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Anchorage, AK Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Municipal license status
Unenforced since July 1, 2015
State license still required
Yes, under AS Title 8
Non-enforcement ordinance
AO No. 2015-78, § 3
Companion conduct rule
AMC 10.40.015 hours restriction remains

Summary

Anchorage's code still requires a massage practitioner license, but the Municipal Clerk was ordered to stop enforcing it in 2015, so no active municipal massage license exists today.

No person may engage in the business of providing or otherwise provide as a service to the public, massages or related services as an owner, operator, employee or contractor, or massage therapist without first obtaining a massage practitioner license from the state, unless such person is a health care provider. ... Effective July 1, 2015, the Municipal Clerk is directed to cease enforcing ordinances specific to the licensing of massage practitioners, including the provisions of Anchorage Municipal Code section 10.40.010.

Source: Alaska Statutes 08.61View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5010260; v11 updated 2026-09-01).

Full Breakdown

AMC 10.40.010 makes it unlawful to provide massage services to the public without a 'massage practitioner license from the state,' unless the provider is a licensed health care provider such as a chiropractor or physical therapist. But Ordinance No. 2015-78 directed the Municipal Clerk, effective July 1, 2015, to stop enforcing any provision tied to that license. Practitioners still need Alaska's state massage therapy license, and the companion hours-and-conduct rules in AMC 10.40.015 remain on the books, but Anchorage itself no longer issues or enforces a municipal massage practitioner license.

Violations & Fines

None in practice: the municipal massage practitioner license is unenforced; only Alaska's state massage therapy license under AS Title 8 applies, and it's enforced by the state, not Anchorage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Anchorage require a city massage license?
No. AMC 10.40.010 still lists the requirement, but the Municipal Clerk was directed to stop enforcing it effective July 1, 2015, per Ordinance 2015-78.
Do massage therapists in Anchorage need any license?
Yes - the State of Alaska's massage therapist license under AS Title 8, issued by the state, not the municipality.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Anchorage

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All Anchorage rules

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