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Cedar Rapids, IA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

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

Key Facts

City license required
no - state license only
Governing state law
Iowa Code ch. 152C
Local penalty
municipal infraction / simple misdemeanor
Adopted
2018, reenacted 2023

Summary

Cedar Rapids issues no separate city massage-business license. Chapter 59 instead makes it unlawful to perform massage therapy in the city except in full compliance with Iowa's state licensing law, enforcing violations locally.

It is unlawful to perform "massage therapy" in the City of Cedar Rapids except in compliance with the Iowa Code, regulations adopted pursuant thereto, and the requirements of the Iowa Board of Massage Therapy.

(035-23)

59.04 - PENALTIES A violation of this Chapter is declared to be a municipal infraction and a simple misdemeanor. Anyone found to have committed a violation of this Chapter, whether as principal, agent, or accessory to the violation, shall be subject to the general enforcement and penalty provisions of Cedar Rapids Municipal Code sections 1.06 and/or 1.12.

(035-23)

(Note: Chapter 59 adopted by Ordinance No. 050-18, passed November 13, 2018 and reenacted by Ordinance No. 035-23, passed November 7, 2023.)

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 24).

Full Breakdown

Cedar Rapids Municipal Code Chapter 59 defers entirely to state regulation: it is unlawful to perform 'massage therapy' in the city except in compliance with the Iowa Code, its implementing regulations, and the requirements of the Iowa Board of Massage Therapy, using the definitions set out in Iowa Code Chapter 152C. The City adopted the chapter to prevent human trafficking and prostitution operating under the cover of massage services, while protecting legitimate practitioners. There is no independent municipal license application, fee, or inspection scheme layered on top of the state credential.

Violations & Fines

A violation is a municipal infraction and a simple misdemeanor, chargeable against a principal, agent, or accessory to the violation, and enforced under the code's general penalty sections §§1.06 and 1.12.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cedar Rapids require its own license to run a massage establishment?
No. Chapter 59 requires compliance with the state's Iowa Code Chapter 152C massage therapy licensing framework rather than a separate municipal license.
What happens if a Cedar Rapids massage business isn't state-licensed?
It's a municipal infraction and simple misdemeanor under Chapter 59, enforceable against the owner, an agent, or an accessory to the violation.

Sources & Official References

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