FSMTB

How do I send my examination result to my licensing board?
How do I send my examination result to a new state if I am moving?
What type of paperwork from my school or other outside sources do I need to submit to take the MBLEx?
How quickly does FSMTB process my application?
What is the fee to take the MBLEx?
What is the fee if I have to retake the MBLEx?
How will I be notified that I have been approved to take the MBLEx?
Will my ATT expire?
If I need to retest, how soon can I apply, and is there a limit to the number of times I can retake the MBLEx?
Are my fees refundable?
Can I change my test date or location?
How long is the examination?
What will happen if I do not complete the exam before time runs out?
In what languages is the MBLEx offered?
What identification do I need to take to the test center?
When I pass the MBLEx, can I start practicing massage and bodywork immediately?
Do I need to renew my MBLEx?
If I have already passed the NCE, will I now have to pass the MBLEx too?
Where can I find study material?
How much Asian theory is on the MBLEx?
Why did FSMTB develop the MBLEx?
What kind of input did FSMTB seek in developing the MBLEx?
Why didn't FSMTB set any minimum educational hours or eligibility requirements to take the MBLEx?
Does a licensure exam water down the standards for the profession?
How does the MBLEx help the states?
Why is voluntary certification an inappropriate tool for licensure boards?
Is certification redundant?
Why wouldn't we want a standard of excellence for the profession?
Is it a conflict of interest for a State Board to use the MBLEx if one of the State Board members is on the Board of FSMTB?

How do I send my examination result to my licensing board?
You will indicate on the MBLEx Application the state you wish your exam result to be sent to for licensure purposes.

How do I send my examination score to a new state if I am moving?
You may request your exam result be reported to a licensing board or agency by completing and submitting the MBLEx Report Transfer Form (RTF). You will sign into your FSMTB Examination Account to access the MBLEx Result Transfer form. If you do not have a login, you will be required to create one. Once logged in, complete the electronic form, include payment and submit. You can also find a paper version of the RTF on this page.

What type of paperwork from my school or other outside sources do I need to submit to take the MBLEx?
The FSMTB does not require paperwork from your school, but does require that all MBLEx applicants request and ensure that your massage therapy education program verify your education directly with FSMTB through the Education Verification Center (EVC). MBLEx applications are not complete for processing until education has been verified.

How quickly does FSMTB process my application?
Please allow five (5) business days for FSMTB to process your completed MBLEx Application. A completed application consists of the MBLEx Application, MBLEx fee, and the applicant's education verified by their school or massage program. Once your completed application is approved, FSMTB will email you an Authorization to Test (ATT) with instructions to schedule your examination.

What is the fee to take the MBLEx?
Your application fee of $265 will be processed upon submission of the application.

What is the fee if I have to retake the MBLEx?
Should you need to retake the MBLEx, it will cost $265.

How will I be notified that I have been approved to take the MBLEx?
The FSMTB will notify you via email by sending you an Authorization to Test (ATT). Read it carefully and contact FSMTB immediately if there are any name spelling corrections necessary. Your ATT includes instructions on how to schedule your examination date with Pearson VUE.

Will my ATT expire?
Yes. You will have six months in which to take the test. You must take the exam within the date rage on your ATT. If you do not test before the expiration date on the ATT, your ATT will expire, and you will be required to reapply as a new applicant.

If I need to retest, how soon can I apply, and is there a limit to the number of times I can retake the MBLEx?
The FSMTB allows candidates who have failed the MBLEx and candidates who were not permitted access to the MBLEx for any reason to retake the examination after thirty (30) days has elapsed from the previous examination appointment. You must reapply through your FSMTB Examination Account login. If you do not have a login, you will be required to create one.

Additionally, FSMTB does not limit the number of times a candidate may take the MBLEx. However, a state licensing board or agency might have such limitations in place. Check to see if your state licensing authority has a limit to the number of times a candidate may attempt to pass the MBLEx.

Are my fees refundable?
No, MBLEx fees are not transferable or refundable in part or in full.

Can I change my test date or location?
You may change your test date online www.pearsonvue.com/fsmtb or via the Customer Service Call Center (888.790.4892). There is a $20 fee for this service. You may not make changes to your examination appointment less than 24 hours prior to your appointment.

How long is the examination?
Candidates taking the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination have a two (2) hour appointment (120 minutes). The time is allotted as follows: to complete a 100-item multiple-choice examination on a computer, the candidate will have 110 minutes. Additionally, a maximum of five minutes is allotted to the security and confidentiality agreement and five minutes to a brief survey.

What will happen if I do not complete the exam before time runs out?
Not completing the MBLEx within the allotted time results in an automatic failure and there is no diagnostic report generated.

In what languages is the MBLEx offered?
The MBLEx is offered in English and Spanish. You will be able to choose your examination language on the MBLEx application. If you tested in English, you cannot retest in Spanish. If you tested in Spanish, you my retest in English in order to meet regulatory requirements with state board permission.

What identification do I need to take to the test center?
You must bring TWO forms of identification (ID) to the test site – the primary form of identification must include a photograph and signature and must not be expired. The secondary form of identification must include a signature and must not be expired or temporary; it may include a photograph but a photograph is not necessary. The same version of your name must appear on your application, the Authorization to Test (ATT) and on the identification you present at the testing center. Temporary or renewal Drivers Licenses are not acceptable forms of ID.

Watch a video explaining identification requirements here.

Contact mblex@fsmtb.org if you have questions about your ID.

When I pass the MBLEx, can I start practicing massage and bodywork immediately?
No. Passing the MBLEx signifies that you have passed the licensing exam. This is only one component of licensure requirements.

Do I need to renew my MBLEx?
There is no renewal requirement. Once you pass the MBLEx, you do not need to pay any more money or take any classes to maintain your MBLEx result. There are no annual fees or renewal dues. Your status with the MBLEx remains constant throughout your professional career as long as you maintain a license to practice in good standing. However, a state licensing board or agency may have differing requirements. Check with your state licensing authority.

If I have already passed the NCE, will I now have to pass the MBLEx too?
Someone who has taken the NCE should not need to take the MBLEx to maintain licensure in their own state; however, if you are relocating, it would be wise to investigate licensure requirements for the new state.

Where can I find study material?
The FSMTB has produced the only Official MBLEx Study Guide. This resource includes a practice test.

How much Asian theory is on the MBLEx?
While there are no modality or approach-specific questions related to Asian theory, there are questions that ensure a basic knowledge of various modalities. For instance, the MBLEx would not ask "What meridian is responsible for…", instead, it would be more likely to ask, "What modality utilizes meridians for treatment?"

Why did FSMTB develop the MBLEx?
There are four major reasons: to offer the first standardized licensing exam for the massage and bodywork profession; to facilitate professional mobility; to give the regulatory community oversight over exam content, organizational policies and procedures pertaining to the exam; and to significantly speed up the process between application and examination to avoid unnecessary delays in licensure.

It is of critical importance for the regulatory community to ascertain and oversee exactly what is being practiced and to utilize best practices in attaining that information. In addition, the State Boards and Agencies unanimously indicated that they needed a licensing examination that was State owned and operated.

What kind of input did FSMTB seek in developing the MBLEx?
The FSMTB sought input from all professionals in the massage, bodywork and somatic practice fields. The FSMTB wanted to find out exactly what people in the massage and bodywork profession are practicing around the country, so we opened up the Job Task Analysis to everyone in both regulated and non-regulated states.

We secured a team of 15 psychometricians and testing experts and a core group of 50 subject matter experts to create a list of all the tasks that a massage or bodywork therapist needs to perform in their job. This list of tasks was then validated by several thousand practitioners – 7,646 to be exact.

The content for the MBLEx was based on this feedback from the thousands of practitioners around the country – that is why we say this is an exam for the profession, by the profession – and with heavy involvement of the regulatory community at every step.

Why didn't FSMTB set any minimum educational hours or eligibility requirements to take the MBLEx?
One reason is that FSMTB did not want to pick an arbitrary number of hours of education as a minimum eligibility requirement – it would be arbitrary because there was no data upon which to make a sound decision about appropriate educational hours. Until we are able to ascertain what an appropriate educational standard might be so that we can make a recommendation to the States, it should remain the prerogative of each State Board to determine what is right for their State.

The content of the MBLEx reflects the broad spectrum of knowledge and core competencies identified by the profession for safe and competent entry-level practice. Proficiency in the content areas is based on sound education standards; however, the MBLEx is based on practice and did not evolve from a curricular base.

Demonstrating knowledge through passing an examination is only one component of licensure. Education is another component. Good character (for example lack of criminal history or commitment to a code of ethics) may be another component.

Does a licensure exam water down the standards for the profession?
Absolutely not. That would be like saying that the fact that every physician has to take the US Medical Licensing Examination is watering down the medical profession. Licensure needs to assess the broad spectrum of core competencies required for safe and competent practice. The MBLEx is the only exam designed specifically for this purpose to meet the needs of the licensing boards.

How does the MBLEx help the States?
The State Licensing Boards and Agencies that are members of FSMTB "own" the MBLEx so they are able to dictate policies that pertain to the exam by virtue of their membership and rights to vote.

Why is voluntary certification an inappropriate tool for Licensure Boards?
The regulatory boards have no control over the decisions of the private certification agencies. State regulatory boards should not be at the mercy of, or beholden to any party that can dictate or jeopardize the regulatory boards’ function, decision making or integrity. The FSMTB exists to fulfill and protect the needs of the regulatory community without delegating that authority to any other entity.

Is certification redundant?
No, not at all. Certification is a good thing and has a rightful place in the credentialing landscape of a mature profession. Independent organizations are entitled to decide what standards people have to meet to join their organization. We are simply saying that certification is NOT appropriate for licensure and certification standards should not be imposed upon the licensure community.

Why wouldn't we want a standard of excellence for the profession?
A standard of excellence is indisputably a good thing. However, excellence and entry-level competency do not go hand-in-hand. A standard of excellence should not be required for licensure to gain entry into a profession. The role of the regulatory board is to protect the public, not to license only to those who meet an arbitrary standard of excellence.

Is it a conflict of interest for a State Board to use the MBLEx if one of the State Board members is on the Board of FSMTB?
No. The fact is that you have to be affiliated with a State Licensing Board or Agency in order to be able to be on the Board of FSTMB. The FSMTB is a membership organization and membership is comprised only of the State Licensing Boards and Agencies. Any State Board member or senior staff person of a State Licensing board or agency is eligible to serve on the FSMTB Board or any FSMTB committees.