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North Dakota Massage Therapy — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licensed Massage Therapist

North Dakota individual massage therapist licence, including initial licensure, reciprocity, statutory foreign-practitioner recognition, renewal and relicensure. Establishments are not licensed by NDBMT. Student and other statutory practice exemptions are not additional Board-issued credentials.

Licensing authority: North Dakota Board of Massage Therapy · Application information

Foreign practitioner licensure under NDCC 43 51 06
Age
Applicant must be at least eighteen years old under NDCC 43-25-07(1).
Applicant class
A practitioner holding and maintaining a comparable non-temporary, non-restricted licence in good standing in another state or jurisdiction, without pending disciplinary action, who has practiced the licensed profession for at least two years before applying (or a shorter authorized period).
Application
Submit the application, $150 fee, transcript and school affidavit sent directly, signed diploma, applicant compliance affidavit, identity and aliases, passport-type photo, and verification of all current and prior massage licences. Provide social security number or the form-requested explanation and immigration information when none is supplied.
Application period
Under NDCC 43-25-07(2), failure to obtain licensure within one year permits reapplication within six months after rejection with the prescribed fee, and two applications exhaust the original application privilege.
Criminal history
Submit statewide and nationwide criminal history record checks and fingerprints under NDCC 43-25-08.1; the applicant bears the cost. Criminal history is evaluated under NDCC 43-25-07(3).
Curriculum
NDAC 49-02-02-03 requires 150 hours anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 10 hours first aid/CPR with a current CPR card at graduation; 130 introductory massage hours; 50 business/career/ethics hours; 120 other massage-related hours; and 40 pathology hours. The remaining practical instruction is governed by Chapter 49-02-03.
Discontinued alternatives
The Board page and forms still name the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. FSMTB 2014 Annual Meeting Minutes record NCBTMB CEO Steve Kirin announcing that NCBTMB licensing examinations would no longer be available. These prior licensing examinations are not the separately registered current BCETMB, whose adoption is not established by the Board documents.
Discretionary recognition
NDCC 43-51-06 permits issuance without a new examination and does not require reciprocal privileges. It also requires other licence qualifications and expressly permits a state laws/rules examination. General Board application rules require approved-test passing evidence and the jurisprudence examination; examination relief is an applicant condition. Foreign education requires the credentialing review under NDCC 43-25-09(6)-(7).
Education
Present Board-approved massage education credentials satisfying Article 49-02: 750 cumulative instructional hours, including at least 250 supervised practical hours; alternatively the Board may approve alternate educational methodology for graduates of accredited programs under NDCC 43-25-07(4).
Health assessment
If the Board reasonably believes an applicant has a health condition jeopardizing clients, NDAC 49-01-02-02(7) permits an ordered physical and/or behavioral health assessment, paid by the applicant with information releases. This is an applicant health condition, not a profession licensing examination.
Jurisprudence
Complete the Board jurisprudence examination with a score of 80 percent or higher. The Board sends it after the other application paperwork is approved.
Military fee
The application form waives the $150 application fee for active military applicants or spouses of active military members; provide military orders or spouse-status proof.
Passing score
Send an official passing MBLEx score directly from its administering organization. An already-passed currently offered MBLEx remains an examination leaf. An accepted prior score from the discontinued NCETM or NCETMB may satisfy the approved-test requirement; those historical scores are applicant conditions and do not require sitting MBLEx again.
Initial licensure
Age
Applicant must be at least eighteen years old under NDCC 43-25-07(1).
Applicant class
New graduates or applicants who have not actively practiced for at least two of the last three years.
Application
Submit the application, $150 fee, transcript and school affidavit sent directly, signed diploma, applicant compliance affidavit, identity and aliases, passport-type photo, and verification of all current and prior massage licences. Provide social security number or the form-requested explanation and immigration information when none is supplied.
Application period
Under NDCC 43-25-07(2), failure to obtain licensure within one year permits reapplication within six months after rejection with the prescribed fee, and two applications exhaust the original application privilege.
Criminal history
Submit statewide and nationwide criminal history record checks and fingerprints under NDCC 43-25-08.1; the applicant bears the cost. Criminal history is evaluated under NDCC 43-25-07(3).
Curriculum
NDAC 49-02-02-03 requires 150 hours anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 10 hours first aid/CPR with a current CPR card at graduation; 130 introductory massage hours; 50 business/career/ethics hours; 120 other massage-related hours; and 40 pathology hours. The remaining practical instruction is governed by Chapter 49-02-03.
Discontinued alternatives
The Board page and forms still name the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. FSMTB 2014 Annual Meeting Minutes record NCBTMB CEO Steve Kirin announcing that NCBTMB licensing examinations would no longer be available. These prior licensing examinations are not the separately registered current BCETMB, whose adoption is not established by the Board documents.
Education
Present Board-approved massage education credentials satisfying Article 49-02: 750 cumulative instructional hours, including at least 250 supervised practical hours; alternatively the Board may approve alternate educational methodology for graduates of accredited programs under NDCC 43-25-07(4).
Health assessment
If the Board reasonably believes an applicant has a health condition jeopardizing clients, NDAC 49-01-02-02(7) permits an ordered physical and/or behavioral health assessment, paid by the applicant with information releases. This is an applicant health condition, not a profession licensing examination.
Jurisprudence
Complete the Board jurisprudence examination with a score of 80 percent or higher. The Board sends it after the other application paperwork is approved.
Military fee
The application form waives the $150 application fee for active military applicants or spouses of active military members; provide military orders or spouse-status proof.
Passing score
Send an official passing MBLEx score directly from its administering organization. An already-passed currently offered MBLEx remains an examination leaf. An accepted prior score from the discontinued NCETM or NCETMB may satisfy the approved-test requirement; those historical scores are applicant conditions and do not require sitting MBLEx again.
Initial licensure with education or credentials obtained outside the United States
Age
Applicant must be at least eighteen years old under NDCC 43-25-07(1).
Application
Submit the application, $150 fee, transcript and school affidavit sent directly, signed diploma, applicant compliance affidavit, identity and aliases, passport-type photo, and verification of all current and prior massage licences. Provide social security number or the form-requested explanation and immigration information when none is supplied.
Application period
Under NDCC 43-25-07(2), failure to obtain licensure within one year permits reapplication within six months after rejection with the prescribed fee, and two applications exhaust the original application privilege.
Criminal history
Submit statewide and nationwide criminal history record checks and fingerprints under NDCC 43-25-08.1; the applicant bears the cost. Criminal history is evaluated under NDCC 43-25-07(3).
Curriculum
NDAC 49-02-02-03 requires 150 hours anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 10 hours first aid/CPR with a current CPR card at graduation; 130 introductory massage hours; 50 business/career/ethics hours; 120 other massage-related hours; and 40 pathology hours. The remaining practical instruction is governed by Chapter 49-02-03.
Discontinued alternatives
The Board page and forms still name the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. FSMTB 2014 Annual Meeting Minutes record NCBTMB CEO Steve Kirin announcing that NCBTMB licensing examinations would no longer be available. These prior licensing examinations are not the separately registered current BCETMB, whose adoption is not established by the Board documents.
Education
Present Board-approved massage education credentials satisfying Article 49-02: 750 cumulative instructional hours, including at least 250 supervised practical hours; alternatively the Board may approve alternate educational methodology for graduates of accredited programs under NDCC 43-25-07(4).
Foreign credentials
Under NDCC 43-25-09(6)-(7), submit qualifications, credentials and work experience at the applicant's expense to a Board-approved credentialing agency. The Board may accept or refuse its recommendation.
Health assessment
If the Board reasonably believes an applicant has a health condition jeopardizing clients, NDAC 49-01-02-02(7) permits an ordered physical and/or behavioral health assessment, paid by the applicant with information releases. This is an applicant health condition, not a profession licensing examination.
Jurisprudence
Complete the Board jurisprudence examination with a score of 80 percent or higher. The Board sends it after the other application paperwork is approved.
Military fee
The application form waives the $150 application fee for active military applicants or spouses of active military members; provide military orders or spouse-status proof.
Passing score
Send an official passing MBLEx score directly from its administering organization. An already-passed currently offered MBLEx remains an examination leaf. An accepted prior score from the discontinued NCETM or NCETMB may satisfy the approved-test requirement; those historical scores are applicant conditions and do not require sitting MBLEx again.
Renewal of expired licence within two years
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Audit
The Board randomly audits continuing education at renewal; provide completion evidence when selected. A conditional health assessment under NDCC 43-25-09(3) and NDAC 49-01-02-06 is an applicant/licensee condition, not a profession examination.
Continuing education
Ordinarily 24 Board-approved hours in the two years before renewal, at least 12 classroom/hands-on, with no carryover. In good standing with 15 years immediately preceding active practice the total is six hours; with 25 years it is three hours. No more than half may be remote. A statutory health/good-cause waiver is discretionary.
Expiry
NDCC 43-25-09(4) and NDAC 49-01-02-03(3) permit renewal within two years, including the two-year boundary. Pay the $200 renewal fee plus $50 late penalty and provide required continuing education; the Board may require new physical examination evidence. Do not practice under an expired licence. The Board page says less than two years; the statute and rule control the boundary.
Initial period ethics
NDCC 43-25-09(2)(c) exempts the initial licensing period from reporting hours; subsection (2) specifies at least three ethics hours for the first renewal. The Board CE page states: *For the FIRST LICENSE RENEWAL after becoming licensed in the State of North Dakota, you are not required to obtain continuing education hours.  The second license renewal after becoming licensed in the State of North Dakota, you will be required to obtain 24 continuing education hours including a minimum of 3 hours in Ethics education.  Thereafter, 24 hours of continuing education are required with ethics education optional.  Of the 24 hours, at least 12 hours must be classroom, hands-on.  No more than 12 hours may be earned by remote/on-line means.  Remote is anything that is not presented in person in a physical location.
Military hardship
NDCC 43-51-11 requires renewal compliance hardship exceptions by rule or case-by-case for military activation of more than thirty days or service in an armed-conflict area. Provide the military-status proof requested by the renewal form.
Renewal
Renew biennially by February 28 of the appropriate odd/even year, submit the renewal application and $200 fee, and attest to required continuing education under NDCC 43-25-09 and NDAC 49-01-02-05.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Licensure by reciprocity
Age
Applicant must be at least eighteen years old under NDCC 43-25-07(1).
Applicant class
Applicant holds a massage licence in good standing in a United States jurisdiction, has actively practiced for at least two of the last three years, graduated from an approved program and passed an examination acceptable to the Board; no licence may be suspended, revoked or restricted for disciplinary reasons.
Application
Submit the application, $150 fee, transcript and school affidavit sent directly, signed diploma, applicant compliance affidavit, identity and aliases, passport-type photo, and verification of all current and prior massage licences. Provide social security number or the form-requested explanation and immigration information when none is supplied.
Application period
Under NDCC 43-25-07(2), failure to obtain licensure within one year permits reapplication within six months after rejection with the prescribed fee, and two applications exhaust the original application privilege.
Criminal history
Submit statewide and nationwide criminal history record checks and fingerprints under NDCC 43-25-08.1; the applicant bears the cost. Criminal history is evaluated under NDCC 43-25-07(3).
Curriculum
NDAC 49-02-02-03 requires 150 hours anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 10 hours first aid/CPR with a current CPR card at graduation; 130 introductory massage hours; 50 business/career/ethics hours; 120 other massage-related hours; and 40 pathology hours. The remaining practical instruction is governed by Chapter 49-02-03.
Discontinued alternatives
The Board page and forms still name the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. FSMTB 2014 Annual Meeting Minutes record NCBTMB CEO Steve Kirin announcing that NCBTMB licensing examinations would no longer be available. These prior licensing examinations are not the separately registered current BCETMB, whose adoption is not established by the Board documents.
Education
Present Board-approved massage education credentials satisfying Article 49-02: 750 cumulative instructional hours, including at least 250 supervised practical hours; alternatively the Board may approve alternate educational methodology for graduates of accredited programs under NDCC 43-25-07(4).
Education credit
For reciprocity the Board may consider documented continuing education toward the 750-hour educational minimum under NDAC 49-02-02-02(1).
Examination waiver
NDCC 43-25-18(1) permits the Board to grant reciprocity without taking a new examination; the same subsection requires a prior acceptable passing examination. NDCC 43-51-06 expressly preserves the Board's ability to require a state law/rules examination. NDAC 49-01-02-02(5) and the current reciprocity application exercise that authority and require the jurisprudence exam. Passing a currently offered MBLEx before applying remains a leaf; an accepted historical NCETM/NCETMB passing score remains a condition.
Health assessment
If the Board reasonably believes an applicant has a health condition jeopardizing clients, NDAC 49-01-02-02(7) permits an ordered physical and/or behavioral health assessment, paid by the applicant with information releases. This is an applicant health condition, not a profession licensing examination.
Jurisprudence
Complete the Board jurisprudence examination with a score of 80 percent or higher. The Board sends it after the other application paperwork is approved.
Military fee
The application form waives the $150 application fee for active military applicants or spouses of active military members; provide military orders or spouse-status proof.
Passing score
Send an official passing MBLEx score directly from its administering organization. An already-passed currently offered MBLEx remains an examination leaf. An accepted prior score from the discontinued NCETM or NCETMB may satisfy the approved-test requirement; those historical scores are applicant conditions and do not require sitting MBLEx again.
Reapplication after licence expiry for more than two years
Age
Applicant must be at least eighteen years old under NDCC 43-25-07(1).
Applicant class
Former North Dakota massage therapist whose licence has expired for more than two years; the Board requires reapplication as an initial licensure candidate.
Application
Submit the application, $150 fee, transcript and school affidavit sent directly, signed diploma, applicant compliance affidavit, identity and aliases, passport-type photo, and verification of all current and prior massage licences. Provide social security number or the form-requested explanation and immigration information when none is supplied.
Application period
Under NDCC 43-25-07(2), failure to obtain licensure within one year permits reapplication within six months after rejection with the prescribed fee, and two applications exhaust the original application privilege.
Criminal history
Submit statewide and nationwide criminal history record checks and fingerprints under NDCC 43-25-08.1; the applicant bears the cost. Criminal history is evaluated under NDCC 43-25-07(3).
Curriculum
NDAC 49-02-02-03 requires 150 hours anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 10 hours first aid/CPR with a current CPR card at graduation; 130 introductory massage hours; 50 business/career/ethics hours; 120 other massage-related hours; and 40 pathology hours. The remaining practical instruction is governed by Chapter 49-02-03.
Discontinued alternatives
The Board page and forms still name the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. FSMTB 2014 Annual Meeting Minutes record NCBTMB CEO Steve Kirin announcing that NCBTMB licensing examinations would no longer be available. These prior licensing examinations are not the separately registered current BCETMB, whose adoption is not established by the Board documents.
Education
Present Board-approved massage education credentials satisfying Article 49-02: 750 cumulative instructional hours, including at least 250 supervised practical hours; alternatively the Board may approve alternate educational methodology for graduates of accredited programs under NDCC 43-25-07(4).
Health assessment
If the Board reasonably believes an applicant has a health condition jeopardizing clients, NDAC 49-01-02-02(7) permits an ordered physical and/or behavioral health assessment, paid by the applicant with information releases. This is an applicant health condition, not a profession licensing examination.
Jurisprudence
Complete the Board jurisprudence examination with a score of 80 percent or higher. The Board sends it after the other application paperwork is approved.
Military fee
The application form waives the $150 application fee for active military applicants or spouses of active military members; provide military orders or spouse-status proof.
Passing score
Send an official passing MBLEx score directly from its administering organization. An already-passed currently offered MBLEx remains an examination leaf. An accepted prior score from the discontinued NCETM or NCETMB may satisfy the approved-test requirement; those historical scores are applicant conditions and do not require sitting MBLEx again.
Biennial licence renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Audit
The Board randomly audits continuing education at renewal; provide completion evidence when selected. A conditional health assessment under NDCC 43-25-09(3) and NDAC 49-01-02-06 is an applicant/licensee condition, not a profession examination.
Continuing education
Ordinarily 24 Board-approved hours in the two years before renewal, at least 12 classroom/hands-on, with no carryover. In good standing with 15 years immediately preceding active practice the total is six hours; with 25 years it is three hours. No more than half may be remote. A statutory health/good-cause waiver is discretionary.
Initial period ethics
NDCC 43-25-09(2)(c) exempts the initial licensing period from reporting hours; subsection (2) specifies at least three ethics hours for the first renewal. The Board CE page states: *For the FIRST LICENSE RENEWAL after becoming licensed in the State of North Dakota, you are not required to obtain continuing education hours.  The second license renewal after becoming licensed in the State of North Dakota, you will be required to obtain 24 continuing education hours including a minimum of 3 hours in Ethics education.  Thereafter, 24 hours of continuing education are required with ethics education optional.  Of the 24 hours, at least 12 hours must be classroom, hands-on.  No more than 12 hours may be earned by remote/on-line means.  Remote is anything that is not presented in person in a physical location.
Military hardship
NDCC 43-51-11 requires renewal compliance hardship exceptions by rule or case-by-case for military activation of more than thirty days or service in an armed-conflict area. Provide the military-status proof requested by the renewal form.
Renewal
Renew biennially by February 28 of the appropriate odd/even year, submit the renewal application and $200 fee, and attest to required continuing education under NDCC 43-25-09 and NDAC 49-01-02-05.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

North Dakota Massage Therapy Jurisprudence Examination

Provider
North Dakota Board of Massage Therapy
Passing score
80 percent or higher
Examination outline
  • North Dakota Century Code Chapter 43-25 — Massage Therapists
  • NDAC Chapter 49-01-02 — Licensure and Fees
  • NDAC Chapter 49-02-01 — General Education Requirements
  • NDAC Chapter 49-02-02 — Classroom Instruction
  • NDAC Chapter 49-02-03 — Practical Instruction
  • NDAC Chapter 49-03-01 — Requirements for Massage Establishments
Examination sources

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