Massage Therapy Permit Requirements in Fort Smith, AR

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Arkansas Department of Health - Massage Therapy License

   Massage therapists in Arkansas are licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health's Massage Therapy Section; there is no separate independent state massage board. Applicants must complete an approved massage therapy program and pass the MBLEx or an NCBTMB examination, and a criminal background check is required before a license is issued.

   Official government source

   $180 application fee for licensure, plus $36.25 for each required background check·ADH does not publish a processing time; contact the Massage Therapy Section at 501-683-1448 about application status

   $180 application fee for licensure, plus $36.25 for each required background check

   ADH does not publish a processing time; contact the Massage Therapy Section at 501-683-1448 about application status

2. Arkansas Sales and Use Tax Permit — Department of Finance and Administration

   Any business selling taxable goods or taxable services in Arkansas must obtain a gross receipts (sales) tax permit before transacting business, and a separate permit is required for each business location under Ark. Code 26-52-201. The permit is issued by the Department of Finance and Administration's Sales and Use Tax Section. The state sales and use tax rate is 6.500%, with city and county rates added on top — in Little Rock, for example, the combined rate is 8.625% (6.5% state, 1% Pulaski County, 1.125% city).

   Official government source

   $50.00 sales tax permit fee, paid electronically when the registration is submitted.·Register online through the Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point at atap.arkansas.gov. Registration questions go to the Sales and Use Tax Section at 501-682-7104, Ledbetter Building, 1816 W 7th St, Room 1330, Little Rock.

   $50.00 sales tax permit fee, paid electronically when the registration is submitted.

   Register online through the Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point at atap.arkansas.gov. Registration questions go to the Sales and Use Tax Section at 501-682-7104, Ledbetter Building, 1816 W 7th St, Room 1330, Little Rock.

1. City of Fort Smith Business License

   All businesses inside Fort Smith city limits must hold a business license unless they qualify for an exemption. Licenses are governed by Chapter 13, Article 3 (Occupational Registration) of the city code and are applied for and renewed online through the city's CityView portal. Fees are flat by license type — they are not scaled to gross revenue. Renewal notices are mailed the month before expiration.

   Official government source

   Free for the first year for new business owners in Fort Smith; $100 per year to renew a typical business license, or $150 per year for a food truck·Processing takes anywhere from one day to two weeks depending on the application; questions go to [email protected] or 479-784-2299

   Free for the first year for new business owners in Fort Smith; $100 per year to renew a typical business license, or $150 per year for a food truck

   Processing takes anywhere from one day to two weeks depending on the application; questions go to [email protected] or 479-784-2299

2. City of Fort Smith Zoning Approval and Certificate of Occupancy

   A Certificate of Occupancy is required for any commercial space used as a massage therapy practice in Fort Smith. Confirm the address is zoned for a personal service business with the city's Planning and Zoning department — not the Finance Department — using the Check My Zoning tool before you sign a lease, then work with Building Services on the occupancy permit and inspections. Changing a building's occupancy class requires a permit.

   Official government source

   Fort Smith charges under its published Building Permit Fee Schedule, which scales with project valuation rather than a flat amount; call Building Safety at 479-784-2206 for the figure for your project·Set by plan review and inspections. Inspections requested before 9 a.m. are done that morning and before 2 p.m. that afternoon; Building Safety asks owners and contractors to meet with staff during design

   Fort Smith charges under its published Building Permit Fee Schedule, which scales with project valuation rather than a flat amount; call Building Safety at 479-784-2206 for the figure for your project

   Set by plan review and inspections. Inspections requested before 9 a.m. are done that morning and before 2 p.m. that afternoon; Building Safety asks owners and contractors to meet with staff during design

Official Sources

• Arkansas State Board of Massage Therapy — License
• City of Fort Smith Finance Department

Related Guides