Licensing guide · British Columbia

How to Become a Registered Massage Therapist in British Columbia

Last checked 3 sources checked

Do you need a licence?

Licence required

You must be registered with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC to work as a registered massage therapist in British Columbia or to use a protected title.

Protected titles
Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“Graduates of recognized massage therapy education programs are eligible to take the licence examination to become massage therapists in BC.”

From cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants, checked October 10, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status
Licence required See the source
Routes
Annual fees

Your roadmap

Every route is listed. Follow the one that matches where you trained.

Trained in Canada

  • 6 steps without a listed fee
  • Annual fees: $3,185
  • Listed time: 1.8 months (only 1 of 6 steps state a time)

  1. The applicant applies to take the licence examination.

    Source
    “Step 1: Apply to take the Licence examination”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  2. The applicant provides the supporting documents required with the examination application.

    Source
    “Step 2: Provide supporting documents”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  3. The applicant pays the examination fee.

    Source
    “Step 3: Pay examination fee”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  4. The applicant takes the licence examination, which is held twice a year in spring and fall.

    Source
    “Step 4: Take the Licence examination”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  5. The applicant receives official notification of examination results approximately eight weeks after the final component of the examination is complete.

    Time: 8 weeks
    Time source
    “Applicants receive official notification of results approximately eight weeks after the final component of the examination is complete.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants
    Source
    “Applicants receive official notification of results approximately eight weeks after the final component of the examination is complete.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  6. After passing the examination, the applicant applies for a licence with the College.

    Source
    “Step 6: apply for license”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with CCHPBC

6 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Annual fees: $3,185 a year Paid every year, so not part of the one-time total. 3 fees depend on your situation and are not in the total.

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 2 steps without a listed fee
  • Annual fees: $3,185

  1. The applicant completes the College's online Law, Ethics and Professionalism course.

    Source
    “These applicants will be enrolled in the College’s online Law, Ethics and Professionalism (LEP) course, and must successfully complete a proctored online exam based on the course material.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  2. The applicant must successfully pass a proctored online exam based on the LEP course material.

    Source
    “These applicants will be enrolled in the College’s online Law, Ethics and Professionalism (LEP) course, and must successfully complete a proctored online exam based on the course material.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with CCHPBC

2 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Annual fees: $3,185 a year Paid every year, so not part of the one-time total. 3 fees depend on your situation and are not in the total.

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

  • 5 steps without a listed fee
  • Annual fees: $3,185

  1. The applicant applies for the College's Prior Learning Assessment through the Applicant Portal.

    Source
    “Your PLA application on the Applicant Portal is closed.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  2. If the applicant is found substantially equivalent, the PLA is complete and they become eligible for the licence examination.

    Source
    “Substantially equivalent/Passed. The PLA is complete and you are now eligible to apply for the College’s licence examination.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  3. The applicant applies for the College's licence examination, which is generally held twice a year in spring and fall.

    Source
    “Step 7: Apply for the College’s licence examination”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  4. The applicant takes the College's licence examination.

    Source
    “The College’s licence examination is generally held twice a year: once in spring and once in fall.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  5. After completing the examination, the applicant applies for a licence with the College.

    Source
    “Step 8: Apply for licence”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with CCHPBC

5 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Annual fees: $3,185 a year Paid every year, so not part of the one-time total. 3 fees depend on your situation and are not in the total.

Official page for this route

Other listed fees

The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Education

  • The applicant must provide evidence of graduation from a Recognized Education Program confirming graduation no more than three years prior to the date of application.

    Source
    “Original documentation, notarized copy, or other evidence satisfactory to the Registrar of graduation from a Recognized Education Program for the licence applied for as specified in Schedule 4: Part 2 Massage Therapy confirming graduation no more than three years prior to the date of Application”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Police check

  • The applicant must provide a Criminal Record Check Authorization, and if they have practised a health profession in another jurisdiction, an authorization for a criminal record check in that jurisdiction and/or a criminal record report.

    Source
    “Criminal Record Check Authorization, and, in the case of a Licence Applicant who has practised a Health Profession in another jurisdiction, an authorization for a Criminal Record Check in that jurisdiction and/or a criminal record report”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Insurance

  • The applicant must confirm compliance with the requirement to have professional liability protection or liability insurance coverage of at least $5,000,000 per claim or occurrence.

    Source
    “Confirmation of compliance, with requirement to have professional liability protection or liability insurance coverage in an amount of at least $5,000,000 per claim or occurrence”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Good character

  • The applicant must provide a declaration or other information demonstrating they are of good character and will practise massage therapy in an ethical manner.

    Source
    “Declaration or other information demonstrating the Licence Applicant is of good character and will practise Massage Therapy in an ethical manner”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Other

  • The applicant must hold a current first aid certification as required for the massage therapy class of licence.

    Source
    “Current first aid certification as required for Massage Therapy class of licence in accordance with Schedule 4: Part 2 Massage Therapy”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  • The applicant must provide proof of successful completion of the jurisprudence examination and any other examinations required and approved by the Licence Committee.

    Source
    “Proof of successful completion of the jurisprudence Examination and any other Examinations required and approved by the Licence Committee”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Already licensed in another province?

Extra steps

Massage therapists in good standing from Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI are granted a licence provided they complete the College's Jurisprudence (LEP) online course and pass the online exam before being granted a licence.

Source
“CCHPBC grants licence to Practising massage therapists in good standing from Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI provided they complete the College’s Jurisprudence (LEP) online course and pass the online exam before being granted a licence with the College.”
cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

  1. Complete LEP course and exam

    Source
    “CCHPBC grants licence to Practising massage therapists in good standing from Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI provided they complete the College’s Jurisprudence (LEP) online course and pass the online exam before being granted a licence with the College.”
    cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with CCHPBC

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Exams

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with CCHPBC

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with CCHPBC

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with CCHPBC

Demand and pay

No Job Bank wage or outlook data for this occupation yet.

Registered massage therapists in other provinces and territories

Regulated in 0 of the other 12 jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

  • Alberta Not confirmed yet
  • Saskatchewan Not confirmed yet
  • Manitoba Not confirmed yet
  • Ontario Not confirmed yet
  • Quebec Not confirmed yet
  • New Brunswick Not confirmed yet
  • Nova Scotia Not confirmed yet
  • Prince Edward Island Not confirmed yet
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Not confirmed yet
  • Yukon Not confirmed yet
  • Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet
  • Nunavut Not confirmed yet

Compare registered massage therapist licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 10, 2026.

  1. Registered Massage Therapists - Applicants - CCHPBC cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/applicants · fetched October 10, 2026
  2. Fees: Massage Therapy - CCHPBC cchpbc.ca/for-professionals/registered-massage-therapists/rmt-fees · fetched October 10, 2026
  3. The College of Complementary Health Professionals is updating its fee structure in the 2025-2026 fiscal year - CCHPBC cchpbc.ca/the-college-of-complementary-health-professionals-is-upda... · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as a registered massage therapist in British Columbia?

Yes. Registration with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC is required to practise in British Columbia.

Which exams are required?

Licence examination, Clinical Knowledge and Theory exam, Law, Ethics and Professionalism course and exam, Performance-based assessment, Jurisprudence (LEP) online exam.

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