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Reopening: When can my business reopen?

The following detailed commentary provides guidance for industries on the reopening plan as of March 22, 2021

As of Monday, March 22, 2021, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is in Step 1 of Phase IV of the state’s reopening plan.

This page is intended to provide additional information on businesses and activities summarized in the Reopening Massachusetts report.  This is not an exhaustive list of all possible businesses that will be authorized open in each phase.  The list may be updated from time to time.

For additional information please visit the Reopening Massachusetts website www.mass.gov/reopening.

Unless otherwise stated, businesses expected to be authorized to re-open in future phases will be subject to certain limitations and guidelines that will be provided at a later date.  These limitations and guidelines will include a variety of mandatory context-specific COVID-19 safety measures such as occupancy limitations, operational modifications, social distancing rules, and specialized cleaning requirements.  All businesses are required to follow Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards and Sector specific safety protocols and best practices. 

All of this information is subject to revision based on the latest public health data. Each phase may contain multiple steps that stagger the reopening dates for businesses and activities within that phase.

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Table of Contents

Currently Open and Allowed to Operate

  • Banks
  • Financial Services
  • In house services (such as nannies, babysitting)
  • Real estate open houses
  • Construction
  • Firearm retailers and shooting ranges
  • Home remodeling
  • In home installations
  • Manufacturing
  • Places of worship
  • Auto dealers and wholesalers
  • Car washes
  • Drive-in movie theaters
  • Hair salons / barbershops
  • General office spaces
  • Lab space
  • Libraries
  • Pet grooming
  • Retail stores, including stores in malls
  • Casinos
  • Horse racing tracks and simulcast facilities
  • Driving and flight schools
  • Occupational Schools
  • Hotels, motels, inns, and other short-term lodgings
  • Personal services that don’t involve close personal contact (such as photography, window washers, career coaching)
  • Close contact personal services (such as massage therapy, nail salons, tattoo parlors, electrolysis studios)
  • Personal trainers
  • Restaurants
  • Fitness centers and health clubs
  • Movie theaters
  • Museums, Aquariums
  • Theaters and performance venues (such as concert halls)
  • Non-athletic instructional classes in arts / education / life skills
  • Funeral homes
  • Warehouses and distribution centers
  • Outdoor event spaces used for gatherings and celebrations such as weddings, including those in parks, reservations, and other outdoor spaces not designated as Phase 4
  • Motion picture, television and streaming production
  • Fraternal Orders and social clubs, including veterans' groups
    • Phase 2 if providing seated service of food prepared on-site under retail food permits issued by municipal authorities, following restaurant protocols (outdoor table service is permitted as of June 8, and indoor table service will be permitted in step 2)
    • Phase 3 if hosting an event in accordance with Indoor and Outdoor Events guidance
    • Phase 4 if serving as a large capacity venue used for group or spectator events
    • Phase 4 if serving as a bar
  • Beaches
  • Golf Facilities
  • Parks
  • Fishing, hunting and boating
  • Outdoor adventure activities
  • Outdoor gardens, zoos, wildlife reserves and nature centers
  • Camps including sports and arts camps (Overnight camps – Summer 2021)
  • Organized youth and adult amateur sports programs and activities
  • Professional sports practice and training programs
  • Other outdoor recreational facilities (pools, playgrounds, spray decks, mini golf, go karts, batting cages, climbing walls)
  • Other indoor recreation (such as batting cages, driving ranges, go karts, bowling alleys, arcades, laser tag, roller skating rinks, trampolines, rock-climbing)
  • Sightseeing and other organized tours (bus tours, duck tours, harbor cruises, whale watching)
  • Historical spaces / sites
  • Fishing and hunting tournaments and other amateur or professional derbies
  • Flea markets (following retail protocols)
  • Large capacity venues such as indoor and outdoor stadiums, arenas, and ballparks will be permitted to operate at a strict 12% capacity limit after submitting a safety plan to the Department of Public Health (large capacity venue protocols)
  • Dance floors will be permitted at weddings and other events only
  • Exhibition and convention halls may also begin to operate (following gatherings limits and event protocols)
  • Overnight Camps (Summer 2021)

Phase IV, Step 2

This is a future phase. Massachusetts is currently in Step 1 of Phase IV.

  • Amusement parks, theme parks, indoor or outdoor water parks
  • Saunas, hot-tubs, steam rooms at health clubs, gyms, and other facilities
  • Beer gardens / breweries / wineries / distilleries
  • Bars, dance clubs, and nightclubs
  • Street Festivals, Parades and Agricultural Festivals
  • Road races and other large, outdoor organized amateur or professional group athletic events
  • Ball pits
Last updated: March 23, 2021

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