Massage Therapy Business Permit Requirements in Denver, CO

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Colorado Massage Therapy License

   Colorado requires massage therapists to be licensed by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, Office of Massage Therapy Licensure. Effective July 1, 2024, C.R.S. 12-235-108(1)(a)(I) requires completing a massage therapy program of at least 650 total hours of coursework and clinical work from an approved massage school (students already enrolled on or before July 1, 2024 who graduated by October 1, 2025 are grandfathered under the prior requirement). Applicants must also pass a Division-approved examination, submit to a fingerprint-based criminal history record check, and be at least 18 at the time of licensure. Licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years and must be renewed to keep practicing.

   Official government source

   Application, examination and fingerprint background-check fees apply. The Division sets its fees administratively under C.R.S. 12-20-105 and does not publish the amounts on its website; the current fee is shown in DPO Online Services when you apply, and the fingerprint vendor (IdentoGO or Colorado Fingerprinting) charges separately.·DORA does not publish a processing-time standard. Renewals open roughly four to five weeks before the December 31 expiration date, and applicants licensed within 120 days of an upcoming expiration are issued a license carrying the next expiration date.

   Application, examination and fingerprint background-check fees apply. The Division sets its fees administratively under C.R.S. 12-20-105 and does not publish the amounts on its website; the current fee is shown in DPO Online Services when you apply, and the fingerprint vendor (IdentoGO or Colorado Fingerprinting) charges separately.

   DORA does not publish a processing-time standard. Renewals open roughly four to five weeks before the December 31 expiration date, and applicants licensed within 120 days of an upcoming expiration are issued a license carrying the next expiration date.

2. Colorado Sales Tax License

   A Colorado sales tax license is needed only if the practice makes retail sales of tangible personal property such as lotions, oils or gift items. The Department of Revenue states that in Colorado services are not subject to sales tax (C.R.S. 39-26-102(15)(a)(I)), so massage therapy itself is not taxable. Register through MyBizColorado or the Sales Tax / Wage Withholding Account Application (CR 0100). Most license types are valid for a two-year period ending at the end of each odd-numbered year, and the state license covers only state and state-collected local taxes - Denver is a home-rule city and issues its own separate (free) sales tax license.

   Official government source

   $16 for the two-year license period when applying January-June of an even year, prorated to $12, $8 or $4 later in the cycle, plus a one-time refundable $50 deposit for a new account ($66 total for a first location). The deposit is returned automatically once you have remitted $50 in state sales tax.·Immediate when filed online through MyBizColorado or Revenue Online

   $16 for the two-year license period when applying January-June of an even year, prorated to $12, $8 or $4 later in the cycle, plus a one-time refundable $50 deposit for a new account ($66 total for a first location). The deposit is returned automatically once you have remitted $50 in state sales tax.

   Immediate when filed online through MyBizColorado or Revenue Online

1. Denver Massage Business License

   Denver massage businesses (any place where massage is performed for payment) need a Massage Business License from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (formerly Excise and Licenses), issued under Chapter 33.5 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code as part of the city's anti-trafficking strategy. The business must keep a valid Colorado state massage therapist license on file for each therapist, and from July 1, 2026 all employees must submit FBI fingerprint background checks. Solo practitioners are exempt, as are schools, healthcare clinics, barber shops and salons, and athletic training rooms.

   Official government source

   $500 application fee plus $250 license fee ($750 total)·Denver aims to complete an initial review of a complete application within seven business days; a zoning use permit for the address must be in hand before a license will issue

   $500 application fee plus $250 license fee ($750 total)

   Denver aims to complete an initial review of a complete application within seven business days; a zoning use permit for the address must be in hand before a license will issue

2. Denver Certificate of Occupancy / Zoning Use Permit

   A Certificate of Occupancy is required for a commercial massage location, and the address must carry a zoning use permit for the use (Denver's massage business license will not issue without one). Contact Denver Community Planning and Development at 720-865-2700.

   Official government source

   Denver charges no fee for the Certificate of Occupancy itself. The cost is the building permit and plan review fees, set by project valuation in Table 1 of Denver's Building and Related Fees policy (ADMIN 125/138): $20 for work valued up to $500; $35 up to $2,000; $35 plus $8 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000; $220 plus $8 per $1,000 up to $50,000; $420 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $100,000; $770 plus $5.60 per $1,000 up to $500,000 — plus a plan review fee equal to 50% of the permit fee on work valued over $2,000. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy costs $200 and a Certificate of Compliance $25.·The Certificate of Occupancy issues after the permitted work passes final inspection by all reviewing disciplines; Denver publishes no fixed processing window.

   Denver charges no fee for the Certificate of Occupancy itself. The cost is the building permit and plan review fees, set by project valuation in Table 1 of Denver's Building and Related Fees policy (ADMIN 125/138): $20 for work valued up to $500; $35 up to $2,000; $35 plus $8 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000; $220 plus $8 per $1,000 up to $50,000; $420 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $100,000; $770 plus $5.60 per $1,000 up to $500,000 — plus a plan review fee equal to 50% of the permit fee on work valued over $2,000. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy costs $200 and a Certificate of Compliance $25.

   The Certificate of Occupancy issues after the permitted work passes final inspection by all reviewing disciplines; Denver publishes no fixed processing window.

Official Sources

• Colorado DORA — Massage Therapy
• Denver Department of Excise and Licenses

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