01
AOS · 72 Credits
Massage Therapy
New York State Massage Therapy Examination; MBLEx may apply in other jurisdictions.
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Academics · Professional Requirements
Licensing & Certification, Clearly Distinguished.
Program completion is an educational milestone. Professional licensure and national certification are separate processes governed by state agencies and independent examination organizations.
72Massage Therapy AOS Credits
145Acupuncture BPS/MS Credits
185Herbal Specialization BPS/MS Credits
Important Distinction
Graduation does not itself confer a license, certification, examination eligibility, or authorization to practice. Requirements, fees, and accepted examinations vary by jurisdiction and may change. Applicants and graduates must confirm current requirements directly with the applicable regulator.
Choose a Program Path
Three Programs. Distinct Professional Requirements.
Each card identifies the relevant educational program and the examinations commonly associated with its professional pathway.
02
BPS/MS · 145 Credits
Acupuncture
New York requires two NCBAHM examinations; the national Acupuncture pathway uses three modules.
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03
BPS/MS · 185 Credits
Acupuncture With Chinese Herbal Medicine
The applicable national pathway adds Chinese Herbology as a fourth NCBAHM module.
View Program DetailsMassage Therapy Licensure
New York Requirements and the MBLEx Pathway.
New York has licensed massage therapy since 1968 under Article 155 of the Education Law. The NYCHP AOS is a 72-credit NYSED-registered program.
1,000Minimum NYSED Education Hours
$108Current NYSED Initial Fee
18Minimum Licensure Age
36CE Hours Per Three Years
Application & Character
File the required NYSED application and satisfy the Department’s good-moral-character requirement.
Education
Complete high school or equivalent education and a NYSED-registered Massage Therapy program or substantial equivalent.
Professional Curriculum
NYSED requires at least 1,000 hours in specified subjects, including at least 150 hours of practice on a person.
New York Examination
Pass the New York State Massage Therapy Examination administered according to the Commissioner’s regulations.
Age & CPR
Be at least 18 years old and complete a CPR course within the three years before licensure.
Current NYSED Fee
The current licensure and first-registration fee is $108. NYSED fees are subject to change.
Continuing Education
Complete 36 hours of mandatory continuing education for re-registration every three years.
Practice Outside New York
Requirements vary by jurisdiction. Verify education, examination, and application rules with each state authority.
New York State Massage Therapy Examination
New York applicants must meet NYSED education and application requirements and pass the examination specified by NYSED.
Review NYSED RequirementsMassage & Bodywork Licensing Examination
FSMTB administers the MBLEx. Graduates may be eligible to sit for it, subject to FSMTB and jurisdiction-specific rules. The current examination fee is $265.
Review MBLEx RequirementsAcupuncture Licensure
Separate New York Licensure From National Certification.
New York has licensed acupuncture since 1991 under Article 160 of the Education Law. Both NYCHP BPS/MS programs are registered with NYSED.
60Prior Semester Hours Required
9Required Bioscience Credits
$788Current NYSED Initial Fee
21Minimum Licensure Age
Application & Character
File the required NYSED application and satisfy the Department’s good-moral-character requirement.
Minimum Age
Be at least 21 years old when seeking New York acupuncture licensure.
Preprofessional Education
Complete at least 60 semester hours, including nine semester hours in the biosciences.
Professional Education
Complete a NYSED-registered licensure-qualifying acupuncture program or another program accepted by NYSED.
Required Experience
Meet the experience requirements specified in the Commissioner’s regulations.
New York Examinations
Pass NCBAHM Acupuncture with Point Location and Foundations of Oriental Medicine examinations.
Current NYSED Fee
The current acupuncture licensure fee is $788; current re-registration is $288. Fees are subject to change.
English Proficiency
Applicants whose qualifying study occurred where English is not the principal language may have an additional proficiency requirement.
Examination Pathways
Two for New York. Three for Acupuncture Certification. Four With Chinese Herbology.
The groupings below are intentionally separated because a state licensing requirement and a national certification pathway are not the same credential.
NYSED-Listed NCBAHM Examinations
- Acupuncture with Point Location
- Foundations of Oriental Medicine
Applicants must satisfy every other current NYSED requirement. Passing examinations alone does not confer a license.
NCBAHM Certification Modules
- Acupuncture with Point Location
- Foundations of Oriental Medicine
- Biomedicine
Graduates may be eligible to sit for applicable examinations; eligibility and passage are not guaranteed.
NCBAHM Certification Modules
- Acupuncture with Point Location
- Foundations of Oriental Medicine
- Biomedicine
- Chinese Herbology
The Chinese Herbology module is added for the herbal specialization pathway.
Continuing Education & Review Courses
Support Beyond the Degree Program.
NYCHP offers review courses through Continuing Education for NCBAHM examinations, Chinese Herbology, Clean Needle Technique, and the New York State Massage Therapy Licensing Examination. NYCHP is an approved continuing-education provider by NCBAHM, NCBTMB, and NYSED.
Continuing Education Department(516) 388-79611-800-922-7337 ext. 521continuinged@nycollege.eduExplore Continuing Education
Disclosures & Accreditation Scope
Read the Scope Before Relying on a Credential.
These disclosures separate institutional accreditation, programmatic accreditation, certification, and state licensure.
Institutional Accreditation & State Registration +
New York College of Health Professions is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). All three degree programs are registered with the New York State Education Department.
ACAHM Programmatic Accreditation Scope +
The Master of Science in Acupuncture and Master of Science in Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization are programmatically accredited by ACAHM. ACAHM does not accredit the undergraduate BPS portions or the Massage Therapy program. ACAHM programmatic accreditation does not include institutional participation in Title IV federal student financial aid programs.
Certification Is Not Licensure +
NCBAHM certification is professional recognition; it does not itself authorize an individual to practice acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine. Licensure and registration are state regulatory functions.
Practice Outside New York +
Massage therapy, acupuncture, and herbal-medicine requirements vary by jurisdiction. Some states, including California, may require different or additional education, examinations, documentation, or approvals. Students and graduates must consult the appropriate state licensing authority.
Regulatory Contacts
The Right Agency for Each Question.
Use the regulator responsible for the specific license, examination, certification, or accreditation question.
NYSED — Massage Therapy
89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234
(518) 474-3817 ext. 270opunit3@nysed.govOfficial Website ↗NYSED — Acupuncture
89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234
(518) 474-3817 ext. 260opunit2@nysed.govOfficial Website ↗NCBAHM
1199 N. Fairfax St., Suite 220, Alexandria, VA 22314
(888) 381-1140info@ncbahm.orgOfficial Website ↗ACAHM
500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, MN 55331
(952) 212-2434info@acahm.orgOfficial Website ↗CCAHM
9615 E. County Line Rd., Suite B-584, Centennial, CO 80112
(410) 464-6040Official Website ↗FSMTB
7300 College Blvd., Suite 650, Overland Park, KS 66210
(913) 681-0380mblex@fsmtb.orgOfficial Website ↗NECHE
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210, Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 425-7785info@neche.orgOfficial Website ↗Questions About Your Program Path?
Speak With Admissions Before You Apply.
Admissions can explain NYCHP program requirements. Only the applicable regulator can make a licensing or examination determination.
Last reviewed July 14, 2026. Requirements and fees are subject to change; verify current information with the responsible agency before relying on it.