Question:  I want to start my own small massage business.   

If you've dreamt of your own small massage business and being your own boss, a career in massage therapy can be the perfect way to go. However, keep in mind that having your own small business means just that you decide on everything from how many hours you work, type of clients you see, and how to set up your massage therapy office.
But you also have to make decisions on whether to form an LLC  incorporate your business or not, whether to do your corporate taxes or do it individually your own taxes or hire an accountant, and what massage therapy fees to charge. This website has many resources for new business owners, and they're all free!

• Leasing space vs massage therapy at home, plus massage therapy equipment and supplies

• How to find customers for your massage business,  free media publicity, and attract new massage clients

• Tips for  Accepting payments by insurance
• Sample contracts, business plan,  marketing materials

 What license and permits needed to start business  therapeutic massage, spa treatments massages, bodywork, hydrotherapy, salt glows, mud treatments, and hot stone treatments in spa environment.

Also, I am wondering if you could you tell me what is the sole proprietorship and would that legal structure for a massage business be  more advantageous for me? I am planning to start out probably with only 1 maybe 2 employees / therapists besides myself and possibly expand as the massage business expands, so my question is am I looking at the proper steps to start a massage business and can you get the massage licenses online here for me?

Before starting a massage therapy business, one of the first things you should investigate are the business licensing requirements for becoming a massage therapist.

Each state and/or city or town has different business licensing requirements for massage therapists. This articles has just that: information about practice requirements.  We will point you in the right direction.

Legally, in addition to forming an LLC, getting a business license, federal ID and state employr tax ID for your employee therapists, you will probably need clearance from county health department and thus a county massage business  license.  Thus, in addition to a city license, a state professional license if required for your state, you will need a county license in most states because most of health related professions are regulated from the county.

 Since you are an employer, i.e., you will employ therapists, here are the licenses and tax ids you are legally required to obtain in addition to an LLC and before starting business operations:

1. A business tax registration license as well as a county massage therapy license.

2. A DBA assumed business name

3. A federal tax id number if you are a partnership or you want to use it instead of you social security number to open a bank account. Since you are an employer, you will need

4. a federal tax id employer number as well as

5. a state ein employer number for the employees massage therapists. Also, note that forming an llc or incorporating eliminates the requirement of getting a dba. It is a good idea to form an llc to avoid personal liability from business transactions.

Here, on our website, you can obtain all the business licenses, tax ids, LLC and LLC operating agreement so you can be legal to start.  That will include your county massage license that includes the health inspections and requirements to start your business.

Here, on our website, you can obtain all the business licenses. 

You need to get your licenses because it is illegal since each state and/or city or town has different business licensing requirements for massage therapists and they can be enforced.

I did not see what the price was to get a massage license, i.e., what the cost of a massage license is and also what about if I want a full package that includes an LLC with business license, Fed. Tax ID and I want to do an LLC but I also need a dba trade name (as I really and simply don't want my spa name to be the same as my LLC).

The cost will be, including the LLC about $600  but this includes all  government filing fees except any business license annual tax you need to pay in advance or any massage county health inspection and licenses fees you may need to pay.