Arlington, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- State license
- TDLR Chapter 455
- City permit
- Certificate of occupancy
- Zoning
- Commercial only
- Trafficking poster
- Required four languages
Summary
Massage establishments in Arlington must hold a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation license and a city certificate of occupancy. Therapists need individual TDLR licenses; the city inspects for human-trafficking compliance.
Sec. 455.005. EFFECT ON LOCAL LAW. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), this chapter supersedes any regulation adopted by a political subdivision of this state relating to the licensing or regulation of massage therapists. (b) ...this chapter does not affect a local regulation that: (1) relates to: (A) zoning requirements, including conditional use permits; (B) hours of operation; or (C) other regulations similar to those described by Paragraph (A) or (B) for massage establishments; (2) authorizes or requires an investigation into the background of an owner or operator of, or an investor in, a massage establishment; or (3) does not relate directly to the practice of massage therapy as performed by a licensed massage therapist...
Full Breakdown
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 requires massage establishments and individual therapists to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Arlington additionally requires a certificate of occupancy and zoning compliance under city development code, with massage establishments allowed only in commercial districts. Following 2019 reforms targeting illicit massage parlors, Arlington Police participate in joint inspections with TDLR. Therapists must display state licenses on premises, and establishments must maintain client records and post anti-trafficking hotline notices in English, Spanish, Korean, and Mandarin per Texas Government Code 402.035.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed massage establishment is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas law and grounds for city license revocation. TDLR can fine up to $5,000 per violation. Anti-trafficking poster failures bring separate fines under state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I operate a home-based massage business?
What is the trafficking-hotline poster?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington
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Massage Establishments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Tarrant County handle massage establishments.