Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in Florida – Schools, Salary, and License Info

Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in Florida

To become a massage therapist in Florida, you must pursue a certification program and pass some exams.

If you choose to be an apprentice, you can get an apprentice license first.

For this, you need to be 18 years old and have your high school diploma/GED.

Licensed Massage Therapist Criteria

If you enroll in a program, you must finish 500 hours of classes before applying for a license.

Popular Programs

The topics should cover:

  • Anatomy and physiology: 150 hours
  • Massage Theory and history: 100 hours
  • Allied modalities: 76 hours
  • Clinical practicum: 125 hours
  • Hydrotherapy: 15 hours
  • Business: 15 hours
  • Professional ethics: 4 hours
  • Florida laws and rules: 10 hours
  • Medical errors: 2 hours
  • HIV/ AIDS: 3 hours

You can only attend 6 hours of class a day and 30 hours per week.

School Name Address
Academy of Career Training 3501 W Vine #111 Kissimmee, FL 34741
Academy of Cosmetology 2088 N Courtenay Pkwy. Merritt Island, FL 32953
Academy of Cosmetology 1975 Palm Bay Rd. Palm Bay, FL 32905
Acupuncture & Massage College 10506 North Kendall Dr. Miami, FL 33176
Alington School of Massage 1239 Rogero Rd. Jacksonville, FL 32211
Alpha School of Massage 4642 San Juan Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32210
Aveda Institute 2020 West Pensacola St. Tallahassee, FL 32304
Barbara Brennan School of Healing 500 NE Spanish River Blvd. #208 Boca Raton, FL 33431
Beauty Schools of America 1060 W 49 St. Hialeah, FL 33012
Beauty Schools of America 600 NE 22 Terrace Homestead, FL 33030
Beauty Schools of America 1176 SW 67 Ave. Miami, FL 33144
Beauty Schools of America 1813 NE 163 St. North Miami Beach, FL 33162
Benes International School of Beauty 7027 US Highway 19 New Port Richey, FL 34652
Boca Beauty Academy 7820 Glades Rd. Boca Raton, FL 33434
Bonita Springs School of Massage and Cosmetology 10915 Bonita Beach Road SE #2111 Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Broward College 111 East Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Educating Hands School of Massage 120 SW 8th St. Miami, FL 33130
Erwin Technical Center 2010 E Hillsborough Ave. Tampa, FL 33610
Florida College of Natural Health 616 67th Street Circle East Bradenton, FL 34208
Florida College of Natural Health 2600 Lake Lucien Dr. #140 Maitland, FL 32751
Florida College of Natural Health 7925 NW 12th St. #201 Miami, FL 33126
Florida College of Natural Health 2001 W Sample Rd. #100 Pompano Beach, FL 33064
Florida Education Institute 5818 SW 8th Street Miami, FL 33144
Florida School of Massage 6421 SW 13th St. Gainsville, FL 32608
Gulf Coast Community College 5230 West Hwy 98 Panama City, FL 32401
Institute for Structural Integration 7700 Center Bay Dr. North Bay Village, FL 33141
International Institute for Health Care Professionals 600 South Dixie Hwy #211 Boca Raton, FL 33432
Keiser University 9400 SW Discovery Way Port St. Lucie, Florida 34986
Medical Institute of Palm Beach 5821 Lake Worth Rd # B Greenacres, FL 33463
Miami Dade College 300 NE 2nd Ave. Miami, FL 33132
Palm Beach Academy 1220A 10th Street Lake Park, FL 33403
Palm Beach Community College 4200 Congress Ave. Lake Worth, FL 33461
Pensacola School of Massage Therapy & Health Careers 2409 Creighton, RD Pensacola, FL 32504
Sarasota School of Massage Therapy 5899 Whitfield Ave. #300 Sarasota, FL 34243
Source Institute of Massage Therapy & Bodywork 30 Beal Parkway SW Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548
Sunstate Academy 2525 Drew St. Clearwater, FL 33765
Sunstate Academy 2040 Colonial Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33907

If you want to be an apprentice, you should be sponsored by someone who has a 3-year experience in the field.

The facility where you train must-have books that cover topics like anatomy, physiology, massage theory, message-related laws and rules, and hydrotherapy.

An apprentice practices for a year or 2, during which the following subjects are covered:

  • Anatomy: 300 hours
  • Physiology: 300 hours
  • Massage Theory and history: 20 hours
  • Hydrotherapy theory and practice: 50 hours
  • Statutes and rules regulating massage practice: 25 hours
  • Introduction to allied modalities: 50 hours
  • Hygiene: 5 hours
  • Board-approved HIV/ AIDS training: 3 hours
  • Practical massage: 700 hours

In the first quarter, you must cover:

  • Anatomy: 100 hours
  • Physiology: 100 hours
  • Statutes and rules: 15 hours

Exam criteria

In order to receive your first license, you must pass the the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx).

In Florida, you can take this exam in either English or Spanish.

The test is multiple-choice, can be taken 6 days a week and is provided by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB).

Background checks

You will need to submit fingerprints for a Livescan that will prove you have a clean criminal record.

If a Livescan service is not available in your region, you can reach out to Florida Livescan providers to have your hard card switched to an electronic format.

You will also need to submit an Originating Agency Identification (ORI) number in your application form.

Therapists from other states

If you are certified in other states, you will need to take classes as follows:

  • Prevention of medical errors: 2 hours
  • HIV/AIDS: 3 hours
  • Florida laws and rules: 10 hours

Therapists from other countries

If you have a license in another country, your paperwork needs to be translated into English.

Furthermore, your school must be approved by an equivalent entity within its region.

Your references will also need to be approved by a credential evaluation agency.

How to apply

If you have a criminal record, you need to bring 3 recent reference letters before taking the exam.

If you have certain health issues, you are required to bring documents from your doctor.

If you have a health-related certification in another state, the facility you obtained it from needs to submit proof to the Florida Board.

If you studied in schools that aren’t in Florida, you need to have your school send transcripts to the licensing entity in this state.

When you apply, a $155 fee is required.

The amount minus $50 will be returned to you if your license application is rejected.

Other info

You can contact the Florida Board of Massage Therapy by email or the Florida State Massage Therapy Association if you need extra information.

Below you can also see the median income you can expect per year from this new career, depending on where you live in Florida.

Annual Salary Range:
$43K
$48K
$55K
10%
50%
90%
Annual Salary by Location:
Location Avg. Annual Salary
Jacksonville $48,326
Miami $49,846
Tampa $48,787
Orlando $48,710
Saint Petersburg $48,746
Hialeah $49,462
Port Saint Lucie $48,263
Tallahassee $46,441
Cape Coral $47,613
Fort Lauderdale $49,724

Regional Salary in Florida

Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL300$51,650$24.83$73,210$34,200
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL140$47,630$22.9$86,580$22,880
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL250$48,520$23.33$68,660$28,590
Gainesville, FL120$54,700$26.3$86,840$35,800
Jacksonville, FL630$50,770$24.41$72,620$33,120
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL60$57,060$27.43$84,250$31,880
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL2,680$52,000$25$75,030$31,730
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL280$69,260$33.3$110,300$35,340
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL420$52,750$25.36$73,870$33,680
Ocala, FL60$45,680$21.96$59,170$31,110
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL1,360$50,890$24.46$72,510$30,690
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL160$52,620$25.3$71,710$36,830
Panama City, FL50$47,950$23.05$69,340$29,190
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL110$50,540$24.3$64,260$31,730
Port St. Lucie, FL140$49,770$23.93$65,850$30,120
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL80$49,330$23.72$71,050$29,600
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL1,540$54,510$26.21$72,930$43,540
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Massage Therapists, OCC Code 31-9011, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

USA Massage Therapy by State


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