clinic inside the program.
3. Take CPR and first aid — CPR in person for initial licensure.
4. Pass the MBLEx or the NCBTMB exam.
5. Apply to the Department of Health and confirm the current fee schedule with them directly.
6. Opening a studio? Register the entity, check your city and county requirements, and bind liability insurance before the first client.

Staying Licensed

Washington requires 24 hours of continuing education every two years under WAC 246-830-475, with four mandatory categories: at least 8 hours in person and directly supervised, involving hands-on application of massage therapy; at least 4 hours in professional ethics, client communication, professional roles and boundaries, or Washington massage law — and 2 of those 4 may be earned by attending board of massage meetings in person, capped at one hour per meeting; at least 2 hours of health equity training; and maintenance of CPR certification, which can count for up to 4 hours of the total.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours does Washington require for a massage license?

625 hours, and they must take at least 24 weeks to complete. Washington publishes the split: 90 hours anatomy and physiology, 60 kinesiology, 70 pathology, 260 massage theory and practice, 50 hours of student clinic, 55 clinical and business practices, and 40 hours of professional ethics.

What exam does Washington require for massage therapists?

An examination administered by either the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), which administers the MBLEx.

Does Washington require CPR for a massage license?

Yes — first aid and CPR cards are required. For initial licensure the CPR course must be taken in person. For renewal, a hybrid course is acceptable, and there is no specific certification level required.

What continuing education does Washington require for massage therapists?

24 hours every two years under WAC 246-830-475. At least 8 hours must be in person and directly supervised, involving hands-on application of massage therapy. At least 4 hours must be in professional ethics, client communication, professional roles and boundaries, or Washington massage law — and 2 of those 4 can be earned by attending board of massage meetings in person, capped at 1 hour per meeting. At least 2 hours must be health equity training. CPR maintenance can count for up to 4 hours.

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

No. Washington has no state massage establishment license, and RCW 18.108.210 bars local governments from adding one: the legislature found that additional registrations or licenses regulating massage or massage practitioners are not authorized. A city or county may still charge a general, nondiscriminatory business license fee that applies to all businesses. Two obligations still fall on the owner, however: the Department may inspect the premises during business hours without advance notice under RCW 18.108.195, and under RCW 18.108.035 an owner who with knowledge or criminal negligence permits unlicensed practice on the premises commits a misdemeanor, or a gross misdemeanor for repeat violations.

Does Washington require a background check for a massage license?

Yes. The Department of Health conducts criminal history checks for all massage license applicants, and where required you submit fingerprint cards for a state or national fingerprint-based check with the Washington State Patrol and the FBI under RCW 18.130.064(2). The Department notes that applications requiring additional background information take longer than routine ones, and asks applicants not to call about status for six weeks after submitting.

Can you transfer an out-of-state massage license to Washington?

Yes. Under RCW 18.108.095 an applicant licensed in another state or foreign jurisdiction may be granted a Washington license without examination if the board considers that jurisdiction’s examination and educational requirements substantially equivalent to Washington’s. You must supply the proof of equivalence yourself, in a manner approved by the department, and you must still demonstrate a working knowledge of Washington massage law.

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

Sources

Source	What It Covers
Washington DOH — Massage Therapist Licensing Requirements	625 hours over no fewer than 24 weeks, the full subject breakdown, NCBTMB/FSMTB exam, first aid and in-person CPR
Washington DOH — Massage Therapist Continuing Education	24 CE hours per two years under WAC 246-830-475, the four mandatory categories, board-meeting credit, health equity training
FSMTB — MBLEx	MBLEx registration and $265 exam fee
Chapter 18.108 RCW — Massage Therapists	RCW 18.108.210 barring additional local massage licenses, 18.108.195 on unannounced premises inspection, 18.108.035 on owner liability for unlicensed practice, 18.108.040 on advertising, and 18.108.095 on out-of-state applicants
Washington State Department of Health — Massage Therapist FAQs	Criminal history checks for all applicants, the fingerprint requirement, in-person CPR for initial licensure, and the six-week status guidance

Comparing states? See our massage license guides for every state we cover.