Florida Massage Therapy Continuing Education Requirements 2026

For subsequent renewals, Florida requires 24 hours of continuing education every two years. Florida massage therapists renew every odd numbered year on or before August 31. The 24 hours include specific requirements for massage therapy techniques and protocols, Florida Laws and Rules, professional ethics, prevention of medical errors, human trafficking awareness, and general continuing education. Of those 24 CE hours, therapists must complete the following required coursework:

At least 2 CE hours in Ethics
At least 2 CE hours in prevention of medical errors
At least 2 CE hours in Florida Laws and Rules
At least 1 CE hour in human trafficking

Florida also has specific requirements regarding the type of CE that can be completed online versus in a classroom setting. Our courses are approved through the CE Broker as "General" hours. Florida therapists can take up to 12 hours of continuing education through us.

Suggested Florida massage therapy CE courses:

Florida general and mandatory courses package - 12 CE hours
- 5 hours — Massage and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- 2 hours — Florida Laws and Rules
- 2 hours — Ethics in Massage – Roles and Boundaries
- 2 hours — Prevention of Medical Errors
- 1 hour — Human Trafficking and Massage
Florida Mandatory Courses Package 1 - 7 CE hours
- 2 hours — Florida Laws and Rules
- 2 hours — Ethics
- 2 hours — Prevention of Medical Errors
- 1 hour — Human Trafficking
Florida Mandatory Courses Package 2 - 8 CE hours
- 2 hours — Florida Laws and Rules
- 3 hours — Ethics Refresher
- 2 hours — Prevention of Medical Errors
- 1 hour — Human Trafficking

You can verify this information or contact the state of Florida with further questions by visiting the Florida Board of Massage Therapy.

Florida Massage Therapy CE Requirements at a Glance

Requirement	Florida
CE required	24 hours every 2 years
Renewal cycle	Biennial
Massage therapy techniques/skills/protocols	12 classroom hours
Prevention of Medical Errors	2 hours
Human Trafficking	1 hour
Florida Laws and Rules	2 hours
Professional Ethics	2 hours
General CE	5 hours
Online/general instruction hours	Up to 12 hours
Classroom requirement	12 hours
CE reporting	CE Broker

How Many CE Hours Does Florida Require?

Florida requires 24 hours of continuing education for each subsequent massage therapy license renewal.

The 24 hours must be divided among specific subject areas:

12 hours — Massage therapy techniques, skills and protocols — classroom hours
2 hours — Prevention of Medical Errors
1 hour — Human Trafficking Awareness
2 hours — Florida Laws and Rules
2 hours — Professional Ethics
5 hours — General CE

This totals 24 hours. Florida allows the required instruction-hour subjects and general hours to be completed through approved CE formats, while the 12 hours focused on massage therapy techniques, skills and protocols are generally required to be completed in a classroom setting.

Can Florida Massage Therapy CE Be Taken Online?

Yes, but not all 24 hours can be completed online.

Florida requires 12 classroom hours in courses relevant to and focused on massage therapy techniques, skills, and protocols.

The remaining 12 hours are instruction hours, which can include the required courses in Florida Laws and Rules, Professional Ethics, Prevention of Medical Errors, Human Trafficking Awareness, and general CE. This means massage therapists can complete up to 12 hours through approved online/general CE, but they still need to complete the required 12 classroom hours.

A live webinar or other distance-learning format should not automatically be assumed to satisfy Florida's 12-hour classroom requirement. When completing your renewal, make sure the course is approved for the appropriate Florida subject area and format.

What Mandatory Courses Does Florida Require?

Florida requires specific continuing education subjects for subsequent renewals:

Prevention of Medical Errors — 2 Hours

Florida requires 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors for each renewal.

Human Trafficking Awareness — 1 Hour

Florida requires 1 hour of Human Trafficking Awareness every renewal. The course must address both sex and labor trafficking, identifying potential victims, reporting, available resources, and assistance for victims.

Florida Laws and Rules — 2 Hours

Florida requires 2 hours covering Florida Laws and Rules applicable to massage therapy. The course must address Chapters 456 and 480, Florida Statutes, and Rule 64B7 of the Florida Administrative Code.

Professional Ethics — 2 Hours

Florida requires 2 hours of Professional Ethics for each subsequent renewal.

Florida CE Provider Requirements

All continuing education courses used for Florida massage therapist license renewal must be approved by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy and offered by a Florida Board-approved provider. Florida directs licensees to CEBroker to locate approved courses and providers.

The Florida Board also recognizes certain organizations as rule-approved CE providers, including NCBTMB, FSMTA, AMTA, AMTA Florida Chapter, and ABMP, when the provider meets the applicable requirements.

Center for Massage Therapy Continuing Education is a Florida-approved CE provider, CE Broker provider #50-7946.

First Florida License Renewal

Florida's first renewal has different CE requirements from subsequent renewals.

For the first renewal, the total number of CE hours required is based on the number of months and partial months the therapist has been licensed. The first renewal includes:

2 hours — Prevention of Medical Errors
1 hour — Human Trafficking Awareness
General hours calculated at 1 hour per month or partial month licensed over three months

All courses must be approved by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy.

Because first-renewal requirements depend on the date the license was issued, new Florida massage therapists should check their individual CE requirements through the Florida Department of Health and CEBroker.

How Does Florida Track CE Hours?

Florida uses CEBroker to track continuing education. Courses taken for renewal should appear on the massage therapist's CE transcript before renewal. Florida advises licensees to plan ahead because providers may take time to report course completions.

When renewing, Florida reviews the CE records electronically. Licensees generally do not need to mail CE certificates to the Board as part of the normal renewal process. It is still a good idea to keep copies of your certificates and CE records for your own documentation.

We report CE hours taken through us to the CE Broker for you!

Can Florida Massage Therapists Take All 24 CE Hours Online?

No. Florida requires 12 classroom hours focused on massage therapy techniques, skills and protocols. The remaining 12 hours can be completed through approved instruction-hour/general CE, including online courses that meet Florida's requirements. This makes Florida different from states that allow all required massage therapy CE to be completed online.

Can Florida Laws and Rules and Ethics Be Completed Online?

Yes. Florida allows the Florida Laws and Rules and Professional Ethics requirements to be satisfied through approved instruction-hour courses.

The Florida Board also allows these two requirements to be met by attending four hours of an in-person Board meeting, with attendance verified by signing in and out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CE hours does a Florida massage therapist need?

Florida requires 24 CE hours every two years for subsequent renewals.

How many Florida massage CE hours can be completed online?

Up to 12 hours can generally be completed through approved instruction-hour/general CE. The other 12 hours must meet Florida's classroom requirement for massage therapy techniques, skills and protocols.

Does Florida require ethics CE?

Yes. Florida requires 2 hours of Professional Ethics for each subsequent renewal.

Does Florida require a human trafficking course?

Yes. Florida requires 1 hour of Human Trafficking Awareness every renewal.

Does Florida require a medical errors course?

Yes. Florida requires 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors for each renewal.

Does Florida require a Laws and Rules course?

Yes. Florida requires 2 hours covering Florida Laws and Rules applicable to massage therapy.

Are online massage therapy CE courses accepted in Florida?

Yes, provided the courses are approved by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy and offered by a Florida Board-approved provider. However, Florida still requires 12 classroom hours focused on massage therapy techniques, skills and protocols.

Does Florida use CE Broker?

Yes. Florida uses CEBroker to track continuing education. Licensees should make sure their completed courses appear on their CE transcript before renewal.

When does a Florida massage therapy license expire?

Current Florida massage therapist licenses expire August 31, 2027, and Florida uses a biennial renewal cycle.

Florida Massage Therapy CE: The Bottom Line

Florida massage therapists completing a subsequent renewal must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years.

The required 24 hours include 12 classroom hours focused on massage therapy techniques, skills and protocols, along with 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors, 1 hour of Human Trafficking Awareness, 2 hours of Florida Laws and Rules, 2 hours of Professional Ethics, and 5 general CE hours.

MassageTherapyCEU.com offers Florida-approved online packages that can help complete the 12 instruction/general hours, while the required 12 classroom hours must be completed separately in an appropriate classroom setting.

Always verify your current CE requirements and transcript through the Florida Board of Massage Therapy and CEBroker before renewing your license.