How to get a Massage Therapy Establishment license in South Carolina
South Carolina licenses massage therapists statewide through the Board of Massage Therapy.1 You renew every 2 years1.
On this page
- South Carolina massage therapist licenses
- Rules shared by several license levels
- Who needs a Massage Therapy Establishment license
- Renewal and continuing education
- Temporary Massage Therapy License for a Professional Event
- Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)
- Sole Practitioner Establishment license
- City and county rules
- Laws and rules
- Common questions
- Massage therapist licenses in other states
South Carolina massage therapist licenses
South Carolina issues 4 massage therapist credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.
| License | What it covers | Training or experience | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Massage Therapy License for a Professional Event | Massage for a client who is in South Carolina briefly for an athletic, performing-arts or similar event, by an out-of-state licensee employed to accompany that client; up to 30 days or the length of the event, whichever is less.2 | – | – |
| Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) | Structured touch applied to the body's soft tissues with the hand, foot, knee, arm or elbow, with or without hydrotherapy, thermal therapy, massage devices or herbal preparations, including Board-approved bodywork modalities; does not authorize physical therapy or chiropractic.1 | Training 650 clock hours2 | Yes1 |
| Massage Therapy Establishment license | Required for each physical site where licensed massage therapists work as employees or contractors; only therapists with active SC licenses may be used.1 | – | – |
| Sole Practitioner Establishment license | Required for a fixed place of business (rental space, home office, etc.) controlled by a licensed therapist who serves clients who come to that location.2 | – | – |
Rules shared by several license levels
These rules are the same for several of the South Carolina massage therapist licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.
1. Every license level except Temporary Massage Therapy License for a Professional Event
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate or replacement license | $52 | Board of Massage Therapy |
Renewal
- How often
- Every 2 years1
2. Massage Therapy Establishment license and Sole Practitioner Establishment license
Requirements
- Business requirements
- The establishment must be organized or registered as an entity under South Carolina law; the application lists each owner's name, address and phone and the premises' addresses and phone.1
- Also required
- Pass an LLR pre-licensing inspection; LLR may inspect without notice during business hours.1
- Also required
- Operating rules: display licenses, meet building/fire codes, restroom, hand washing or sanitizer, clean linens per client, disinfect tables, closed lubricant containers, confidential records. A home-based establishment must use a non-sleeping area that gives client privacy.2
How to apply
- Register the business as an entity under South Carolina law.1
- Send the Board application with the fee for each location, owner details and the premises' address and phone.1
- Pass LLR's pre-licensing inspection, then display the license where the public can see it.1
Renewal
- If it expires
- A license not renewed on time lapses automatically; reinstatement needs an application, fees and possibly an updated background check and CE. A license lapsed more than one year without a reinstatement application is canceled and a new license is required.1
A lapsed establishment must pass an LLR inspection before reinstatement; after a revocation no new license may be issued for the same premises for one year.1
From another state
- Route
- No reciprocity
- What the board says
- Establishment licenses are location-specific; there is no out-of-state recognition.1
Who needs a Massage Therapy Establishment license
Required for each physical site where licensed massage therapists work as employees or contractors; only therapists with active SC licenses may be used.1
Work that does not need this license:
- Hospitals and licensed long-term care facilities, and practices of licensed chiropractors, physicians/osteopaths and physical therapists that employ or contract massage therapists, need no establishment license.1
Renewal and continuing education
More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Rules shared by several license levels.
Renewal planner
Enter the expiration date printed on your South Carolina Massage Therapy Establishment license. The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.
Temporary Massage Therapy License for a Professional Event
Massage for a client who is in South Carolina briefly for an athletic, performing-arts or similar event, by an out-of-state licensee employed to accompany that client; up to 30 days or the length of the event, whichever is less.2
Requirements
- Also required
- A current license in good standing in another state, DC or U.S. territory, and a copy of it.2
How to apply
- Send the Board-approved application and a copy of your out-of-state license at least two weeks before the event, and wait for approval.2
- Processing time
- Apply at least two weeks before the event; practice only after Board approval.1
Renewal
- How often
- Every 30 days1
Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)
Structured touch applied to the body's soft tissues with the hand, foot, knee, arm or elbow, with or without hydrotherapy, thermal therapy, massage devices or herbal preparations, including Board-approved bodywork modalities; does not authorize physical therapy or chiropractic.1
Requirements
- Minimum age
- 18 years old1
- High school diploma or GED
- Required1
- Education or training
- At least 650 clock hours2
The board's words
“A massage therapy education program must provide at least 650 hours of instruction in the following subjects:”
Who may teach it: Program must be at a school approved by the S.C. Commission on Higher Education with Board-approved content; the school files an affidavit on a Board form (transcript on request).1
Alternative: An approved program substantially equivalent to the 650-hour program.1 - Experience
- No work experience is required; the 650-hour program includes 100 hours of supervised student clinic.2
- Exam
- FSMTB exam (MBLEx) or another Board-approved exam1
Given by: Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)1
Retakes: Failed candidates may retest as provided by the Board.1 - Background check
- Background check required1
Fingerprints required1
A conviction bars licensure only if it directly relates to massage practice, but the Board may refuse an unfit applicant based on the whole record; listed grounds include prostitution/solicitation, assault and battery, money laundering and certain felonies within 5-7 years.1 - Business requirements
- A therapist who owns their own fixed location (rental, home office) needs a sole practitioner establishment license; a business employing or contracting therapists needs a massage therapy establishment license.2
- Also required
- Speak English natively or show effective proficiency (TOEFL/TSE may be required).1
- Also required
- Display the license with a 2x2 photo at the establishment, carry the license card when working elsewhere, and put the license number in every advertisement.1
Fees
The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee.
How to apply
- Finish a 650-hour approved massage program and pass the FSMTB exam (MBLEx) or another Board-approved exam.1
- Submit the Board application with a 2x2 photo and fees; have your official transcript/school affidavit and exam result sent.1
- Complete SLED and FBI fingerprint background checks (results go to the Board).1
- Temporary or provisional license
- No provisional license for new graduates; out-of-state licensees can get a temporary license for a professional event.2
Renewal
- Approved courses
- CE must come from Board-approved providers; one CE hour is 50 minutes; instructors earn no credit for teaching; the Board may offer a self-study video course.2
- If it expires
- A license not renewed on time lapses automatically; reinstatement needs an application, fees and possibly an updated background check and CE. A license lapsed more than one year without a reinstatement application is canceled and a new license is required.1
Inactive status on written request (renewed every two years, indefinitely); reactivation needs an application, 6 CE hours per inactive year and new SLED/FBI fingerprint checks.1
From another state
- Route
- License by endorsement
- What the board says
- License by endorsement for therapists with an active, unrestricted license in another state, DC or a U.S. territory whose standards were at least substantially equivalent when they were licensed; passing a Board-approved national exam shows equivalent education, and an NCBTMB exam taken before November 1, 2014 is accepted.1
- Conditions
- SLED and FBI fingerprint background checks.2
- Route
- Temporary license or permit
- What the board says
- Temporary license for a professional event (accompanying a client for an athletic, performing-arts or similar event), up to 30 days; apply at least two weeks before.2
- Route
- Military service members and spouses
- What the board says
- Spouses of active-duty service members stationed in South Carolina must be issued a one-year, non-renewable temporary license if licensed elsewhere; boards must credit military education, training and experience.3
- Route
- Interstate compact privilege
More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 under Rules shared by several license levels.
Sole Practitioner Establishment license
Required for a fixed place of business (rental space, home office, etc.) controlled by a licensed therapist who serves clients who come to that location.2
Requirements
- Also required
- The owner must hold an SC massage therapist license and must comply with the Board's establishment licensing, operation and inspection rules.2
More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Rules shared by several license levels.
City and county rules
Massage Therapy Establishment licenseSouth Carolina licenses massage therapists, massage therapy establishments and sole practitioner establishments statewide through the LLR Board of Massage Therapy; establishments must also follow state and local building and fire codes.2
Laws and rules
The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.
- S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Ch. 30 (Massage Therapy Practice Act), §§ 40-30-10 to 40-30-320, as rewritten by 2022 Act No. 151 (eff. May 13, 2023)
- S.C. Code Regs. ch. 77 (Massage Therapy Board), Regs. 77-101 to 77-151
- S.C. Code Ann. § 40-30-80; S.C. Code Regs. 77-135(5) (duplicate license)
- S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Ch. 1, Art. 1 (LLR general provisions, incl. military spouse temporary license)
Common questions
Can I transfer my massage therapist license to South Carolina?
Establishment licenses are location-specific; there is no out-of-state recognition.1 Conditions and forms.
How often do you renew a Massage Therapy Establishment license in South Carolina?
Every 2 years1.
Massage therapist licenses in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Sources
Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.
- South Carolina Code of Laws Title 40 Chapter 30 Massage Therapy PracticeSouth Carolina Legislative Services AgencyChecked November 7, 2026
- S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 77 Massage Therapy BoardSouth Carolina Legislative Services AgencyChecked November 7, 2026
- S.C. Code Title 40 Chapter 1 Professions and Occupations (general provisions)South Carolina LegislatureChecked November 8, 2026