How to Start a Massage Therapy Business in Michigan: License, 625 Hours and the MBLEx

Opening a massage practice in Michigan involves two separate sets of requirements that people often mix up. The first is your personal state license as a massage therapist, which the state issues to you as an individual. The second is the business side: forming or registering your company, checking city rules, and handling taxes. If you are searching for a Michigan massage license, you need both, and they run on different agencies and timelines.

This guide walks through the steps in the order most new owners should handle them, with the fees and deadlines we could verify. Michigan has no general statewide business license, so the state credential that matters most is the one each therapist earns individually. Everything else depends on your structure, your city, and the services you sell.

This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Requirements and fees change. Confirm everything with the named agency before you commit money. For anything complex, such as hiring staff, opening more than one location, or taking on outside investors, talk with a qualified attorney and a CPA.

What you need before you start

Pull these items together before you enroll or file. Most delays come from missing paperwork, not from slow processing.

• A LARA MiPLUS account for the individual license application
• A school choice: a massage therapy program with at least 625 hours, or 500 hours if you enrolled before August 1, 2017
• Your school transcript and your MBLEx score report
• A criminal background check, plus proof of the one-time human trafficking training and the 2 hours of implicit bias training
• Proof of English proficiency, using whatever documentation the Board of Massage Therapy accepts
• For the business: a name checked on the MiBusiness Registry, a resident agent with a Michigan street address, and a list of the cities and counties where you will work
• A budget for the fees covered below: $270.10 for the individual license, $50 for LLC formation, $25 for an optional name reservation, $25 for an LLC assumed name certificate, and $25 for each annual statement

Step 1: Understand that the state license is personal

Michigan licenses the individual massage therapist through the Board of Massage Therapy, which sits within LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing. We did not find a separate state license for a massage business entity, so there is no state form that licenses your company as a massage business. That has two practical effects. First, your LLC or corporation does not cover your personal credential. Second, every therapist you employ must hold a Michigan license of their own before they treat a client. Hiring a licensed therapist does not make your business licensed, and it does not cover a therapist who is still in school or waiting on the exam.

Step 2: Complete at least 625 hours at an approved school

For anyone who enrolled on or after August 1, 2017, the Michigan education requirement is at least 625 hours from an approved massage school. If you enrolled before that date, the minimum is 500 hours. The program must include a supervised student clinic and 200 hours of assessment, theory and application.

Before you pay tuition, confirm the school's approval status with the Board. A program that falls short of the standard will not make you eligible, and fixing that mistake later costs far more than checking now. Ask the school for its hour breakdown in writing so you can check the 200 hour component and the clinic requirement yourself. Keep your attendance records, because they are the proof you will rely on if the Board asks for it.

Step 3: Clear the other eligibility items

Michigan adds requirements beyond education. Plan for each one:

• Criminal background check. Start early. Turnaround varies, and any item in your record may need an explanation before you can be licensed.
• Human trafficking training. This is a one-time requirement. Confirm which courses the Board accepts before you pay for one.
• Implicit bias training. Two hours, completed before your first licensure.
• English proficiency. Confirm what documentation the Board requires if English is not your first language.

Put these on a checklist with a date beside each item. Every one is a small task on its own, but a single missing item can hold up the whole application.

Step 4: Pass the MBLEx

Michigan requires you to pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination, known as the MBLEx, which is administered through the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). Register directly with FSMTB and check the current exam fee and scheduling options on its website. We did not verify those figures for this guide. Save a copy of your score report, because it is part of the evidence you will submit.

Study before you book. Use practice materials, and schedule the exam for a date when you can sit it without rushing. A failed attempt means a retest, which adds both cost and time, and it can push back your opening date.

Step 5: Apply through MiPLUS and pay the license fee

Apply online through MiPLUS, LARA's online licensing system. The fee for the application plus a 3-year license is $270.10 when you qualify by exam or by endorsement. Confirm with the Board which path fits your history, because endorsement rules depend on your prior licensing. Michigan licenses on a 3-year renewal cycle, so plan to renew on that schedule. The LARA guide we used is revised January 26, 2026. Check that you are reading the current version before you file.

A common mistake is assuming the application is finished once you pay. The Board reviews the whole file. Incomplete training records, unclear transcripts, or missing background results can stop the process, so assemble your complete file and submit it in one pass.

Step 6: Choose your business structure

Once you know you will be licensed, decide how the business will be organized. The two common choices for a new practice are a sole proprietorship and a limited liability company (LLC).

A sole proprietorship is the simplest option, but it provides no separate legal shield. If you operate under a name other than your own, such as Lakeshore Bodywork, you must file an assumed name with the county clerk in each county where you do business, under MCL 445.1. Sole proprietors and general partnerships use this county route. County assumed name fees are set separately by statute and by each county, so confirm the amount with the clerk.

An LLC is filed with LARA's Corporations Division. The formation document is the Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700), and the filing fee is $50. The name must include the words Limited Liability Company, L.L.C. or L.C. Michigan calls the registered agent a resident agent, and it must be named in the Articles. The resident agent must be a Michigan resident or an entity authorized to do business in Michigan. The registered office needs a physical address, and a P.O. box alone is not sufficient.

Expedited review is optional. In addition to the $50 filing fee, LARA offers a 24 hour review for $50 extra, a same day review for $100, a two hour review for $500 (must be received by 3 p.m.), and a one hour review for $1,000 (must be received by 4 p.m.). LARA does not publish a guaranteed standard review time, so if you have a launch date, build in some slack.

Step 7: Check your name and file the required paperwork

Search your proposed name on the MiBusiness Registry business search at https://mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us/search/business before you spend money on signage, a domain, or printed materials. If you need time to decide, you can hold the name with Form CSCL/CD-540 for $25. The reservation lasts six months following the month of filing.

If your LLC will operate under a trade name, file a Certificate of Assumed Name (Form CSCL/CD-541) with LARA. The fee is $25 for an LLC and $10 for a corporation or limited partnership. The certificate is effective through December 31 of the fifth full calendar year after the year it was filed, and you renew it with Form CSCL/CD-542. You can find the current certificate form at https://www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/NonImages_new/Corps/forms/corporation/541-0725.pdf.

Step 8: Check city and local approvals

Michigan has no general statewide business license. LARA's Corporations Division receives and files the documents that form an entity, but it does not license businesses. Filing your LLC on the MiBusiness Registry is a filing, not a license. LARA directs new owners to its State License Search to check whether any other state license applies to their activity. Local rules are where massage businesses most often get caught off guard.

Cities regulate massage businesses in their own ways. Detroit licenses massage parlors at $205, and Sterling Heights requires a massage establishment license. Other cities may have their own rules, so check the city where you plan to work before you sign a lease. Ask whether the business needs a local license separate from your state therapist license, and ask about any rules that apply to owners or employees. Confirm current amounts with each city, because these figures can change.

Your city or township also controls zoning and whether a space can be used for treatments. Confirm zoning, certificate of occupancy and health approvals before you buy equipment. If you plan to work from home, check your local zoning rules first, because a residential address may not allow client visits. Michigan has 83 counties, roughly 275 to 280 cities, about 255 to 258 villages and 1,240 townships, so the rules that apply to you depend on your exact address.

Step 9: Register for taxes

If you sell taxable items, such as retail lotions or oils, register for a Michigan sales tax license through the Department of Treasury's online business registration page at https://www.michigan.gov/taxes/business-taxes/new-biz/online-business-registration. The sales tax registration is free, and Treasury says it can arrive in as little as 7 business days. Michigan's state sales tax rate is 6%. Confirm with Treasury which of your services and products are taxable before you set your prices.

Your income tax depends on your structure. A standard LLC is a pass-through entity, so members report the income on the Michigan individual income tax at the flat 4.25% rate for the 2026 tax year. An LLC that elects federal C corporation treatment is subject to the 6% Michigan Corporate Income Tax. Michigan imposes no franchise tax. City income tax exists in only 24 cities, so check whether yours is one of them. Michigan also offers an elective Flow-Through Entity Tax. A CPA can tell you whether it fits your situation.

Step 10: Set up your recurring calendar

• Every 3 years: renew your individual massage license. Check the renewal requirements in MiPLUS well before your date.
• February 15 each year: file the LLC Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) for $25. The first statement is due the year after formation. An LLC formed after September 30 does not owe a statement on the February 15 immediately following its formation.
• Assumed name renewal: if you filed a trade name certificate, renew it with Form CSCL/CD-542 before it expires.
• Local renewals: check your city's schedule, because local license renewal dates vary.

Tips for a smoother start

• Confirm your school is approved before you enroll, and get the answer in writing.
• Keep digital and paper copies of every transcript, certificate and score report.
• Check city rules before you sign a lease, not after.
• Request insurance quotes early. Liability coverage is a business decision, and an insurance agent or CPA can explain your options.
• Check the MiBusiness Registry and your domain availability before you commit to a business name.
• Put every renewal and filing date on one shared calendar.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming the business covers your staff. Each therapist needs their own Michigan license before they treat clients.
• Enrolling without checking the hour rule. Know which threshold applies based on your enrollment date.
• Treating LLC formation as the whole job. Formation is a filing. You still need city approvals, zoning review and tax registration.
• Using a P.O. box as your registered office. A physical address is required.
• Missing the annual statement. A missed February 15 is an avoidable compliance problem.
• Relying on secondhand fees. Confirm numbers with the agency. The Detroit and Sterling Heights examples are city rules and can change.

What to expect

Expect the first stretch to be mostly paperwork rather than client work. Once your license is issued and your city approvals are in place, the work shifts to booking, client records, and renewals. Results for any practice depend on local demand, your skill, and how you market your services. No one can promise income or outcomes.

On the client side, describe what a session offers rather than what it treats. Massage is commonly booked for relaxation, and some clients report reduced muscle tension or a sense of calm after a session. Avoid claims that a treatment cures, heals or prevents any disease. Your marketing should match what you can support, and health claims are an area where a professional review is worth the cost.

When to talk to a professional

Talk with a qualified attorney before you sign a commercial lease, bring in partners or investors, or hire staff. A CPA can help you choose between a sole proprietorship, an LLC and a corporation, and can tell you whether the Flow-Through Entity Tax or the 6% Corporate Income Tax makes sense for you. The Michigan Small Business Development Center at https://michigansbdc.org/ can help with planning. This article is informational only and is not legal or tax advice.