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Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx)
Find the current format, timing, scoring, fees, eligibility, and testing options for MBLEx, with direct links to official sources.
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Questions100 multiple-choice questions (fixed-length computer-adaptive test; all questions must be answered in the order presented)
Testing time110 minutes for the 100-question exam; the appointment is 2 hours (120 minutes) total, including up to 5 minutes for the security and confidentiality agreement and 5 minutes for an information survey; no scheduled breaks during the 110-minute examination period (accommodation-approved breaks excepted)
ScoringResults are reported as PASS or FAIL; the passing standard is set by a criterion-referenced method adopted by the FSMTB Board of Directors based on subject-matter-expert recommendations; no numeric cut score is published
Exam feeUSD 265 MBLEx application fee (nonrefundable and nontransferable), paid with the application; USD 265 to retake (new application and current fee required); USD 40 Result Transfer Form fee to send a result to a new recipient
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- FSMTB
- Category
- Massage Therapy
- Current version
- Current specification; no public version label (Content Outline derived from periodic Job Task Analysis surveys; 2025 Candidate Handbook edition)
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English, Spanish
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE
- Format
- Computer-based, fixed-length computer-adaptive test delivered in person at authorized Pearson VUE professional centers; not available online
- Availability
- Year-round, six or seven days a week depending on location, at Pearson VUE professional centers in the United States only
- Results
- Pass/fail outcome known at the test center immediately upon completion (a congratulatory message is displayed on-screen if you pass; failing candidates receive a diagnostic report by content area); FSMTB sends the official result electronically to the designated state board within five business days of the exam date; results are never posted online
- Score validity
- No renewal requirement once passed — the result is valid throughout the candidate's professional career if their license to practice remains in good standing (individual state boards may impose different requirements)
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
A single-session, fixed-length computer-adaptive test (CAT) of 100 multiple-choice items covering seven weighted content areas: Anatomy & Physiology (11%), Kinesiology (12%), Populations (14%), Tissue Manipulation (15%), Practice (15%), Regulations (16%), and Planning (17%); each question must be answered in order, questions may not be flagged for later review, and failure to complete all 100 items in 110 minutes results in a failed exam
Where rules vary
A uniform U.S. national licensing examination used by state massage therapy regulatory boards; the exam is identical nationwide and, per Pearson VUE, 'The MBLEx is only given in the United States.' Spanish delivery exists solely to satisfy the legal requirements of the FSMTB member board in Puerto Rico.
Eligibility
Must substantiate enrollment in or graduation from an approved massage therapy education program covering all MBLEx Content Outline subject areas, with the program verifying education through FSMTB's Education Verification Center; apprenticeship applicants and internationally educated applicants must first apply for licensure through their state regulatory board (international education additionally requires an English-language equivalency evaluation); must submit a complete application with fee and agree to FSMTB examination policies
Retake policy
No FSMTB waiting period or attempt limit — a failed candidate may submit a new application immediately and must pay the application fee in effect at that time; candidates who have passed may not retake the MBLEx unless their state regulatory board approves a retest; state boards may impose their own attempt limits