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Illinois Massage Therapy — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Licensed Massage Therapist

License for massage therapy practice for compensation under 225 ILCS 57.

Licensing authority: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation · Application information

Acceptance of Examination

At least one of the following alternatives:

Age
Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
Applicant status
The September 2025 qualifications describe an applicant not licensed as a massage therapist in any United States jurisdiction.
Application
Submit the prescribed application, required information and $175 nonrefundable fee; complete the application within three years.
Clarification
The Division may request additional documentation or a Board interview to clarify education, experience or conflicting information.
Documentation
Provide official transcripts and/or ED-MT certification and an examination report sent directly by the testing organization.
Education
Complete an approved minimum 600-hour supervised classroom and hands-on massage program, or a substantially similar program from another jurisdiction; achieve at least 70 percent in massage-related course and clinical work. The Division may require missing coursework.
Fingerprints
Submit State and FBI criminal-history fingerprint processing; fingerprints must be taken within the 60 days before application. Use the approved vendor or permitted out-of-state processing procedure.
Foreign documents
Provide an original notarized English translation of foreign-language documents, certified by a translator fluent in both languages.
Historical ncbtmb score
The legacy IDFPR checklist accepts the former National Certification examination taken before February 2015. The NCBTMB licensing examinations are discontinued; an accepted former score is an applicant condition rather than a current examination leaf.
Identifying information
Provide the address and email address of record and identifying information required by the Act and application.
Moral character
Satisfy good moral character and the statutory conviction restrictions under section 15(a)(2); a conviction does not automatically bar licensure except as specified there.
Name change
Provide proof of any name change if submitted documents bear a different name.
Ncbtmb reference
The rule and September 2025 qualifications refer generically to the NCBTMB examination. Read with the legacy checklist naming the former National Certification examination, this does not expressly adopt the separate registered BCETMB examination; no BCETMB leaf is inferred from the organization name.
Personal history
Complete personal-history disclosures and provide the supporting statements and official records required by the application.
Skin growth
Original licensure applications on or after January 1, 2026 require Department-approved abnormal skin growth education, including melanoma identification.
Variance
An individual variance under 1284.110 may address only a nonstatutory requirement, injure no party, and relieve an unreasonable or unnecessarily burdensome requirement.
Resumption following the court ordered end of automatic suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Court order
A suspension from involuntary or judicial mental-health admission ends only after a court finds the licensee is no longer subject to that admission and orders discharge.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Restoration from disciplinary status
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Burden
Petitioner bears the burden of proving rehabilitation and fitness; submit treatment information separately when applicable.
Eligibility
Complete the disciplinary term and applicable statutory waiting period; obtain the Board’s written recommendation, subject to the Secretary’s public-interest determination.
Order
Meet the individual order’s conditions; remedial education and treatment are applicant conditions.
Petition
Submit a signed petition under 1110.30 with license and case identification, discipline and appeal history, employment, continuing or remedial education, treatment and rehabilitation information, convictions or arrests followed by charges, earlier petitions, and compliance with imposed terms.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Endorsement

At least one of the following alternatives:

Age
Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
Application
Submit the prescribed application, required information and $175 nonrefundable fee; complete the application within three years.
Clarification
The Division may request additional documentation or a Board interview to clarify education, experience or conflicting information.
Department discretion
Endorsement is at the Department’s discretion under section 19.
Documentation
Provide official transcripts and/or ED-MT certification and an examination report sent directly by the testing organization.
Education
Complete an approved minimum 600-hour supervised classroom and hands-on massage program, or a substantially similar program from another jurisdiction; achieve at least 70 percent in massage-related course and clinical work. The Division may require missing coursework.
Existing license
Hold a current massage therapist license and practice in another jurisdiction; original licensing requirements must have been substantially equivalent to Illinois requirements at that time.
Fingerprints
Submit State and FBI criminal-history fingerprint processing; fingerprints must be taken within the 60 days before application. Use the approved vendor or permitted out-of-state processing procedure.
Foreign documents
Provide an original notarized English translation of foreign-language documents, certified by a translator fluent in both languages.
Historical ncbtmb score
The legacy IDFPR checklist accepts the former National Certification examination taken before February 2015. The NCBTMB licensing examinations are discontinued; an accepted former score is an applicant condition rather than a current examination leaf.
Identifying information
Provide the address and email address of record and identifying information required by the Act and application.
Licensure verification
Provide certification from the original licensing jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of current practice, including dates, license number, and disciplinary history.
Moral character
Satisfy good moral character and the statutory conviction restrictions under section 15(a)(2); a conviction does not automatically bar licensure except as specified there.
Name change
Provide proof of any name change if submitted documents bear a different name.
Ncbtmb reference
The rule and September 2025 qualifications refer generically to the NCBTMB examination. Read with the legacy checklist naming the former National Certification examination, this does not expressly adopt the separate registered BCETMB examination; no BCETMB leaf is inferred from the organization name.
Personal history
Complete personal-history disclosures and provide the supporting statements and official records required by the application.
Skin growth
Original licensure applications on or after January 1, 2026 require Department-approved abnormal skin growth education, including melanoma identification.
Variance
An individual variance under 1284.110 may address only a nonstatutory requirement, injure no party, and relieve an unreasonable or unnecessarily burdensome requirement.
Placement on inactive status
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Notice
Notify the Department in writing on prescribed forms; renewal fees are excused while inactive.
Practice
Inactive status does not authorize massage practice; restoration follows sections 70 and 75.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Expedited endorsement for service members and spouses

At least one of the following alternatives:

Age
Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
Application
Submit the prescribed application, required information and $175 nonrefundable fee; complete the application within three years.
Board residence instruction
The November 2024 IDFPR FAQ requires recent Illinois assignment evidence and states: "Applicant must reside in Illinois." Section 5-715(b) permits licensure regardless of current residence and governs this route.
Clarification
The Division may request additional documentation or a Board interview to clarify education, experience or conflicting information.
Department discretion
Endorsement is at the Department’s discretion under section 19.
Documentation
Provide official transcripts and/or ED-MT certification and an examination report sent directly by the testing organization.
Education
Complete an approved minimum 600-hour supervised classroom and hands-on massage program, or a substantially similar program from another jurisdiction; achieve at least 70 percent in massage-related course and clinical work. The Division may require missing coursework.
Existing license
Hold a current massage therapist license and practice in another jurisdiction; original licensing requirements must have been substantially equivalent to Illinois requirements at that time.
Expedited review
A complete eligible application is reviewed within 30 days after all necessary documentation is received.
Fingerprints
Submit State and FBI criminal-history fingerprint processing; fingerprints must be taken within the 60 days before application. Use the approved vendor or permitted out-of-state processing procedure.
Foreign documents
Provide an original notarized English translation of foreign-language documents, certified by a translator fluent in both languages.
Historical ncbtmb score
The legacy IDFPR checklist accepts the former National Certification examination taken before February 2015. The NCBTMB licensing examinations are discontinued; an accepted former score is an applicant condition rather than a current examination leaf.
Identifying information
Provide the address and email address of record and identifying information required by the Act and application.
Illinois connection
Provide proof of assignment to an Illinois duty station, Illinois legal residence, or intended Illinois residence within six months after application.
Licensure verification
Provide certification from the original licensing jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of current practice, including dates, license number, and disciplinary history.
Military credit
Relevant military experience and qualifying military training are credited as provided by section 5-715(d).
Military status
Qualify as a service member or spouse under section 5-715, including qualifying service concluded within two years before application; hold a valid license in good standing and meet endorsement requirements.
Moral character
Satisfy good moral character and the statutory conviction restrictions under section 15(a)(2); a conviction does not automatically bar licensure except as specified there.
Name change
Provide proof of any name change if submitted documents bear a different name.
Ncbtmb reference
The rule and September 2025 qualifications refer generically to the NCBTMB examination. Read with the legacy checklist naming the former National Certification examination, this does not expressly adopt the separate registered BCETMB examination; no BCETMB leaf is inferred from the organization name.
Personal history
Complete personal-history disclosures and provide the supporting statements and official records required by the application.
Skin growth
Original licensure applications on or after January 1, 2026 require Department-approved abnormal skin growth education, including melanoma identification.
Variance
An individual variance under 1284.110 may address only a nonstatutory requirement, injure no party, and relieve an unreasonable or unnecessarily burdensome requirement.
Reinstatement or restoration following qualifying military service
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Ce exception
Rule 1284.80(b)(2) excuses proof of CE for the qualifying military restoration.
Fees
Pay the current renewal fee; lapsed renewal fees are excused.
Service
License expired during qualifying federal active service, State Militia service or training, or supervised pre-induction education or training under section 70.
Skin growth
Provide the section 68 course proof when this is the first restoration on or after January 1, 2026 of a license issued before that date.
Time
Apply within two years after honorable termination of the qualifying service, training or education, with satisfactory evidence and the required affidavit.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Continuing education
Complete 25 approved CE hours, including one hour of domestic violence and sexual assault awareness for the 2026 renewal; the first renewal CE exception is in 1284.90(a)(5). The rule also requires two ethics hours.
Course examinations
Self-study CE courses require course examinations under 1284.90(b)(2)(A). These unnamed course-completion tests are conditions, not registered licensing examinations.
Hardship
A timely individual CE hardship waiver may be requested with the renewal application, fee and supporting statement under 1284.90(g).
License
License expires December 31 of every even-numbered year; renew in the preceding month and pay the renewal fee.
Older rule
The older rule states 24 CE hours; the controlling section 67 and IDFPR notice require 25 total hours for the 2026 renewal.
Skin growth
A person licensed before January 1, 2026 must provide abnormal skin growth education proof with the first renewal or restoration on or after that date.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Restoration or reactivation after five years or more, with maintained active practice elsewhere
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Education
Provide 24 approved CE hours in the two years before restoration under section 70 and 1284.80; section 67’s 25-hour requirement addresses renewal.
Fees
Submit the application and pay the applicable restoration or renewal fees under 1284.50 and section 75.
Fitness
Provide acceptable evidence of fitness, current licensure and maintained active practice in another jurisdiction; the long-lapsed route requires licensure certification and employment verification by a supervisor or a knowledgeable peer when self-employed.
Lapse
Five years or more under 1284.80(b); section 70 separately describes more than five years.
Prior license
Previously held an Illinois massage therapist license that expired or was placed on inactive status.
Skin growth
For a license issued before January 1, 2026, provide the skin growth course proof with the first renewal or restoration on or after that date.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Restoration or reactivation after less than five years, with maintained active practice elsewhere
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Education
Provide 24 approved CE hours in the two years before restoration under section 70 and 1284.80; section 67’s 25-hour requirement addresses renewal.
Fees
Submit the application and pay the applicable restoration or renewal fees under 1284.50 and section 75.
Fitness
Provide acceptable evidence of fitness, current licensure and maintained active practice in another jurisdiction; the long-lapsed route requires licensure certification and employment verification by a supervisor or a knowledgeable peer when self-employed.
Lapse
Expired or inactive for less than five years.
Prior license
Previously held an Illinois massage therapist license that expired or was placed on inactive status.
Skin growth
For a license issued before January 1, 2026, provide the skin growth course proof with the first renewal or restoration on or after that date.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination

Provider
Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards; administered at Pearson VUE (Pearson Professional Centers) test centers
Format
Computer-based, fixed-length computer-adaptive test (CAT) of multiple-choice questions, each with one correct answer; offered in English and Spanish and administered year-round; results reported as PASS or FAIL, with a diagnostic report by content area for failing candidates
Exam questions
100 multiple-choice questions
Time limit
110 minutes for 100 questions within a two-hour (120-minute) appointment
Passing score
Criterion-referenced passing standard adopted by the FSMTB Board of Directors; results reported as PASS or FAIL
Exam fee
$265 MBLEx application fee
Examination outline
  • Anatomy & Physiology (11%)
    • A. System structure — Cardiovascular
    • A. System structure — Digestive
    • A. System structure — Endocrine
    • A. System structure — Integumentary
    • A. System structure — Lymphatic & Immune
    • A. System structure — Musculoskeletal
    • A. System structure — Nervous
    • A. System structure — Reproduction
    • A. System structure — Respiratory
    • A. System structure — Sensory
    • A. System structure — Urinary
    • B. System function — Cardiovascular
    • B. System function — Digestion
    • B. System function — Endocrine
    • B. System function — Integumentary
    • B. System function — Lymphatic & Immune
    • B. System function — Musculoskeletal
    • B. System function — Nervous
    • B. System function — Reproduction
    • B. System function — Respiratory
    • B. System function — Sensory
    • B. System function — Urinary
    • C. Tissue injury and repair
    • D. Concepts of energetic anatomy
  • Kinesiology (12%)
    • A. Skeletal muscle components & characteristics
    • B. Concepts of skeletal muscle contractions
    • C. Proprioceptors
    • D. Skeletal muscle locations, attachments (origins, insertions), & actions
    • E. Joint structure and function
    • F. Range of motion — Active
    • F. Range of motion — Passive
    • F. Range of motion — Resisted
  • Pathology, Contraindications, Areas of Caution, Special Populations (14%)
    • A. Overview of Pathologies
    • B. Contraindications — Site specific
    • B. Contraindications — Pathology related
    • B. Contraindications — Special populations
    • B. Contraindications — Tools
    • B. Contraindications — Special applications
    • C. Areas of caution
    • D. Special populations
    • E. Classes of medications
  • Benefits and Effects of Soft Tissue Manipulation (15%)
    • A. Physiological effects of soft tissue manipulation
    • B. Psychological effects of soft tissue manipulation
    • C. Effects of soft tissue manipulation for specific client populations
    • D. Soft tissue techniques — Types of strokes
    • D. Soft tissue techniques — Sequence of application
    • E. Hot/cold applications
    • F. Overview of massage/bodywork modalities
  • Client Assessment, Reassessment & Treatment Planning (17%)
    • A. Organization of a massage/bodywork session
    • B. Client consultation and evaluation — Verbal intake
    • B. Client consultation and evaluation — Health history form
    • C. Written data collection
    • D. Visual assessment — General
    • D. Visual assessment — Postural
    • D. Visual assessment — Gait
    • E. Palpation assessment
    • F. Range of motion assessment
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Ability to rule out contraindications
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Client treatment goal setting
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Evaluation of response to previous treatment
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Formulation of treatment strategy
  • Ethics, Boundaries, Laws, Regulations (16%)
    • A. Ethical behavior
    • B. Professional boundaries
    • C. Code of ethics violations
    • D. The therapeutic relationship
    • E. Dual relationships
    • F. Sexual misconduct
    • G. Massage/bodywork-related laws and regulations
    • H. Scope of practice
    • I. Professional communication
    • J. Confidentiality
    • K. Principles
  • Guidelines for Professional Practice (15%)
    • A. Proper and safe use of equipment and supplies
    • B. Practitioner hygiene
    • C. Sanitation and cleanliness
    • D. Safety practices — Facilities
    • D. Safety practices — Practitioner safety
    • D. Safety practices — Client safety
    • E. Practitioner care — Body mechanics
    • E. Practitioner care — Personal protective equipment (PPE)
    • E. Practitioner care — Self-care
    • E. Practitioner care — Injury prevention
    • F. Draping — Safe and appropriate
    • F. Draping — Communication
    • G. Business Practices — Business planning
    • G. Business Practices — Strategic planning
    • G. Business Practices — Office management
    • G. Business Practices — Marketing
    • G. Business Practices — Hiring/Interviewing
    • G. Business Practices — Documentation & Records — Client records
    • G. Business Practices — Documentation & Records — Business records
    • H. Healthcare and business terminology
Examination sources