Florida Massage License Renewal: 2027 CE Requirements, Fees and Deadline

Florida massage therapist licenses in the current cycle expire at midnight Eastern Time on August 31, 2027. For a standard renewal after your first cycle, you need 24 hours of Board-approved continuing education, a completed renewal application, and a current background screening or retained fingerprints. The active-to-active renewal fee is $105 when paid before expiration. Some therapists will also owe the $43.25 FDLE fingerprint-retention fee during this cycle. That is the short version; the details below show exactly where the 24 hours go and what to check before submitting.

The 2027 renewal requirements at a glance

The Florida Board of Massage Therapy renewal page lists three requirements for renewal:

• Complete the continuing education required for your renewal type
• Submit the renewal application through the MQA Services Portal
• Complete the required background screening or retain fingerprints already on file

The deadline applies statewide. It does not change based on the month you were first licensed, your work setting, or whether you practice full-time.

The 24-hour CE breakdown for subsequent renewals

If this is not your first renewal, your 24 hours are divided into six categories:

• 12 classroom hours: Massage therapy techniques, skills, and protocols. These are normally hands-on, in-person hours.
• 2 hours: Prevention of medical errors.
• 1 hour: Human trafficking awareness, covering both sex and labor trafficking.
• 2 hours: Florida laws and rules, including Chapters 456 and 480 and Rule 64B7.
• 2 hours: Professional ethics.
• 5 hours: General Board-approved coursework.

Twenty-four random CE hours will not necessarily satisfy the rule. A transcript can show 24 total hours and still leave you short in one required category. Check the category assigned to each course in CE Broker before paying for it.

The Board also allows excess hours from certain required categories to count toward general hours. It does not work in reverse: extra general hours do not replace missing medical-errors, ethics, laws-and-rules, trafficking, or hands-on requirements.

What changes for a first renewal

First-renewal requirements are prorated. The total number of hours is based on the number of months and partial months you have been licensed, rather than an automatic 24-hour requirement. The total includes the required prevention-of-medical-errors and human-trafficking courses.

Do not copy the 24-hour subsequent-renewal checklist if this is your first cycle. Open your CE Broker transcript and use the Board's first-renewal rules for the exact total assigned to your license.

How CE Broker fits into renewal

Florida checks continuing education through CE Broker when you renew. Many approved providers report completed courses for you, but the licensee is responsible for confirming that the record is complete.

Before renewal, open CE Broker and verify:

• Every course appears on your transcript
• Each course is assigned to the correct subject area
• Your hands-on or classroom requirement is satisfied
• Your status shows compliant for the current biennium

If a course is missing, contact the provider first. When a provider does not report attendance, use CE Broker's self-report process and keep the completion certificate. The Board's electronic CE tracking guidance explains that course completion must be in the tracking system before renewal.

Renewal fees for 2027

For an active license staying active, the listed renewal fee is $105 before expiration. The Board lists $205 after expiration for active-to-active renewal, with higher amounts at later delinquent stages.

There is a separate fingerprint issue to watch. Florida's current renewal instructions say a $43.25 FDLE retention fee is collected when your fingerprint retention expires during the licensure period. If retention expires within the next 60 days, payment may need to be made separately through the state's Clearinghouse system.

Your portal is the best source for the amount actually due on your account. Status changes such as inactive-to-active or active-to-retired have different fees.

The fingerprint and background-screening requirement

House Bill 975 changed background-screening requirements for massage therapy. For the 2027 renewal, the Department requires either a completed mandatory background screening or retention of current fingerprints.

Do not assume fingerprints submitted years ago remain usable. Check the notice in your MQA account early enough to complete Livescan if necessary. Use an FDLE-approved provider and the correct Originating Agency Identification number so the results reach the Board.

A practical renewal timeline

Six to nine months before the deadline

Open CE Broker and identify missing categories. Book the 12 classroom hours first because in-person dates fill faster than online general courses.

Three months before the deadline

The Department says renewal access appears no later than 90 days before expiration. Confirm your mailing address and email in the MQA portal, then review the fingerprint notice and fee.

One month before the deadline

Make sure every course has posted. Download your CE transcript and keep course certificates with your professional records. Submit the application rather than waiting for the final week.

After submitting

Save the payment confirmation and check your license status through the state's license lookup. Do not treat a payment receipt alone as proof that the license has renewed.

Mistakes that delay Florida LMT renewals

• Taking 24 hours without matching the six required categories
• Assuming a course is Board-approved because it is marketed to massage therapists
• Leaving all 12 classroom hours until August
• Forgetting to confirm that a provider reported attendance
• Missing the fingerprint-retention notice in the MQA portal
• Renewing after expiration and paying avoidable delinquent fees
• Practicing while the public license record is not active

The simplest prevention is a quarterly CE check. Florida Massage Elite therapists can track the same 24-hour cycle in the CE dashboard, including category totals and admin-reviewed records.

Can Board meeting attendance or pro bono work count?

The Board lists two less-common ways to earn credit. Four hours of in-person Board meeting attendance may satisfy the Florida laws-and-rules and professional-ethics requirements. Up to six hours in the techniques or general categories may come from approved pro bono service to eligible populations.

Pro bono credit requires Board approval before the service is completed, followed by a statement of performance. Volunteering first and asking for credit later does not satisfy the published process.

Final checklist

• Confirm whether this is your first or a subsequent renewal
• Complete every required CE category
• Verify a compliant CE Broker transcript
• Review your fingerprint-retention status
• Update your MQA contact details
• Submit and pay before August 31, 2027
• Confirm the renewed license in the public lookup

Renewal keeps the legal credential active. Keeping your public profile, services, pricing, and contact details current helps that credential turn into work. If you are building an independent practice, see how Florida Massage Elite works for therapists.

Official sources

• Florida Board of Massage Therapy: Licensed Massage Therapist renewal requirements
• Florida Board guidance on CE Broker reporting
• Florida Health Source background screening information