Charleston Chapter 11 regulates massage parlors and therapists with city licensing, background checks, and operating-hour restrictions, layered on SC's state massage therapist licensure under Title 40.
Massage establishments in Charleston must obtain a city license under Chapter 11 in addition to South Carolina state licensure for individual therapists administered by the LLR Board of Massage Therapy under SC §40-30. Charleston requires owner and employee background checks, fixed-place-of-business operation, posted credentials, and limits on operating hours, and prohibits residential operation outside permitted home-business zones. Inspections by Charleston Police and code enforcement target unlicensed venues. Adult-oriented establishments masquerading as massage parlors face nuisance abatement under Chapter 24.
Operating without a Chapter 11 license is a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 and 30 days jail; license revocation follows criminal convictions involving the premises.
See how Charleston's massage establishments rules stack up against other locations.
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