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

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License required
Separate enterprise and therapist licenses, Section 1135.07
Therapist training
500 hours certified training plus $1,000,000 liability coverage
Operating hours
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. only, Section 1135.21
Third inspection fee
$250.00 if correction orders unresolved
License terms
Enterprise expires Dec. 31; therapist expires Aug. 31
Reapplication bar
5 years after revocation or denial
Enforcing agency
Public Safety Director issues, investigates, and disciplines licenses

Summary

In the City of Plymouth, no one may run a massage business or practice massage on the public without two separate City licenses: a therapeutic massage enterprise license and an individual massage therapist license. City Code Section 1135.07 makes operating or practicing without either license unlawful, and the Public Safety Director's office runs a national criminal background check on every therapist before granting one.

A.Therapeutic Massage Enterprise License. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to own, operate, engage in, or carry on, within the City, any type of massage services to the public for consideration without first having obtained a therapeutic massage enterprise license from the City pursuant to this section.B.Massage Therapist License. It shall be unlawful for any individual to practice, administer, or provide massage services to the public for consideration within the City without first having obtained a massage therapist license from the City pursuant to this section.

Full Breakdown

The therapeutic massage enterprise license and the massage therapist license are separate credentials issued by the Public Safety Director as issuing authority under Section 1135. 00 in professional liability coverage, and pass a comprehensive national criminal background check before a license issues. Massage therapists receive a City photo identification card that must be available on request. , and no customer may remain on the premises outside those hours; support work like cleaning and bookkeeping is exempt. The same section bars hotel rooms, residential dwellings, and vehicles as massage locations (except under a written doctor's order), requires the genitals and breasts to stay covered with non-transparent material, and prohibits massaging the penis, scrotum, vulva, or breasts outright.

No one under 18 may be on the premises unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. 00 fee once a third inspection is needed because earlier correction orders went unaddressed. Enterprise licenses run the calendar year to December 31; therapist licenses expire every August 31. 25, a license may be denied, suspended, or revoked for fraud, a disqualifying criminal conviction, drug or alcohol violations on the premises, or unlawful business conduct, and anyone whose license is revoked or denied cannot reapply for five years.

Violations & Fines

Operating a massage enterprise or practicing massage without the matching City license is a misdemeanor under Section 1135.25.C, punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both, with each day of unlicensed operation a separate offense. The Public Safety Director can suspend or revoke a license for fraud, a disqualifying conviction, drug or alcohol possession on site, or a breach-of-peace violation, and a revoked or denied applicant is barred from reapplying for five years. Suspensions and revocations can be appealed to the City Manager within 30 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license to give massages in Plymouth?
Yes. Section 1135.07 makes it unlawful to practice, administer, or provide massage to the public for pay in the City of Plymouth without a City-issued massage therapist license, and the business itself must separately hold a therapeutic massage enterprise license. Both licenses require a national criminal background check before the Public Safety Director will issue them.
What hours can a Plymouth massage business stay open?
Section 1135.21 limits licensed massage enterprises to 7:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. every day of the week. No customer may remain on the premises before or after those hours, though staff may still handle cleaning, maintenance, and bookkeeping outside business hours.
Can a massage therapist work out of a hotel room in Plymouth?
No. Section 1135.21.B specifically prohibits performing massage in hotel or motel guest rooms, residential dwellings, motor vehicles, and trailers, with a narrow exception for a written doctor's order. Licensed therapists may work only at a licensed enterprise, their own residence, or an office, business, or institution.
What happens if a Plymouth massage business fails repeated inspections?
Section 1135.21.J lets City inspectors and police re-inspect after a correction order is issued. If the problems are still not fixed by the third inspection, the licensee owes a $250.00 fee, and unresolved violations can lead to suspension or revocation of both the enterprise and therapist licenses under Section 1135.25.

Sources & Official References

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