Lexington County, SC Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Massage parlors prohibited countywide in the unincorporated area
- Citation
- Lexington County Code § 18-61
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 1-8 general penalty
- Post-conviction effect
- Business must cease operation immediately
- Extra remedies
- Civil/injunctive remedies allowed in addition to fine
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only, not Town of Lexington
Summary
Lexington County prohibits establishing or operating a massage parlor anywhere in the unincorporated county. Section 18-61 orders any such business to shut down immediately upon a conviction, and running one is a misdemeanor punishable under the county's general penalty section.
Sec. 18-61. - Prohibited. (a)The establishment and operation of what is commonly known as massage parlors is hereby prohibited anywhere in the unincorporated areas of the county.(b)Upon conviction of any person, the massage parlor being established or operated by such person shall immediately cease operation.(c)Any person who violates any provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction be punishable in the manner provided in section 1-8.(d)The remedies and penalties provided herein are not exclusive and are in addition and cumulative to any other remedies and penalties that are available under the common or statutory laws of this state or ordinances of the county.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
' There is no application, no inspection fee, and no path to a license, because the county chose an outright ban over regulation for this specific use classification, unlike neighboring municipalities that license and inspect massage businesses under their own codes. ' Section 18-61(c) makes the underlying conduct, operating or establishing a massage parlor, a misdemeanor 'punishable in the manner provided in section 1-8,' the county's general penalty section, which authorizes a fine up to the maximum allowed in magistrate's court and treats each day the parlor stays open as 'a separate offense' under Section 1-8(b).
Section 18-61(d) makes clear the county isn't limited to that criminal penalty: 'the remedies and penalties provided herein are not exclusive and are in addition and cumulative to any other remedies and penalties that are available under the common or statutory laws of this state or ordinances of the county,' opening the door to injunctive relief or nuisance abatement on top of a criminal conviction. This section traces to Code 1983, § 10-23 and has carried forward unchanged through the county's later codifications.
Violations & Fines
Operating or establishing a massage parlor in unincorporated Lexington County is a misdemeanor under Section 18-61(c), punishable under Section 1-8's general penalty, which caps the fine at the maximum allowed in magistrate's court and treats each day of continued operation as a separate offense. A conviction also triggers Section 18-61(b)'s mandatory immediate shutdown, and the county can pursue civil remedies like an injunction or nuisance abatement at the same time under Section 18-61(d).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a massage therapy business in unincorporated Lexington County?
What happens if someone is convicted of running a massage parlor?
Does the county have other ways to shut down an illegal massage parlor besides a criminal fine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lexington County
Compare Lexington County to another location·View the South Carolina business licensing & operations overview
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