How to Start a Massage or Lomilomi Business in Hawaii: 570 Hours, Therapist and Establishment Licenses, 12 CE Hours and the Advertising Rules

If you plan to offer massage or lomilomi for pay in Hawaii, you need a massage therapist license. If you work from a physical space, you also need a separate massage establishment license. Many people assume lomilomi is a cultural practice that sits outside state licensing. It does not. Hawaii's massage statute, HRS 452-1, defines massage to include "Hawaiian massage," which is commonly known as lomilomi. Calling your service something else will not take it outside the law.

This guide walks through the steps in the order most people need them: training, the state exam, the therapist application, business paperwork, the General Excise Tax (GET) license, the establishment license, advertising, and renewals. It also flags the mistakes that cost new practitioners time and money.

Informational content only. This article is not legal or tax advice. Fees, rules, and agency procedures change. Confirm every figure with the agency named before you pay, and talk to a qualified attorney or CPA if your situation is complex, such as a practice with employees, multiple locations, or a non-traditional healing model.

Quick Reference: Hawaii Massage Licensing Numbers

Item	Figure or rule
Minimum training	570 hours: 50 in anatomy, physiology and structural kinesiology; 100 in theory and demonstration; 420 practical
Therapist application fee	$50, non-refundable
Renewal, therapist or establishment	$164 (2026 figure)
Expiration	June 30 of even-numbered years; next is June 30, 2028
Continuing education	12 hours every two years, including 2 hours of first aid, CPR or emergency courses
GET license	$20, one time
LLC filing (Form LLC-1)	$50, plus $12.50 annual report
Trade name (Form T-1)	$50 plus $1 State Archives fee; valid five years

Materials and Documents You Will Need

• Government-issued photo ID, if the board's application packet asks for it.
• Proof of training: school transcripts or completion records showing your 570 hours by category, or board apprenticeship records if you train under a board apprentice program.
• The current board application packet. Download it from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) rather than reusing an old copy.
• Payment for the $50 application fee, using the method the board accepts.
• A business name that you have checked in the BREG business name search at hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/search-and-buy.
• A Hawaii registered agent if you form an LLC. The agent must be physically present in Hawaii.
• A Hawaii street address for your premises, whether a studio or a home space that will be set apart for the practice.
• A federal EIN from the IRS, which you need for bank accounts, tax filings and payroll.
• An internet-connected computer for Hawaii Business Express (HBE) and Hawaii Tax Online.

Step-by-Step: Starting a Massage or Lomilomi Business in Hawaii

Step 1: Confirm that your service falls under the massage statute

Hawaii's massage law (HRS 452) covers massage, including lomilomi offered for pay. The statute has two carve-outs. The first covers people who hold another healing arts license and practice within that license. The second covers licensed barbers and cosmetologists working within their own trade (HRS 452-21). The statute has no traditional healer exemption. If you rely on one, get the Board of Massage Therapy's answer in writing before you take a paying client.

Step 2: Complete at least 570 hours of training

The minimum breaks into three parts: 50 hours in anatomy, physiology and structural kinesiology, 100 hours in theory and demonstration, and 420 hours of practical training. The practical hours must come from a licensed school or from a board apprenticeship. If you train as a board apprentice, the hours must be Hawaii apprenticeship hours.

Ask your school for a breakdown by category, not just a total, and keep copies of your sign-in sheets and transcripts. A 570-hour total with unclear categories can slow an application.

Step 3: Pass the state exam

After training, you must pass the state exam before you can be licensed. Confirm the exam name, registration process, scheduling, and fee with the Board of Massage Therapy through DCCA before you register. Those details are not settled in this guide, so do not budget for an exam fee until the board confirms it.

Step 4: File your therapist license application

Submit the board's application packet with the $50 application fee. The fee is non-refundable, so check your hours and documents against the packet before you send anything. The packet figures were published in 2024, so confirm the current fee and packet with the board. Ask about current processing times too, because turnaround can change.

Step 5: Choose your business structure

Your therapist license belongs to you as an individual. An LLC or corporation does not replace it. Many practitioners start as sole proprietors and form an LLC once they hire staff or want to separate personal and business liability. If you form an LLC:

• Name: It must include "Limited Liability Company," "L.L.C." or "LLC." It cannot be substantially identical to a name already registered. You can reserve a name for 120 days for $10.
• Filing: Submit Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) for $50 through HBE at hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov.
• Registered agent: Name an agent who is physically present in Hawaii. The articles must list the agent's full Hawaii street address. An LLC cannot be its own registered agent. A commercial registered agent files a listing statement for $100.
• Annual report: $12.50, due by the end of the calendar quarter in which you registered. You do not file one in the year you register. For example, an LLC registered in February 2027 files its first annual report by March 31, 2028.
• Speed: Expedited review is normally an extra $25. BREG says expedited processing is not available right now following the July 6, 2026 move to its new registration system, so plan on routine processing.

Step 6: Register a trade name if you operate under a different name

If your public name differs from your legal name or LLC name, register a trade name with BREG on Form T-1 at cca.hawaii.gov/breg/registration/trade. The fee is $50 plus a $1 State Archives preservation fee. An optional $20 expedited fee is listed, but BREG says expedited processing is not available right now. A trade name registration lasts five years, and DCCA does not send renewal notices, so set your own reminder. Hawaii has no county-level DBA filing.

Step 7: Get your General Excise Tax license

Hawaii has no sales tax. Instead, the General Excise Tax (GET) is levied on your gross receipts, not on the customer. The state rate is 4.0 percent, plus a 0.5 percent county surcharge, for a 4.5 percent rate on most retail goods and services. Confirm with the Department of Taxation which rate applies to your massage receipts.

The GET license is a one-time $20 fee. Apply on Form BB-1 or through Hawaii Tax Online at tax.hawaii.gov/get. An in-person application is processed immediately, online applications take 5 to 7 business days, and mailed applications take 4 to 6 weeks. You must file returns even in a period with no income, so put those filing dates on your calendar from the first day.

Pricing tip: Quote your rates as all-in. If you show GET as a separate line on invoices, the maximum rate you can visibly pass on to customers is 4.7120 percent.

Step 8: Secure premises and apply for the establishment license

If clients come to a physical location, the premises need a massage establishment license, which is separate from your therapist license (HRS 452-1). If you operate from your home, the space used for massage must be set apart and used for nothing else. A treatment room that doubles as a bedroom or family room does not meet that standard.

The establishment application fee and process are not confirmed in this guide, so check them with the Board of Massage Therapy before you sign a lease or remodel. Ask the board as well whether a mobile practice that never sees clients at a fixed location needs an establishment license.

Check zoning with the county planning department. Hawaii has four counties (Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui and Kauai) and no incorporated cities, and each county sets its own planning and zoning rules, so the answer for a home studio can differ from one county to another.

Step 9: Hire staff correctly, if you plan to

Every therapist who works in your establishment should hold a current Hawaii license before the first session. Check license status with the board before you hire. If you have employees, follow the Prepaid Health Care Act, and confirm your obligations with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR). Hiring is the point where many solo practitioners first run into payroll and benefits rules, so get professional advice before you make offers.

Step 10: Advertise within the statute

Every advertisement must carry your current license number. The statute also limits the terms you may use to describe the service: "therapeutic massage" or "massage therapy" (HRS 452-23). That applies to your website, social media, booking platforms, directory listings and signage.

As written, the rule means you should not use "lomilomi" as the name of your service in an ad. If you want to describe your cultural background, training lineage or Hawaiian roots, have an attorney or the board review the exact wording before you publish it.

Step 11: Track renewals and continuing education

Licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years, and the next expiration is June 30, 2028. Renewal for a therapist or establishment license is $164 as of 2026. Since July 1, 2024, you need 12 hours of continuing education every two years, and at least 2 of those hours must be in first aid, CPR or emergency courses (HRS 452-16). Start tracking your CE hours on the first day of the cycle, and keep every certificate. Scrambling in June to find 12 hours is easy to avoid.

What Results to Expect, and How to Describe Them

Clients experience massage differently, so describe outcomes in hedged terms. Phrases such as "may help you relax," "many clients find sessions ease muscle tension," or "designed to promote relaxation" are accurate and defensible. Avoid claims that a session treats, cures, heals or prevents an illness or injury. Health claims can draw attention from the Federal Trade Commission and from FDA when a product is involved, so have an attorney review your marketing copy before you publish it.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Marketing before you are licensed. Do not advertise, take deposits or book paying clients until your therapist license is issued.
• Using "lomilomi" as your service name in ads. Stick to "therapeutic massage" or "massage therapy" and get review for any other wording.
• Assuming an LLC replaces your license. The LLC is a business entity. Your therapist license is personal to you.
• Submitting hours without a category breakdown. The 50, 100 and 420 hour categories each matter.
• Paying the application fee before checking eligibility. The $50 fee is non-refundable.
• Adding a "sales tax" line. Hawaii has no sales tax. Price your services and manage GET internally.
• Running a home studio that is not set apart. A space shared with personal living areas can fail the establishment requirement.
• Forgetting the annual report or the trade name renewal. Annual reports are due by the end of the quarter in which you registered. Trade names last five years, and DCCA sends no reminder.
• Waiting until June to earn CE hours. Track hours from the first day of your two-year cycle.

Where to Confirm Each Step

• Board of Massage Therapy and DCCA licensing: cca.hawaii.gov, under the Professional and Vocational Licensing division.
• Business registration (LLC, corporation, trade name): cca.hawaii.gov/breg
• GET license and returns: tax.hawaii.gov
• Free business advising: the Hawaii Small Business Development Center at hisbdc.org

Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Licensing rules, fees, deadlines and tax treatment can change, and the figures here may not reflect the latest agency updates. Confirm each number with the named agency before you file or pay, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA for advice about your specific situation.