Continuing Education
Your Illinois license renews December 31 — let's get your CE hours done.
Illinois licensed massage therapists must complete 25 hours of continuing education each two-year renewal cycle, which ends December 31. That total includes:
- 2 hours — Ethics
- 1 hour — Sexual harassment prevention
- 1 hour — Domestic violence & sexual assault awareness
- 21 hours — Other qualifying massage therapy education
Our live classes (in River North and online) each count toward your 21 general hours — 5 to 6 hours apiece.
First renewal after licensure? Profession-specific CE is waived for your first cycle — but the one-hour sexual harassment prevention course is still required.
New this cycle — a separate, one-time requirement: As of January 1, 2026, Illinois also requires a one-time abnormal skin growth / melanoma education course at your first renewal (under the Melanoma Education Law). This is in addition to your CE hours, not part of them.
The good news: it's free. The Department currently approves the online "Skinny on Skin" program by Impact Melanoma (about an hour, with a certificate to submit at renewal). We don't offer this one — we just want you to know about it. Take it free here →
Completing the rest of your renewal
Our classes cover your general (elective) hours. Here's where to find the required specialty hours:
- Sexual harassment prevention (1 hr): available free from the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Get it free →
- Domestic violence & sexual assault awareness (1 hr) and Ethics (2 hrs): must be completed through an IDFPR-approved CE provider. Members of AMTA or ABMP often have these free through their association's CE library.
These Continuing Education courses are offered by The New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing in accordance with Section 1284.90(c)(1)(C) of the Illinois Administrative Rules under the Illinois Massage Licensing Act, as continuing education courses provided by an accredited massage therapy school for license renewal.