Free MBLEx Practice Questions and Practice Test
Answer MBLEx practice questions written to the FSMTB content outline, read the explanation for every answer, then sit a timed 100-question practice test in the real format, scored for all seven content areas.
100 questions in 110 minutes, drawn in the content outline's proportions and answered in order as on the real exam, with a score for every content area and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free drill- 582 original questions with an explanation for every answer
- 9 free drills: one per content area, muscles, and a mixed drill
- 70 questions on muscle origins, insertions and actions
A client who runs marathons asks which fiber type dominates in well-trained endurance muscles. Which fiber type is fatigue-resistant and rich in myoglobin and mitochondria?
The MBLEx at a glance
The Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination is the entry-level licensing exam for massage and bodywork practitioners. The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) writes and runs it and sends your result to the state board you name on your application; the state, not FSMTB, issues your license.
- Owner
- Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB); delivered only at Pearson VUE test centers, in English or Spanish
- Format
- 100 multiple-choice questions, each with four options. A fixed-length computer-adaptive test: you answer each question in the order it is presented
- Time
- 110 minutes for the 100 questions, inside a two-hour appointment (up to 5 minutes for the security agreement and 5 for a short survey). No scheduled breaks; the clock keeps running
- Content
- Seven content areas: Anatomy & Physiology 11%, Kinesiology 12%, Pathology and Contraindications 14%, Benefits and Effects 15%, Client Assessment and Treatment Planning 17%, Ethics and Laws 16%, Professional Practice 15%
- Scoring
- Pass or fail against a criterion-referenced standard set by the FSMTB Board. A pass shows on screen; a fail comes with a diagnostic report for each content area. Leaving any of the 100 questions unanswered when time runs out is a fail
- Fee
- $265 per application, nonrefundable. Pearson VUE charges $50 to cancel or reschedule within 60 days of your appointment
- Retakes
- Reapply and pay the fee again; you can submit a new application immediately. FSMTB sets no limit on attempts, but your state can
The seven MBLEx content areas, and a free drill for each
FSMTB’s content outline sets the share of the exam each area gets. Each drill is ten questions with an explanation after every answer; create a free account to save your results. Every content area also has its own guide page.
| Content area | Share | What it tests | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Anatomy & Physiology | 11% | The structure and function of all eleven body systems, tissue injury and repair, and the concepts of energetic anatomy. | 10-question drill |
| 2. Kinesiology | 12% | Skeletal muscle structure and contraction, proprioceptors, muscle locations, origins, insertions and actions, joints and range of motion. | 10-question drill |
| 3. Pathology, Contraindications, Areas of Caution, Special Populations | 14% | Common pathologies, site-specific and systemic contraindications, endangerment sites, special populations and classes of medications. | 10-question drill |
| 4. Benefits and Effects of Soft Tissue Manipulation | 15% | Physiological and psychological effects of massage, effects for specific populations, strokes and their sequence, hot and cold, and the major modalities. | 10-question drill |
| 5. Client Assessment, Reassessment & Treatment Planning | 17% | The session from intake to plan: health history, SOAP notes, postural and gait assessment, palpation, range-of-motion testing and clinical reasoning. | 10-question drill |
| 6. Ethics, Boundaries, Laws, Regulations | 16% | Ethical behavior, boundaries, the therapeutic relationship, dual relationships, sexual misconduct, scope of practice, confidentiality and licensing law. | 10-question drill |
| 7. Guidelines for Professional Practice | 15% | Equipment, hygiene and sanitation, safety, body mechanics and self-care, draping, business practices, records and terminology. | 10-question drill |
Ready for the full exam?
100 questions in 110 minutes, drawn in the content outline's proportions and answered in order as on the real exam, with a score for every content area and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free drillHow the MBLEx works on test day
The MBLEx is a fixed-length computer-adaptive test. Everyone answers 100 questions, but each answer sets the next question: a correct answer brings a slightly harder question, a wrong answer an easier one. You answer each question in the order it appears and cannot go back to it.
You have 110 minutes, and you must answer all 100 questions in that time; an unfinished exam is a fail. That works out to about a minute per question, with ten minutes to spare. There are no scheduled breaks, and the clock keeps running if you step out.
Results are pass or fail against a criterion-referenced standard set by FSMTB’s Board of Directors. If you pass, a message appears on screen and FSMTB sends your official result to your state board within five business days. If you fail, you get a diagnostic report for each content area and can reapply right away.
How to use this MBLEx exam prep
- Take the free mixed drill to see where you stand across all seven content areas.
- Drill the biggest areas first: Client Assessment and Treatment Planning (17%) and Ethics and Boundaries (16%), then Benefits and Effects and Professional Practice (15% each). Together they are 63% of the exam.
- Work through the muscles drill until origins, insertions and actions come without thinking; they are the most memorized facts on the exam.
- Read every explanation, including on the questions you got right.
- Sit the full 100-question practice test under the 110-minute clock, answering in order without going back, then drill your two lowest areas. Each new sitting draws questions you have not seen first.
Common questions
How many questions are on the MBLEx?
100 multiple-choice questions, each with four options. The MBLEx is a fixed-length computer-adaptive test: everyone answers 100 questions, but each answer sets the difficulty of the next question, a slightly harder one after a correct answer and an easier one after a wrong answer.
How long is the MBLEx?
You have 110 minutes for the 100 questions. The appointment is two hours, with up to five minutes for the security and confidentiality agreement and five for a short survey before the timed exam. There are no scheduled breaks, and the clock keeps running if you step out.
What is a passing score on the MBLEx?
The MBLEx is reported as pass or fail. FSMTB uses a criterion-referenced passing standard, adopted by its Board of Directors on the advice of subject matter experts, that defines the minimum competence for safe and effective practice. If you pass, a message appears on screen. If you fail, you get a diagnostic report for each content area. You must answer all 100 questions within 110 minutes; an unfinished exam is a fail.
What does the MBLEx cover?
Seven content areas: Anatomy & Physiology (11%), Kinesiology (12%), Pathology, Contraindications, Areas of Caution and Special Populations (14%), Benefits and Effects of Soft Tissue Manipulation (15%), Client Assessment, Reassessment and Treatment Planning (17%), Ethics, Boundaries, Laws and Regulations (16%), and Guidelines for Professional Practice (15%).
Can I go back and change answers on the MBLEx?
No. Because the MBLEx is computer-adaptive, you answer each question in the order it is presented and move on. Our practice exam works the same way, so you practice committing to an answer and keeping your pace.
How much does the MBLEx cost?
The application fee is $265, paid when you apply, and it is nonrefundable and nontransferable. Pearson VUE charges $50 if you cancel or reschedule within 60 days of your appointment, and changes must be made at least 24 hours before it.
How soon can I retake the MBLEx?
Right away. If you fail or miss your appointment, you submit a new application and pay the fee again, and FSMTB lets you apply immediately. FSMTB does not limit the number of attempts, but some states do, so check with your state board.
Is this practice exam the same length as the real MBLEx?
Yes. The practice exam is 100 four-option questions in 110 minutes, drawn in the outline’s proportions (11 anatomy and physiology, 12 kinesiology, 14 pathology, 15 benefits and effects, 17 client assessment, 16 ethics and 15 professional practice). You answer in order with no going back, as on the real exam, and get a score for every content area and an explanation for every question.
Ready for exam day?
100 questions in 110 minutes, drawn in the content outline's proportions and answered in order as on the real exam, with a score for every content area and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free drillSources
Original practice questions for exam preparation, written to the FSMTB MBLEx content outline. Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) or Pearson VUE. MBLEx is a registered trademark of FSMTB. Follow your state’s laws and your training in practice.