Massage | Arkansas | State law exams
Arkansas 2026 Massage Rules: Establishments, Schools, CE, and Exams
Arkansas's rules effective August 14, 2026 add establishment and school requirements, confirm 18 renewal CE hours, and preserve a separate state…
- Register an Arkansas massage establishment before operating and report registration changes within 10 business days.
- Schools should confirm the correct school license before opening or changing operations.
- Treat the Arkansas law-and-rules examination as separate from MBLEx preparation.
- Plan for 18 hours of approved CE in the two-year individual renewal cycle.
Published: 2026-08-16 · Reviewed: 2026-08-25
Official context
Arkansas's revised massage rules, Ark. R. 2026-93, took effect August 14, 2026. A massage establishment must register with the Department of Health before operating; its registration is valid for two years, is nontransferable, and material registration information must be updated within 10 business days. A massage therapy school or postsecondary massage school must obtain the appropriate current license before operating.
What this means
The same framework keeps Arkansas's state-specific exam distinction. The Department may administer its own licensing examination and may accept the MBLEx, NCETM, or NCETMB in lieu of that examination only when the applicant also passes the Department examination on the Arkansas Massage Therapy Act and rules; the Department retains practical-exam authority. Individual licenses follow a two-year cycle and renewal requires 18 hours of approved CE.
Official sources
- https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?chapterID=93&levelType=section&partID=1086§ionID=37991&subChapterID=118&subPartID=5825&titleID=17
- https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?chapterID=93&levelType=section&partID=1086§ionID=37994&subChapterID=118&subPartID=5825&titleID=17
- https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?chapterID=93&levelType=section&partID=1086§ionID=37984&subChapterID=118&subPartID=5825&titleID=17
- https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/licensing-military-member-licensure-permits-plan-reviews/massage-therapy/massage-therapy-law-rules/
Licensing & Industry Updates is an educational summary of official public communications. It is not legal advice, and filing decisions should be checked against the current board page or rule text.