Frederick, MD Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 15-47
- License term
- 1 year, renewed annually
- Minimum worker age
- 18 years old
- First infraction penalty
- $200.00
- Third+ infraction penalty
- $1,000.00
- License bond to stay appeal
- $1,000.00
Summary
Frederick requires a director-issued license for any massage establishment where non-certified staff perform massage, plus separate manager and worker licenses, with a pre-licensing inspection and annual renewal.
(2)Massage establishment means any business where any employee, agent, or contractor who is not a certified massage therapist or registered massage practitioner under state law performs a massage....(c)Massage establishment.(1)(A)Any massage establishment must have a license issued by the director under this section....(8)A massage establishment license has a term of one year and must be renewed annually....(l)Penalties. In addition to any other penalties provided for in this section, any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a municipal infraction punishable by a civil penalty of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the first infraction, five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the second infraction, and one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each subsequent infraction.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Management Code: Supplement 13 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 112).
Full Breakdown
Section 15-47 requires a license from the director of the permits and codes department for any "massage establishment," defined as a business where an employee, agent, or contractor who is not a state-certified massage therapist or registered massage practitioner performs massage; businesses staffed entirely by state-certified therapists are exempt. The licensee, who is the establishment's owner, or a licensed manager must be on the premises at all times while the business is occupied, and the director must conduct a pre-licensing inspection plus any further inspections needed to enforce the section.
A license runs for one year, must be renewed annually, cannot be transferred between persons or locations, and applies to a single specified location. Separately, anyone managing the establishment in the owner's absence needs a manager's license, and any non-certified person performing massage for compensation needs a worker's license; both require applicants to be at least 18, submit fingerprints and a photograph, disclose three years of employment history, and have no felony, moral-turpitude, or controlled-substance convictions. The section also imposes a same-gender massage requirement for workers who are not state-certified.
The director may deny, suspend, or revoke any license after a hearing, and an unlicensed establishment can be closed by the director or police until it obtains a license.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Section 15-47 is a municipal infraction with a civil penalty of $200.00 for a first infraction, $500.00 for a second, and $1,000.00 for each subsequent infraction. Operating without a license also allows the director or police to close the business immediately, and a suspended or revoked license not surrendered within 48 hours is itself a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every massage business in Frederick need a city license?
Can a massage worker in Frederick massage a client of a different gender?
What happens if someone operates a massage business in Frederick without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frederick
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