How to Start a Massage Therapy Business in Mississippi: Board of Massage Therapy Licenses

If you want to practice massage therapy in Mississippi and eventually open your own studio or clinic, you need two separate tracks of approval. The first is your personal license from the Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy. The second is the business side: an entity filing with the Secretary of State, a city privilege license, and, if you run a massage establishment, a massage business registration with the Board. This guide walks through both tracks in the order most people handle them, with the fees and deadlines we could verify and a clear flag on every figure you need to confirm directly with the agency.

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change. Before you commit money or sign a lease, talk with a licensed Mississippi attorney about your entity choice and contracts, and with a CPA about taxes. Confirm everything below with the agency named.

What You Need Before You Start

Pull these items together before you file anything. Missing documents cause more delays than any other single problem.

• Government-issued photo ID and proof of age (you must be at least 18)
• High school diploma or equivalency certificate
• Official transcript from your approved massage program showing 700 supervised in-class hours
• Fingerprints for the criminal history check
• A current CPR and first aid card, earned in a hands-on course
• Score report from the exam you chose
• Board forms EX.01 (exam application) and MT.01 (license application)
• A business name, a registered agent with a physical Mississippi street address, and a federal EIN
• A budget for each fee, confirmed with the agency that charges it

Step 1: Confirm You Meet the Board's Basic Requirements

The Board requires applicants to be at least 18 years old and to hold a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate. Check both before you pay for any training. If either is missing, fix it first, because the Board will not finish reviewing the rest of your file until these basics are in order.

Step 2: Complete 700 Supervised Hours at an Approved School

The standard route is 700 supervised in-class hours from a massage program the Board recognizes. Before you enroll, ask the school in writing whether the Board has approved its program. Then ask for a transcript that shows your hours in a form the Board accepts. Schools do not decide whether your training counts. The Board does.

If you trained in another state, you may qualify under the Board's reciprocity provision, which counts 500 supervised hours plus three years of working experience in a regulated state. Ask the Board to review your out-of-state record before you assume it qualifies, and keep the employer letters and training records that prove your experience.

Step 3: Choose and Pass One Accepted Exam

You need to pass one exam the Board accepts. Your options are:

• The Board's state exams, the MSLE or the MPE
• The MBLEx
• The NCBTMB exam or the NCCAOM exam

Choose based on your training program and your schedule. Confirm which exam your program prepares you for, then submit the exam application (EX.01) and ask the Board for the current exam fee and testing window. Do not book a test date until you know the Board has your application in process.

Step 4: Earn Your CPR and First Aid Certification

You need current CPR and first aid certification. For initial licensure, the training must be hands-on, so an online-only course will not satisfy the requirement. Choose a course that includes a practice component and a skills check. Keep the card current on the day you apply, and keep a copy for your records.

Step 5: Complete the Fingerprint Criminal History Check

The Board requires a fingerprint-based criminal history check. Follow the Board's current instructions for where and how to submit your prints, and confirm the fee before you go. Answer every background question fully and accurately. A past issue you explain on the application is far easier to resolve than an omission the Board finds later.

Step 6: File Your License Application (MT.01)

Submit the license application (MT.01) with every supporting document in the same package. Attach your transcript, exam score report, CPR card and fingerprint results, and keep a copy of everything you send. Incomplete packets are among the most common reasons applications stall. Ask the Board for its current processing timeline, because this guide cannot promise one.

Step 7: Form Your Business Entity

Mississippi has no general statewide business license. Forming an entity is a registration with the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division, not a license to practice. For most solo practitioners, the choice is between a sole proprietorship and a limited liability company (LLC). An LLC is formed by filing a Certificate of Formation (Form F0100) for a $50 filing fee through the SOS online portal at https://corp.sos.ms.gov/corp/portal/c/page/corpnewfilings/portal.aspx. Most documents paid for online are approved and filed immediately, and filings that need staff review are normally returned within 24 hours.

Several details matter here:

• Name reservation: You can reserve a name for 180 days for $25 if you need time before filing.
• Name rules: The name must include "limited liability company," "L.L.C." or "LLC," and it must be distinguishable on state records from other registered entities.
• Registered agent: Every Mississippi LLC must maintain a registered agent with a physical Mississippi street address. A commercial agent files a listing statement with the SOS for $100 and must accept or decline the appointment within 14 days.
• Assumed name: If you will operate under a name other than your LLC's legal name, file a Fictitious Business Name Registration (Form F0070) for $25. It goes to the Secretary of State, not the county.
• Taxes: An LLC treated as a pass-through entity reports its income on the members' Mississippi returns. A corporation pays Mississippi corporate income tax and franchise tax, but the franchise tax does not apply to an LLC taxed as a partnership. Confirm your tax classification with a CPA.

Step 8: Register Your Massage Business With the Board

Your personal license does not cover a massage establishment. The owner of a massage establishment must apply for a massage business registration with the Board. The MT.01 form includes a new massage business option, so that is the form to use for the business registration. Ask the Board whether each location needs its own filing, since that determines how you structure the application if you plan more than one site.

Plan for an on-site inspection. Board rules provide for inspections of massage establishments, which check equipment, sanitation and whether every therapist working there is licensed. Before an inspection, make sure tables, linens and tools are clean and in good repair, that every therapist's license is on file, and that a wall certificate is posted for each therapist at that location.

Step 9: Get Your City Privilege License

Because Mississippi issues no single state business license, local government fills that gap. Under Miss. Code 27-17, every city, town and village issues its own privilege license. Counties license only businesses outside municipalities. If your studio is inside Jackson, Gulfport, Hattiesburg or any other city, the city is the authority you need, and a county license will not cover you. Fees and renewal rules vary by municipality, so call the city clerk or business license office for your address before you sign a lease. Do not rely on a figure from another city or from a third-party website.

Step 10: Register for Sales Tax If You Sell Products

If you sell retail products such as lotions, oils or gift certificates, you need a sales tax permit from the Mississippi Department of Revenue. The permit has no fee, although a bond may be required from applicants without a permanent Mississippi location. The state sales tax rate is 7%, with no county add-on. City levies apply only in Jackson and Tupelo. Whether your massage services themselves are taxable is a question to confirm with the DOR, not something to assume. Apply at https://www.dor.ms.gov/business/sales-use-tax/registration-information-sales-and-use-tax-applicants.

Step 11: Set Up Records, Certificates and Ongoing Deadlines

Post a wall certificate for each therapist at each location. Keep client records for at least 2 years, which is the Board's retention period. Store intake forms, session notes and consent records in a system you can retrieve quickly during an inspection.

Put these deadlines on your calendar:

• LLC annual report: Due April 15 each year, may be filed on or after January 1, and must be filed online. The fee is $0, but failure to file can lead to administrative dissolution.
• Board renewal and registration: Confirm your renewal dates and fees with the Board at 601-732-6038.
• City privilege license: Confirm the renewal cycle with your city.

If you hire therapists, note that Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so federal wage rules govern. Whether a therapist is an employee or an independent contractor affects taxes and liability, so have a CPA or attorney review that classification before you pay anyone.

Expected Results

Completing these steps is what allows you to practice legally and open a business. It does not guarantee a full schedule. Demand depends on your location, your marketing and your reputation, so plan your first year with conservative assumptions.

Clients commonly seek massage to relax, and many report feeling less tense after a session. Those are self-reported experiences, and massage is not a treatment for disease. Keep your marketing to general wellness language, such as "may help you relax." Do not promise to cure pain, heal injuries or treat any medical condition. Medical claims can draw regulatory attention and can also create problems with your Board standing.

Tips for a Smoother Start

• Call the Board at 601-732-6038 before you enroll and again before you file. Ask for the current form versions.
• Get free advising from the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network at https://www.mississippisbdc.org/, which has 19 locations statewide.
• Build one folder with copies of every form, receipt and confirmation number from day one.
• Schedule your hands-on CPR course early, since class availability can limit your timeline.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming your personal license covers the business. A personal license does not authorize a massage establishment. You need the business registration too.
• Skipping the city license. Each city issues its own privilege license under Miss. Code 27-17, and a county license may not cover a city address.
• Filing the assumed name with the county. A Fictitious Business Name Registration goes to the Secretary of State for $25.
• Using online-only CPR. Initial licensure requires hands-on training.
• Submitting incomplete packets. Missing transcripts and unsigned forms are a fast route to delay.
• Letting a therapist work before their license is on file. Inspectors check that every therapist is licensed.
• Discarding client records early. Keep them for at least 2 years.
• Missing the April 15 LLC annual report. Late filing can lead to administrative dissolution.

Next Steps

Start with Step 1 and confirm each requirement with the agency that controls it. Then form your entity, register the business and secure your city license before you sign a lease or buy equipment. Set up a sales tax permit if you plan to sell products. This is an informational overview, not legal or tax advice, so have a Mississippi attorney review your contracts and a CPA review your entity and tax choices before you open.