Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses massage therapists and establishments statewide under Occupations Code Chapter 455; Austin City Code Chapter 4-9 layers local registration, zoning, and human-trafficking inspections on top of the state license.
Massage therapy in Austin requires both a TDLR therapist license under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 and an establishment license. Austin Code Chapter 4-9 adds local registration, building inspection, and zoning compliance, and supports anti-trafficking enforcement by APD's Human Trafficking Unit. Establishments must post licenses publicly, maintain client records, restrict operating hours, prohibit residential lodging on premises, and block entry to anyone under 18 unaccompanied. TDLR may suspend licenses for sexual misconduct, unlicensed practice, or trafficking indicators. Austin's 2018 SB 2065 overhaul tightened licensing and gave municipalities clearer enforcement tools. Mobile and outcall massage requires the same license as fixed-location work. Code Compliance handles routine inspections; APD handles criminal enforcement.
Operating an unlicensed establishment, employing an unlicensed therapist, or trafficking indicators trigger TDLR fines up to $5,000 per violation, license revocation, and Austin class C misdemeanor citations. Federal trafficking charges and asset forfeiture can apply for repeat offenders.
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See how Austin's massage establishments rules stack up against other locations.
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