How to Start a Massage Therapy Business in Minnesota: No State License, City Licenses Instead

If you searched for a minnesota massage therapy license, the most useful answer is this: Minnesota does not issue a state massage license. Massage is recognized as a complementary and alternative health care practice under Minn. Stat. 146A.01, but no state board certifies you to practice. Cities and counties fill that gap. They set the rules for massage businesses and, in some places, for individual therapists, so the paperwork you need depends on where you work.

This guide covers the steps in the order most new owners should take them: check your scope, choose a legal structure, pick a city, confirm zoning, register with the state for taxes, file any assumed name, and apply for local licenses. The city fees below come from 2026 schedules. Cities revise their fee tables, so confirm the current figure before you pay.

Informational content only. This article is not legal or tax advice. Entity choice, tax treatment and local licensing can turn on details of your situation. Talk with a Minnesota attorney and a CPA before you sign a lease, form an entity or hire staff.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. Most delays come from missing documents, not from the filings themselves.

• A Minnesota Secretary of State account. Filings are made through Business Filings Online (the Minnesota Business and Lien System) at mblsportal.sos.mn.gov. You will also use the same search to check whether your business name is available.
• A Minnesota Tax ID and sales tax account. You apply through the Department of Revenue at revenue.state.mn.us. The sales tax registration is reached from the new business registration page.
• A federal employer identification number (EIN). You need one for an LLC with employees or a corporation. Ask your CPA whether you need one as a sole proprietor.
• Your training records. Keep copies of your certificates, diplomas and any continuing education. Some city applications ask for proof of training, and you will want it on hand if a complaint is filed.
• A street address and a floor plan. Cities review the location for zoning. Ask your city what it requires for a home office.
• Insurance quotes. Ask for general liability and professional liability quotes before you open. Some landlords and cities want proof of coverage.
• A budget for filing fees and city fees. The state and city figures are listed below. Add a cushion for any investigation fee the city charges.

Step 1: Confirm There Is No State License and Know Who Does Oversee Massage

Minnesota has no general statewide business license, and it has no state massage license. Massage falls under Minn. Stat. 146A.01 as a complementary and alternative health care practice. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) runs the Office of Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practice, but that office takes complaints. It does not grant a license or certify therapists.

Two practical points follow from this. First, you cannot get a state credential that lets you skip local rules. Second, avoid describing yourself with a title that implies a state license you do not hold. Ask MDH how it expects you to describe your credentials, and keep your marketing and treatment forms consistent with what you can document.

Step 2: Choose Your Legal Structure

Your structure controls what you file with the Secretary of State and how your income is taxed. The state filing costs are below. Confirm the tax consequences with a CPA.

• Sole proprietorship. No formation filing is required. If you operate under any name other than your own legal name, you must file a Certificate of Assumed Name (see Step 6).
• LLC. You file Articles of Organization under Minn. Stat. Chapter 322C. The filing fee is $155 online or in person, which is processed as expedited service, or $135 by mail, which is not expedited. The name must include the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "LLC" and cannot include "corporation" or "incorporated". An LLC does not need a newspaper publication. Each year you file an Annual Renewal with a $0 fee, due December 31.
• Corporation. You file Articles of Incorporation under Minn. Stat. Chapter 302A for the same $155 filing fee. The annual renewal is also due December 31 at no charge. A C corporation pays the 9.8 percent corporation franchise tax, and a minimum fee under Minn. Stat. 290.0922 can apply.

For most solo massage therapists, the choice is between a sole proprietorship and a single-member LLC. A single-member LLC that is taxed as a disregarded entity passes income through to the owner, who pays individual income tax at rates from 5.35 to 9.85 percent. Filing an LLC does not automatically reduce your tax or shield you from every liability, so ask your attorney what protection you need for your practice.

Step 3: Pick Your City and Learn Its License Category

Your city is the most important decision in this process, because each city sets its own categories and fees. Minnesota has 87 counties, about 853 cities and about 1,780 townships, so there is no shortcut. Start with the city where your studio or home office will be, then check the rules for that exact location.

Here is how four cities handle massage licensing for 2026:

City	Business license	Therapist license	Notes
Minneapolis	Commercial $163; home based or single operator $63 (2026 fee schedule)	None required; therapists need no city license (as of 2026)	Licenses massage businesses only
St. Paul	Class A commercial $262; Class A one practitioner $100; Class B home $106	Practitioner $106	Fee table edited October 7, 2026
Rochester	Massage therapy business $220, plus a $250 investigation fee	Therapist $112, plus a $150 investigation fee	2026 fee schedule
Duluth	Massage establishments licensed by the City Clerk	Therapists licensed by the City Clerk	License year runs May 1 to April 30; fees are on the city fee schedule, so confirm the amount

Read the table as a warning, not a price list. The categories are different in every city. St. Paul separates commercial centers from home-based and single-practitioner businesses. Rochester charges both a license fee and an investigation fee. Duluth licenses the therapist as well as the business. If you plan to work in more than one city, or to move between a home office and a commercial suite, you may need a separate license for each location.

Step 4: Confirm Zoning Before You Sign a Lease

A city license does not override zoning. Zoning is a separate approval, and the rules decide whether a massage business can operate in a given building, neighborhood or room of a house. Call the zoning office for your address before you sign a lease or buy supplies. Ask specifically about home-based businesses, client traffic, parking and signage.

Your address may also fall under a township rather than a city. Townships set their own zoning, which can differ from the rules in the nearest city. Confirm the jurisdiction with the county before you assume the city rules apply.

Step 5: Register With the Department of Revenue

Registering with the Department of Revenue for a Minnesota Tax ID and a sales and use tax account is required before you make taxable sales. The registration is a tax filing, not a business license, so it does not replace any city license. The state sales tax rate is 6.875 percent, and local taxes are added on top.

Massage services and retail products, such as lotions, oils or gift cards, may be treated differently for sales tax. Ask the Department of Revenue how your specific services and products are taxed before you set prices. Keep sales records from day one, because the state and cities will ask for them later.

Step 6: Name Your Business and File the Right Paperwork

If you operate under a name other than your own legal name, you must file a Certificate of Assumed Name, commonly called a DBA, with the Minnesota Secretary of State. The fee is $50 online or in person or $30 by mail. After filing, the certificate must be published for two consecutive issues in the legal notices section of a qualified legal newspaper in the county of your principal place of business. Failure to publish may make the certificate invalid. The certificate must be renewed each year at no charge.

Search the name first at the Secretary of State business search. Your LLC or corporation name must be distinguishable from every entity already on file. A name reservation is available for 12 months at $55, renewable for additional 12 month periods, if you need time before you file.

Step 7: Apply for Your City License

Once you know your city, category and address, apply through the city's licensing office. Most cities require the application, the fee, and the documents the city lists for your category. Expect to provide your training records, your business address and the names of owners or managers. Some cities also review the applicant and the location before approving the license.

Plan the timing around the city's rules. In Duluth, the license year runs May 1 to April 30, so ask the City Clerk whether the fee is prorated and how the year is counted before you choose an opening date. In Rochester, the investigation fee is charged in addition to the license fee, so budget for both at the same time.

Do not open for clients until every license for your location and category is issued. Ask your city what penalties apply to operating before approval.

Step 8: Know Where Complaints Go

Because Minnesota has no massage licensing board, complaints about unlicensed complementary practitioners go to the MDH Office of Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practice. Cities also investigate complaints about the businesses they license. Keep your intake forms, consent records, scheduling notes and training files organized so you can answer a complaint quickly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Looking for a state license. You will spend weeks searching for a credential that does not exist. Start with the city.
• Assuming one license covers the whole state. Each city sets its own categories and fees, and a license in one city does not carry into another.
• Skipping the zoning call. A license can be issued and still not allow the business at your address. Confirm zoning before you pay for a lease or renovation.
• Using an old fee figure. Several cities update their schedules every year. Confirm the current fee with the city before you budget.
• Forgetting the investigation fee. In Rochester the investigation fee is added to the base fee, and it is easy to leave out of a budget.
• Missing the DBA publication. A DBA is not complete when you file it. Publication for two consecutive issues is required, and a missed publication can make the certificate invalid.
• Treating a home office as automatically allowed. Home-based businesses often have special rules on client visits, signage and employees.
• Letting the LLC renewal lapse. The Annual Renewal costs $0, but it is due December 31 each year. Missing it can end your entity without further notice.

What to Expect Once You Are Licensed

Having your licenses in order means you can operate legally in that city. It does not guarantee bookings, revenue or a particular timeline for growth. Most of the work after opening is consistent client scheduling, clear intake and consent records, and keeping your renewal calendar current.

When you describe your services, keep claims general and accurate. Massage is commonly used for relaxation and general comfort. Avoid statements that massage treats, cures or prevents any disease or condition, because those statements can create regulatory and legal problems. If a client asks about a health concern, refer them to a qualified health care provider.

Renewal Calendar

• December 31 each year: LLC or corporation Annual Renewal ($0 fee).
• Each year: DBA renewal ($0 fee).
• Your city's license year: Duluth's cycle runs May 1 to April 30. Other cities set their own dates, so mark each one from your license.
• Sales tax filings: Confirm your filing schedule with the Department of Revenue after you register.

Next Steps

Work through the steps in order: confirm the absence of a state license, choose your structure, pick your city, confirm zoning, register with Revenue, file any DBA and publish it, then apply for the city license before you take a client. Check every fee with the agency or city before you pay it. If your plan involves several cities, a commercial lease, employees or an entity with outside investors, schedule time with a Minnesota business attorney and a CPA before you file.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, rules and deadlines change. Confirm each one with the Minnesota Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, the Minnesota Department of Health, and your city or township before you act.