Massage therapists in Michigan are licensed by the state Board of Massage Therapy under MCL §333.17951. Wayne County cities like Detroit, Dearborn, and Livonia add local establishment licenses, hours restrictions, and inspections targeting illicit massage parlors.
Michigan licenses massage therapists individually through LARA, requiring 500 hours of approved training plus exam. Wayne County itself does not run a separate massage licensing program, but municipalities including Detroit (Chapter 22), Dearborn, and Romulus require establishment-level business licenses with police inspections, posted therapist credentials, and prohibitions on locked doors during operation. Most cities cap hours between 7am and 10pm. Sexual contact violates MCL §750.448 prostitution statutes regardless of business setting. Inspectors check for residential beds, blackout curtains, and other parlor red flags during routine compliance checks.
Unlicensed practice triggers state misdemeanor charges plus local business license revocation. Repeat citations may result in nuisance abatement and forfeiture proceedings.
See how Dearborn's massage establishments rules stack up against other locations.
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