Minnetonka, MN Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Chapter 810 of the Minnetonka City Code makes a massage business license a condition of operating in the City of Minnetonka. Section 810.010 bars anyone from operating a massage business within the city unless it is currently licensed, and it adds an insurance condition: at least $1,000,000 in personal liability coverage for therapeutic massage that covers all therapists on the premises, or the same amount carried by each therapist individually.

Applications are filed with the community development department on city forms, signed and sworn, with a signed and notarized acknowledgement that the applicant has read section 810, proof of insurance, the names of the therapists, and plans for the establishment. The license fee, plus investigation and plan review fees on an initial application, are set in section 710. A rejected application gets the license fee refunded, and no other refunds are made.

The code defines who can give massages. A massage therapist has completed a minimum of 500 hours of class credits from a qualifying massage therapy school, or has at least two years of full-time experience at a licensed massage business that is not an adult massage parlor. Applicants must be at least 18, and a massage business cannot be located on residentially zoned property, apart from a director-approved separate home office for a person with a disability. The police department investigates, the community development director approves or denies, and a denied applicant has 10 days to appeal to the city council. Renewal applications are due at least 30 days before the license expires on July 31.

Day-to-day rules are tight. No customers can enter after 9:00 p.m. or before 7:00 a.m., and none can remain after 10:00 p.m. or before 7:00 a.m. Massage businesses are open to inspection without a warrant by city health, building and license inspectors and police officers during business hours. Exemptions cover state-licensed medical and dental professionals, certified athletic trainers working with athletes, and health care facilities. Temporary chair massage needs no license if it is visible to employees and visitors, the location holds no alcohol license, it is offered no more than ten days per calendar year, and recipients stay upright and clothed.