The Oregon massage CE requirements at a glance
Under OAR 334-010-0050, an Oregon LMT must complete 25 hours of continuing education during each renewal period. At least 8 of those hours must be supervised. At least 4 of the supervised hours must cover professional ethics, boundaries, or communication.
The rule also requires at least 1 hour in cultural competency. Licensees must complete the Oregon Pain Management Commission pain management module at least once by their next required CE reporting period. The module may be repeated and counted again. Oregon LMTs must also hold a current Basic Life Support card.
How supervised and unsupervised hours fit together
At least 8 of the 25 hours must be supervised education. The other 17 hours may be supervised or unsupervised. Supervised learning includes formal courses, seminars, and workshops with an instructor. It may happen in person or through interactive distance learning.
Interactive distance learning can include a live online class. It can also include a course that requires participants to interact directly with the instructor through discussion boards, email, social groups, or another communication method. The rule says supervised courses must have a syllabus that identifies the competencies covered and the method of assessment.
Unsupervised education can include informal presentations, teaching, media-based self-study, webinars, seminars, publishing an article related to massage, and limited attendance at Oregon Board meetings. A maximum of 17 of the required 25 hours may come from unsupervised education.
Which subjects can count toward Oregon massage CE?
Continuing education must relate to an approved topic and stay within the massage therapy scope of practice. The official rule lists subjects including:
- Massage and bodywork techniques
- Thermal modalities, topical preparations, and over-the-counter massage tools
- Active and passive range of motion and stretching techniques
- Soft-tissue, posture, and movement assessment
- Massage business practices
- Anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and pathology
- Professional ethics, boundaries, and communication
- Cultural competency, body mechanics, and somatic education
- Basic Life Support and the required pain management module
- Massage and bodywork instructor training
What happens at your first renewal?
The CE requirement does not apply to an LMT's first license renewal. The current rule states that continuing education taken during the first renewal period must be submitted during the second renewal period. Because each licensing situation can be different, confirm the dates that apply to your license directly with the Board.
Keep your CE records for five years
Oregon LMTs must keep their continuing education records for at least five years. Save certificates of completion, course dates, instructor and provider information, the number of hours earned, and the course topic. The Board may audit a renewal and request copies of your documentation.
A simple habit helps: save every certificate in one digital folder and name the file with the completion date, course title, and number of hours. Keep a separate list showing how many supervised, ethics, cultural competency, and unsupervised hours you have completed.
Official Oregon sources
Read the full Oregon Secretary of State rule for continuing education and the Oregon State Board of Massage Therapists FAQ. When the Board's summary and the rule appear different, contact the Board and rely on the current official rule for your renewal.