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Deerfield Beach, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

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

Key Facts

Massage Establishment/Salon fee
$117.60 per year
Massage Therapist Licensed fee
$58.80 per year
Receipt period
October 1 through September 30
Late renewal penalty
10% + 5%/month, capped 25%
Unlicensed operation penalty
25% of tax due
State license prerequisite
Active DBPR license required first

Summary

Deerfield Beach requires every massage establishment and every licensed massage therapist to hold a city local business tax receipt before opening. The annual tax is $117.60 for a Massage Establishment/Salon and $58.80 for a Massage Therapist Licensed, billed under the city's SIC-coded business tax schedule.

Sec. 38-285. - Schedule of local business taxes. Local business tax receipts shall be issued to cover only one location and only one of the occupations or business classifications set out in this section, unless permitted under this article. The amount assessed as local business taxes against the various trades, businesses and professions are hereby fixed as follows: ... 7299 Massage Establishment/Salon 117.60 ... 7299 Massage Therapist Licensed 58.80

Full Breakdown

Under City Code § 38-263, no one may engage in or manage a business, profession or occupation in Deerfield Beach, including operating a massage establishment or working as a massage therapist, without first obtaining a city local business tax receipt for the current tax year; the receipt must be secured before the business opens and runs October 1 through September 30. 80, each billed annually per location or per practitioner. S. Chapter 480; the city receipt does not substitute for that state license. Section 38-262 additionally requires that the location comply with the city's zoning ordinance and the Florida Building Code before a receipt issues.

Receipts obtained between October 1 and April 1 are billed the full annual tax; those obtained April 1 through September 30 are billed half the annual tax. A receipt is valid only for one location and one classification per § 38-285's opening sentence, so a spa offering massage alongside other services may need a receipt for each classification it operates under.

Violations & Fines

Operating without a required receipt is a separate offense for each day of unlicensed operation (§ 38-269) and draws a penalty of 25 percent of the local business tax determined due, on top of the tax itself (§ 38-268). Receipts not renewed by October 1 are delinquent and accrue a 10 percent penalty for that month plus 5 percent for each additional month of delinquency, capped at 25 percent of the tax owed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Deerfield Beach license massage establishments separately from the state?
The city does not run its own massage licensing board; it requires a local business tax receipt under City Code § 38-263 and, per § 38-283(a), will not issue that receipt unless the applicant already holds an active Department of Business and Professional Regulation license, since massage is state-regulated under F.S. Chapter 480.
How much does a massage establishment license cost in Deerfield Beach?
The local business tax schedule at § 38-285 sets $117.60 per year for a Massage Establishment/Salon and $58.80 per year for a Massage Therapist Licensed, both under SIC code 7299, billed per location or per practitioner respectively.
What happens if a massage business operates without the city receipt?
Each day of operation without a receipt is a separate violation under § 38-269, and § 38-268 imposes a penalty equal to 25 percent of the local business tax determined due, in addition to the tax itself and any collection costs the city incurs.
When must the receipt be renewed each year?
Receipts expire September 30 and must be renewed by October 1; missing that date makes the account delinquent under § 38-268, with a 10 percent penalty for October plus 5 percent for every additional delinquent month, up to a 25 percent cap.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Deerfield Beach

All Deerfield Beach rules

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