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West Virginia Massage Therapy — Requirements & Free Practice

US-WV · License preparation

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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.

Massage Therapist License

Two-year professional massage therapist license. Initial issuance, reciprocal issuance, universal recognition, renewal and reinstatement are distinguished below. 194CSR1 §5.1 expressly bars massage telehealth licensing; §30-1-18 only authorizes retired, volunteer or inactive rules, and the complete active Board-rule index and implementing texts do not establish separate issuance criteria for those forms. Statutory exemptions in §30-37-11 and the charitable authorization in §30-1-21 are exemptions from licensure, not additional professional license identities.

Licensing authority: West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board · Application information

Reinstatement of a suspended or revoked professional license
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Prior Status
Previously held a West Virginia license suspended or revoked; §30-1-8a authorizes consideration of reinstatement.
Showing
Show ability to resume practice with reasonable skill and safety; reinstatement is discretionary. Satisfy the terms of the disciplinary order and Board process. The statutory reinstatement showing does not identify an examination; ordinary lapse restoration is separately recorded.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure by examination or accepted historical licensing score

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application
Submit the completed Board forms, relevant personal information, supporting documentation and applicable fees; the Board may audit credentials under 194CSR1 §§3.1, 3.10 and 3.13. The individual application must be notarized and its child-support, criminal-history and business-arrearage disclosures completed (Board license packet).
Charitable Exemption
§30-1-21 permits an unrestricted outside-jurisdiction license holder to volunteer without compensation for a Board-approved charitable function for up to ten days, with no pending discipline or ordered discipline in the past three years. Give the Board the nature and dates of the activity and all licenses held during the previous three years; the temporary authorization is a statutory exemption from licensure, not an issued massage therapist license.
Criminal History
Under 194CSR6 §3, an unreversed conviction disqualifies initial applicants only where it bears a rational nexus to massage practice; rehabilitation and other statutory factors are considered.
Education
Provide an official transcript from an approved massage-education program, high-school diploma or equivalent, and at least 625 supervised academic hours, as required by §30-37-7(a)(1) and 194CSR1 §3.1.b.2.
Ethics
Sign the agreement to uphold the NCBTMB Code of Ethics and comply with its Standards of Practice under 194CSR1 §4.2.
Fee Waiver
194CSR5 waives initial licensure fees for qualifying low-income individuals and military families who submit the prescribed waiver and verification forms; other licensing qualifications still apply.
Legacy Score Alternative
An NCBTMB national licensing examination passed before February 1, 2015 is accepted as historical score evidence; that discontinued licensing examination is not the currently offered BCETMB and is not an exam leaf. The registered current examination is MBLEx. Other Board-approved unnamed examinations remain applicant conditions under §30-37-7(a)(2).
Older Board Instructions
The older Board Requirements page states "Certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork." and "Have graduated from an approved massage education program with at least 500 hours of supervised academic instruction from an accredited school." The controlling amended statute and current rule require 625 hours, and the Board FAQ accepts MBLEx or the pre-February 2015 national licensing score. These older instructions do not identify BCETMB adoption.
Older Graduation
194CSR1 §3.9 requires applicants whose program was completed at least two years before application to document the continuing education they would have needed had they been licensed during that interval.
Practice Exemptions
§30-37-11 excludes authorized practice under other professional licenses, qualifying unpaid massage-school students who do not hold themselves out as licensed massage therapists, and activities of resort spas continuously operating since January 1, 1975 and their employees, subject to the statute’s sexual-services limitation. These exemptions do not create additional massage-license routes.
Rule Historical Demand
194CSR1 §3.1.b.3 states: "Proof of the successful completion of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) exam prior to February 1, 2015; and". The controlling §30-37-7(a)(2) names MBLEx as an alternative, implemented by the current Board FAQ; the rule statement is retained as the Board’s historical-score instruction.
Reinstatement after license lapse

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application
Submit the completed Board forms, relevant personal information, supporting documentation and applicable fees; the Board may audit credentials under 194CSR1 §§3.1, 3.10 and 3.13. The individual application must be notarized and its child-support, criminal-history and business-arrearage disclosures completed (Board license packet).
Board Discretion
194CSR1 §3.3.c permits the Board to require initial licensing requirements in cases it determines necessary, including the MBLEx alternative identified in §30-37-7. Whether a particular applicant must supply that result is the Board’s determination.
Board FAQ
The Board FAQ states: "If you had a WV license and it has expired beyond sixty (60) days of the expiration date, you will need to submit proof of the successful completion of the NCBTMB or MBLEx exam and proof of your current twenty-four continuing education credits along with your completed application." It also directs use of the initial application rather than the renewal form.
Criminal History
Under 194CSR6 §3, an unreversed conviction disqualifies initial applicants only where it bears a rational nexus to massage practice; rehabilitation and other statutory factors are considered.
Education
Provide an official transcript from an approved massage-education program, high-school diploma or equivalent, and at least 625 supervised academic hours, as required by §30-37-7(a)(1) and 194CSR1 §3.1.b.2.
Ethics
Sign the agreement to uphold the NCBTMB Code of Ethics and comply with its Standards of Practice under 194CSR1 §4.2.
Fee Waiver
194CSR5 waives initial licensure fees for qualifying low-income individuals and military families who submit the prescribed waiver and verification forms; other licensing qualifications still apply.
Legacy Score Alternative
An NCBTMB national licensing examination passed before February 1, 2015 is accepted as historical score evidence; that discontinued licensing examination is not the currently offered BCETMB and is not an exam leaf. The registered current examination is MBLEx. Other Board-approved unnamed examinations remain applicant conditions under §30-37-7(a)(2).
Older Board Instructions
The older Board Requirements page states "Certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork." and "Have graduated from an approved massage education program with at least 500 hours of supervised academic instruction from an accredited school." The controlling amended statute and current rule require 625 hours, and the Board FAQ accepts MBLEx or the pre-February 2015 national licensing score. These older instructions do not identify BCETMB adoption.
Older Graduation
194CSR1 §3.9 requires applicants whose program was completed at least two years before application to document the continuing education they would have needed had they been licensed during that interval.
Personal Appearance
Appear before the Board or its authorized committee, show satisfactory reasons for lapse and satisfy the Board of professional qualifications; pay reinstatement and renewal fees.
Pre2006
A license issued before July 1, 2006 remains recognized; if it lapses, §30-37-7(b) makes application of initial licensing requirements discretionary.
Prior License
Previously held a West Virginia massage therapist license now removed from the register; the rule uses notice followed by a further 30-day response period.
Rule Historical Demand
194CSR1 §3.1.b.3 states: "Proof of the successful completion of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) exam prior to February 1, 2015; and". The controlling §30-37-7(a)(2) names MBLEx as an alternative, implemented by the current Board FAQ; the rule statement is retained as the Board’s historical-score instruction.
Initial licensure after a prior criminal history denial

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application
Submit the completed Board forms, relevant personal information, supporting documentation and applicable fees; the Board may audit credentials under 194CSR1 §§3.1, 3.10 and 3.13. The individual application must be notarized and its child-support, criminal-history and business-arrearage disclosures completed (Board license packet).
Criminal History
Under 194CSR6 §3, an unreversed conviction disqualifies initial applicants only where it bears a rational nexus to massage practice; rehabilitation and other statutory factors are considered.
Education
Provide an official transcript from an approved massage-education program, high-school diploma or equivalent, and at least 625 supervised academic hours, as required by §30-37-7(a)(1) and 194CSR1 §3.1.b.2.
Ethics
Sign the agreement to uphold the NCBTMB Code of Ethics and comply with its Standards of Practice under 194CSR1 §4.2.
Fee Waiver
194CSR5 waives initial licensure fees for qualifying low-income individuals and military families who submit the prescribed waiver and verification forms; other licensing qualifications still apply.
Legacy Score Alternative
An NCBTMB national licensing examination passed before February 1, 2015 is accepted as historical score evidence; that discontinued licensing examination is not the currently offered BCETMB and is not an exam leaf. The registered current examination is MBLEx. Other Board-approved unnamed examinations remain applicant conditions under §30-37-7(a)(2).
Older Board Instructions
The older Board Requirements page states "Certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork." and "Have graduated from an approved massage education program with at least 500 hours of supervised academic instruction from an accredited school." The controlling amended statute and current rule require 625 hours, and the Board FAQ accepts MBLEx or the pre-February 2015 national licensing score. These older instructions do not identify BCETMB adoption.
Older Graduation
194CSR1 §3.9 requires applicants whose program was completed at least two years before application to document the continuing education they would have needed had they been licensed during that interval.
Prior Denial
Previously denied licensure because of a criminal conviction. Under 194CSR6 §4, five years must have elapsed since conviction or release from incarceration, whichever is later, with no intervening conviction; violent or sexual offenses may carry a longer Board-determined disqualification.
Rule Historical Demand
194CSR1 §3.1.b.3 states: "Proof of the successful completion of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) exam prior to February 1, 2015; and". The controlling §30-37-7(a)(2) names MBLEx as an alternative, implemented by the current Board FAQ; the rule statement is retained as the Board’s historical-score instruction.
Reciprocal licensure

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application
Submit the completed Board forms, relevant personal information, supporting documentation and applicable fees; the Board may audit credentials under 194CSR1 §§3.1, 3.10 and 3.13. The individual application must be notarized and its child-support, criminal-history and business-arrearage disclosures completed (Board license packet).
Continuing Education
Provide the last two years of CE records and meet the Board’s current CE standards under 194CSR1 §§3.5.d–3.6. The Board FAQ requests CE certificates where licensed over two years.
Criminal History
Under 194CSR6 §3, an unreversed conviction disqualifies initial applicants only where it bears a rational nexus to massage practice; rehabilitation and other statutory factors are considered.
Disciplinary History
Disclose pending and prior investigations and discipline, with statements from every jurisdiction of present or former licensure.
Education
Provide an official transcript from an approved massage-education program, high-school diploma or equivalent, and at least 625 supervised academic hours, as required by §30-37-7(a)(1) and 194CSR1 §3.1.b.2.
Ethics
Sign the agreement to uphold the NCBTMB Code of Ethics and comply with its Standards of Practice under 194CSR1 §4.2.
Exam Records
The Board FAQ requires the historical NCBTMB or MBLEx result to be sent directly by the national organization.
Fee Waiver
194CSR5 waives initial licensure fees for qualifying low-income individuals and military families who submit the prescribed waiver and verification forms; other licensing qualifications still apply.
Legacy Score Alternative
An NCBTMB national licensing examination passed before February 1, 2015 is accepted as historical score evidence; that discontinued licensing examination is not the currently offered BCETMB and is not an exam leaf. The registered current examination is MBLEx. Other Board-approved unnamed examinations remain applicant conditions under §30-37-7(a)(2).
National Certification
If nationally certified, provide a copy of the current NCBTMB certificate under §3.5.e; certification is an applicant condition and is not evidence of adoption of the separate BCETMB examination.
Older Board Instructions
The older Board Requirements page states "Certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork." and "Have graduated from an approved massage education program with at least 500 hours of supervised academic instruction from an accredited school." The controlling amended statute and current rule require 625 hours, and the Board FAQ accepts MBLEx or the pre-February 2015 national licensing score. These older instructions do not identify BCETMB adoption.
Older Graduation
194CSR1 §3.9 requires applicants whose program was completed at least two years before application to document the continuing education they would have needed had they been licensed during that interval.
Other License
Provide a copy of the current or most recent outside-state massage therapist license; the Board may issue a reciprocal license to applicants otherwise qualified under 194CSR1 §§3.4–3.5.
Rule Historical Demand
194CSR1 §3.1.b.3 states: "Proof of the successful completion of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) exam prior to February 1, 2015; and". The controlling §30-37-7(a)(2) names MBLEx as an alternative, implemented by the current Board FAQ; the rule statement is retained as the Board’s historical-score instruction.
Biennial renewal, including late renewal before register removal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Continuing Education
Document 24 approved CE units within the preceding two-year licensing period, including at least three in ethics; retain verifiable course records and respond to Board audits.
Current License
Hold a West Virginia massage therapist license; submit the Board renewal form and personal information. The license expires two years after the end of its issuance month.
Fees
Pay the renewal fee and any applicable late fee. Renewal received after the printed expiration date is subject to the late fee; lapsed-register removal instead invokes the reinstatement route.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Universal recognition for an accompanying military spouse
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board Instructions
The Board’s ordinary reciprocity FAQ states "proof of the successful completion of the NCBTMB exam or MBLEx examination sent directly from the national organization." This is retained as Board guidance for the applicant; §30-1-27(a) establishes this distinct statutory without-examination route.
Criminal History
No disqualifying criminal history as determined by the Board; statutory background-check requirements remain applicable.
Disciplinary History
No revoked license or surrender during an unprofessional-conduct investigation. Other discipline must be resolved and corrected to the Board’s satisfaction; unresolved discipline prevents an issuance or denial decision.
Education Verification
The issuing jurisdiction verifies satisfaction of its minimum education and any applicable experience or clinical-supervision requirements.
Eligibility
Be married to an active-duty armed-forces member and accompany that member on an official permanent change of station to a military installation in West Virginia under §30-1-27(a)(2).
Fees
Pay all applicable West Virginia fees, subject to available initial fee waivers.
Law Examination Permission
§30-1-27(d) permits a Board that administers a state-law examination to require it. It identifies no particular massage examination, and the current massage licensing rule and application requirements define no such requirement.
Outside License
Currently licensed for massage therapy at the same practice level in at least one other state and in good standing everywhere licensed.
Practice
This license is valid only in West Virginia, conveys no interstate-compact privilege and subjects the holder to West Virginia practice law and Board jurisdiction.
Prior Examinations
§30-1-27(b)(5) requires any examinations that the issuing jurisdiction required to have been passed. No particular examination is identified in that slot; it remains an applicant condition. No other state’s requirements were investigated.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Universal recognition for a West Virginia resident
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board Instructions
The Board’s ordinary reciprocity FAQ states "proof of the successful completion of the NCBTMB exam or MBLEx examination sent directly from the national organization." This is retained as Board guidance for the applicant; §30-1-27(a) establishes this distinct statutory without-examination route.
Criminal History
No disqualifying criminal history as determined by the Board; statutory background-check requirements remain applicable.
Disciplinary History
No revoked license or surrender during an unprofessional-conduct investigation. Other discipline must be resolved and corrected to the Board’s satisfaction; unresolved discipline prevents an issuance or denial decision.
Education Verification
The issuing jurisdiction verifies satisfaction of its minimum education and any applicable experience or clinical-supervision requirements.
Eligibility
Establish residence in West Virginia under §30-1-27(a)(1).
Fees
Pay all applicable West Virginia fees, subject to available initial fee waivers.
Law Examination Permission
§30-1-27(d) permits a Board that administers a state-law examination to require it. It identifies no particular massage examination, and the current massage licensing rule and application requirements define no such requirement.
Outside License
Currently licensed for massage therapy at the same practice level in at least one other state and in good standing everywhere licensed.
Practice
This license is valid only in West Virginia, conveys no interstate-compact privilege and subjects the holder to West Virginia practice law and Board jurisdiction.
Prior Examinations
§30-1-27(b)(5) requires any examinations that the issuing jurisdiction required to have been passed. No particular examination is identified in that slot; it remains an applicant condition. No other state’s requirements were investigated.

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