Massage Services - business guide
Businesses and practitioners who manipulate the soft tissues of a customer require a municipal licence.
Examples of businesses that do require a municipal licence:
- Massage clinics
- Massage therapists
- Mobile massage
- Spas
- Wellness centres
Examples of businesses that do not require municipal licensing are:
- Acupuncture
- Holistic health therapies
- Medical or therapeutic massage given by chiropractors, physiotherapists or medical doctors
- Reiki practitioners
- Students registered in a provincially licenced massage school who observe and perform a massage or body rub in the presence of an instructor or licenced practitioner
- Facial massages performed supplementary to dental work
If your business does not require a licence, you still require a Business ID and land use approval. Visit businesses not requiring a municipal licence for more information.
As part of The City’s efforts to accelerate the business license approvals process, customers with a myID business account can receive a digital copy of their business licence via email. This is available to customers applying for a new business licence or renewing an existing licence. To learn more about the benefits of a myID business account and to sign-up today, please visit myID business accoun (calgary.ca).
Currently, there is no change to individuals who need a personal identification card for their licence (body run practitioner). We’re working on a digital option and will notify you when this service is available.
Rules and regulations
Massage centre
Businesses that offer and perform a massage from a location to the public for a fee require a massage centre licence. A massage office, or a mobile massage, is a business where a person books and maintains the records of a massage business at his or her home, but the massages are preformed elsewhere. A massage centre or office business can only employ licenced massage practitioners. All massage centres must be within Calgary, however, the owner may live elsewhere.
Massage practitioner
Individual paid to perform massages in Calgary are required to have a massage practitioner’s licence unless they are part of a provincially-regulated group allowed to perform massage under a professional designation (e.g. chiropractors or physiotherapists). A massage practitioner is a member in good standing with one of the recognized massage associations and must provide proof upon application. The City recognizes the following massage associations:
- Alberta Association of Therapeutic Masseurs (AATM)
- Certified Registered Massage Therapist Association (CRMTA)
- Massage Therapist Association of Alberta (MTAA)
- Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC)
- Canadian Massage & Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (CMMOTA)
- Alberta Regional Massage Therapy Association (ARMTA)
Stand-alone or self-employed practitioners must also obtain a licence for a massage office or centre.
Students in a provincially-licensed massage school do not require a practitioner's licence if being observed by an instructor or licenced practitioner. Students performing massages not in the presence of a licenced practitioner require a practitioner's licence.
Body rub centre
If a business does not hire exclusively licensed massage practitioners (affiliated with one of the municipally approved associations), then a body rub centre licence is required. Body rub centres may also hire massage practitioners.
A body rub centre is not allowed to operate as a home-based business and is not allowed to offer mobile massage services.
A body rub centre cannot be within 300 metres of another body rub centre and can not operate from the same premises as a massage centre. Body rub centres must be within Calgary, however, the owner may live elsewhere.
Body rub centres applying for new licences are required to complete both a compliance and ownership statutory declaration upon application.
Body rub practitioner
Body rub practitioners are individuals who have a minimum of 250 hours of education/training from an approved school of massage, but are not a member of the recognized massage associations. All body rub practitioners must provide proof of employment from a licenced body rub centre upon application.
An original certificate of proficiency demonstrating 250 hours of massage training from a recognized school or institute and statutory declaration must be presented upon application.
Licence combinations
Businesses licenced as massage centres that offer other services such as hair and aesthetics, manicures, pedicures or physical fitness conditioning require a personal service licence. Businesses selling products require a retail dealer licence. If food or edible products including herbs, vitamins, supplements, non-alcoholic beverages or related products are sold, then a food service licence is also required.
Massage combo licence
Home-based massage practitioners that meet the eligibility criteria may apply for a combo licence. The ownership of the business must be a sole proprietorship and no other category of licensing is allowed on the licence (e.g. retail dealer or personal service).
Massage office
A massage office cannot have any employees or perform massages at the massage office location. This licence is intended for a single person operation who books their own appointments and then goes to a client’s location. Persons wishing to book appointments for other massage practitioners would be licenced as a massage centre.
Additional licence regulations
Acupuncture treatment is regulated by the Health Disciplines Act with Alberta Health - 1-780-427-3276.
Massage and body rub practitioners must be a minimum of 18 years of age.
In addition to an annually-renewed business licence, body rub practitioners require a photo identification card that must be renewed annually.
In addition to an annually-renewed business licence, photo identification cards are optional for massage practitioners and can be provided on request.
Consider your required approvals
Once you apply for your business licence, outstanding approvals must be completed before the business licence is issued.
A business licence will often have multiple licence types associated with it. Below is a chart of all the related licence types that fall under this business activity. If your business requires multiple licence types, approval processes are only generated once per licence. For example, only one fire inspection is required even if multiple licence types require that inspection.
Required approvals
| Licence Type | Land use | Police | Fire | Health | Provincial | AMVIC | ID card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Rub Centre | Required | Required | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Body Rub Practitioner | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Required |
| Massage Centre/Office | Required | Required | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Massage Practitioner | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Required |
| Personal Service | Required | Not required | Required | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Retail Dealer - No Premises | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
Land use approval
All businesses in Calgary require land use approval. Each space in a building has its own specified, approved use that cannot be changed without an approval, permit or both.
To view the allowable uses within a land use district, refer to the Land Use Bylaw. To determine the land use district of a property, visit myProperty.
You can also refer to Commercial, industrial and mulit-residential for more information, or contact our Planning Services Centre at 403-268-5311 to investigate land use approval for your business.
Calgary Police Services approval
This licence type requires recommendation by the Calgary Police Service through the Police Information Checks unit. Approval is completed by the Calgary Police Service and is initiated on your behalf through your business licence application. Please note that previous police checks cannot be used as a substitute for this approval process.
You are required to provide two pieces of valid, government issued identification, one of which must contain photo identification (ID).
You can show your ID:
- In person at the Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor
800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Calgary, AB
- By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca
- By fax: 403-537-3034
Please reference your Business ID (BID) in the email or fax.
Please note: for licenses requiring a statutory declaration or a City-issued ID card, proof of identification must be shown in person.
This approval generally takes about two weeks.
Acceptable forms of government issued photo identification include:
- driver’s license
- passport
- Alberta photo identification card (issued through registry offices)
- firearms license
- Nexus card
- permanent resident card
- Secure Certificate of Indian Status card (federally issued)
- aviation document booklet
- certified refugee protection claimant document
(For youth between the ages of 12 to 15 years old who cannot provide any of the listed photo identification options, a student photo ID will be considered).
Acceptable forms of government issued identification include:
- provincial health care card
- birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- immigration documentation (includes valid document issued by Immigration and citizenship Canada)
- citizenship card
- citizenship certificate
Fire Prevention Bureau approval
Most businesses that operate from commercial premises require an inspection from the Fire Prevention Bureau before the licence can be issued.
If a business licence is for a low fire-risk licence type, it can be issued if only the Fire approval is outstanding. Low fire-risk businesses need to have the fire inspection within 30 days of their licence being issued.
Before you book your inspection, you must be ready for business, which means:
- Applicants must be in possession of the space/site
- The business is ready to serve customers (e.g. shelves are stocked and fixtures are in place)
| Business Licence Approval Type | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Fire inspection | 5 business days |
To book your inspection contact 311 with your Business Identification (BID) number to request a Fire Inspection for Business Licence (call 403-268-2489 outside of Calgary) .
It can take up to 5 business days for an inspector to visit the space.
See the Fire Department Business Licence Checklist to see what is required for your inspection.
The Fire Prevention Bureau will notify the Licence Division with the results of the inspection.
This inspection must be performed by the Fire Prevention Bureau inspectors. This approval is in addition to any inspection done by the firefighting division, such as the occupancy inspection completed on your building permit.
Alberta Health Services Approval (AHS)
An Alberta Health Services (AHS) location inspection is required to ensure public safety. Any business involving the sale, preparation, manufacturing or storage of food products requires this inspection. Any business involved in personal service such as aesthetics or massage is also required to have this inspection. Contact AHS at 1-833-476-4743 for more information and to book a date.
Inspection results can be submitted:
- In person at the Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor, Municipal building, 800 Macleod Trail S.E. - By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca
If AHS advised you that your business type does not require a health inspection, please record the name of the individual you spoke with, their telephone number, and the reason provided. Please provide these details to The City’s Planning Services Centre.
Please be aware of all current provincial public health restrictions for in-person dining.
| Business Licence approval type | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Alberta Health Services | Contact AHS at 403-943-2288 for timelines |
Photo Identification Cards
If your business type requires an ID card, you must apply in person at the Planning Services Centre:
- Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor
800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Calgary, AB
Two (2) pieces of valid, government issued identification are required, one of which must include photo identification. The Calgary Police Service outlines acceptable forms of identification. Be prepared to have your photograph taken at the Planning Services Centre, where your municipal photo identification card will be created.
Fees
For business licence fees, see the Business Licence Fee Schedule. The business licence fee schedule is broken down by licence type. If your business requires multiple licence types, the highest category fee will be charged.
These fees do not include the costs related to required permits to meet land use approval, or any third-party approvals or inspections that may be required to obtain your licence.
How to apply
Online
If you need help when completing your application Live Chat with us, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday to Friday.
We’re currently experiencing higher than seasonal application volumes, we apologize for delays. To check the status of your permit, go to vista.calgary.ca and enter in your Job Access Code (JAC) number.
In person
Apply in person at the Planning Services Centre.
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Business Experience Representatives
Did you know we have a dedicated team of Business Experience Representatives, who will help business owners work through the regulatory process of opening a restaurant or brewery business in Calgary?
Additional information
Obtaining your business licence
A business license will be issued when all outstanding approvals are complete. If you wish to inquire about the status of your licence, please contact the Planning Call Centre at 403-268-5311.
The authorized business licence will be sent to the applicant in the mail, or if requested, can be held at our permit pick-up counter. When a commercial business is operational, the physical copy of your business licence must be posted in a highly visible location where the public can easily see it.
If you intend to make any changes to your business after receiving your licence, please visit Manage your business for more information.
How long is my licence good for?
Business licences expire one year from the issuance date. Forty-five days before the licence expires, a notice is mailed out advising the licensee of the expiry date. Any outstanding fines must be paid prior to renewal.
Business ownership changes
A business licence or business ID is not transferable from one person to another or from one person's business premises to another.
Multiple premises
A business operating from more than one location requires a separate business licence for each premises.
Licence type combinations
To ensure the proper approvals are generated for a business, multiple licence types may be attached to a single business licence. For example, a cabinet maker would require a manufacturer licence type; if the business is also installing the cabinets, a contractor licence type is required. Both licence types will appear on the same business licence document and only one renewal will be required.
Charitable organization
All charitable organizations must be associated with another licenced business activity. Approval must be granted by the province before applying for a municipal licence.
Businesses not eligible for a charity status:
- Alcohol beverage sales
- Tobacco retailer
All fundraising activity is governed by the charitable fundraising act. Charitable organizations that are only fundraising should contact Service Alberta, Consumer Services at 1-780-427-4088 or 1-877-427-4088.
All applicants for this licence type should first consult with the province about eligibility for this designation and register their business, prior to applying for a municipal business licence. Contact Service Alberta at 1-780-427-4088 (or toll free in Alberta only at 1-877-427-4088) for more information.
Planning Services Centre
Hours:
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. (MT)
Live chat:
calgary.ca/livechat
Call:
403-268-5311
In person:
Planning Services Centre,
3rd floor, Municipal building
800 Macleod Trail SE
Book an eAppointment for in person services at appointment.calgary.ca