Massage Therapy Business Permit Requirements in Charlotte, NC

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. North Carolina Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT) License

   All massage therapists in North Carolina must be licensed as a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT) by the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy. Requirements include completing a Board-approved education program, passing a recognized licensing examination such as the MBLEx, and a background check. Licenses renew every TWO years — not annually — and require 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, per cycle.

   Official government source

   $150 Board application fee (waived for qualifying military-trained applicants and spouses) plus a $20 online application request fee; biennial renewal is $175; a separate third-party examination fee (e.g. MBLEx) also applies.·Not published by the Board — confirm current processing time with the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (919-546-0050).

   $150 Board application fee (waived for qualifying military-trained applicants and spouses) plus a $20 online application request fee; biennial renewal is $175; a separate third-party examination fee (e.g. MBLEx) also applies.

   Not published by the Board — confirm current processing time with the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (919-546-0050).

2. North Carolina Massage and Bodywork Establishment Registration

   North Carolina requires massage and bodywork establishments to be licensed by the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy. The establishment must employ only LMBT-licensed therapists and maintain records. Per the Board's own establishment renewal page, licensed massage and bodywork establishments renew every two years — not annually — with a December 31 renewal deadline.

   Official government source

   $20 online application request fee to obtain the establishment application. The Board does not publish the establishment renewal fee online — confirm with the Board (919-546-0050).·Not published by the Board — confirm current processing time with the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy.

   $20 online application request fee to obtain the establishment application. The Board does not publish the establishment renewal fee online — confirm with the Board (919-546-0050).

   Not published by the Board — confirm current processing time with the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy.

1. Charlotte / Mecklenburg County — No City Business License; Zoning and Certificate of Occupancy

   Charlotte does not issue a general city business license. North Carolina repealed municipal privilege license tax authority effective July 1, 2015, so there is no Charlotte business license to buy. Businesses must instead register the entity with the NC Secretary of State (if an LLC or corporation), comply with Charlotte zoning, and — for a commercial location — obtain a Certificate of Occupancy. The CO is issued by Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, a division of the county's Land Use and Environmental Services Agency (LUESA), which handles building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permitting, plan review and inspections for all of Mecklenburg County including Charlotte. Massage therapists themselves are licensed by the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy at the state level.

   Official government source

   No city business license fee. Certificate of Occupancy is $10.00 each under the Mecklenburg County LUESA Fee Ordinance; building/trade permit fees for any buildout are separate and start at $59.70 per trade plus a $3.00 technology charge.·The CO is issued after final inspections pass; timing depends on the scope of any buildout. A Temporary or Conditional CO may be available. Mecklenburg does not publish a guaranteed turnaround.

   No city business license fee. Certificate of Occupancy is $10.00 each under the Mecklenburg County LUESA Fee Ordinance; building/trade permit fees for any buildout are separate and start at $59.70 per trade plus a $3.00 technology charge.

   The CO is issued after final inspections pass; timing depends on the scope of any buildout. A Temporary or Conditional CO may be available. Mecklenburg does not publish a guaranteed turnaround.

2. No Mecklenburg County General Privilege License

   North Carolina repealed local governments' authority to levy general privilege license taxes effective July 1, 2015 (S.L. 2014-3, s. 12.3, repealing G.S. 153A-152 for counties and G.S. 160A-211 for cities). Mecklenburg County does not require a general privilege license for massage therapy businesses, and the claim's hedge that "counties may still collect" is stale. Massage therapists must instead hold an NC Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy license, and the establishment must be licensed by that Board.

   Official government source

   No fee — no such county license exists.·N/A — no such county license exists.

   No fee — no such county license exists.

   N/A — no such county license exists.

Official Sources

• NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy
• City of Charlotte — Permits, Inspections and Licenses
• Mecklenburg County — Business Services

Related Guides