Novi, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Section 20-26 requires a valid city-issued massage business license for every separate office or place of massage business, with a limited carve-out in Section 20-12 for specific outcall situations like hospitals, conventions with seven days' notice to the city clerk, and homebound clients. To get licensed, Section 20-27 requires the applicant to file a sworn annual application with the city clerk and pay a nonrefundable fee set by council resolution, listing owners, officers or members holding over ten percent interest, ten years of prior addresses, identification details, and any prior license suspensions or revocations.

The Department of Building and Safety and fire department must inspect the premises within thirty days and report compliance to the city clerk, while the police department investigates the applicant's character under the criteria in Section 20-29, which lets the city clerk deny a license for felony violence, sexual misconduct, fraud, narcotics convictions, false statements on the application, or a license denial, suspension or revocation within the prior five years. Section 20-28 sets physical facility standards before any license issues: waterproofed steam and shower rooms with floor drains, disinfecting equipment for reusable tools, separate clean and soiled linen storage, and one water closet per twenty same-sex employees or patrons.

Every license expires December 31 each year regardless of the issue date under Section 20-36, and a denied renewal means the establishment must close immediately, with no reapplication allowed for a year under Section 20-30. Section 20-7 also bars any massage business from opening between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., and Section 20-6 bans alcohol on the premises.