Greece, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Chapter 136, the "Massage and Massage Establishments Law of the Town of Greece" adopted April 21, 2009 by Local Law No. 1-2009, prohibits massage first and then carves out the only paths to operate legally. Section 136-4 states that a massage or massage therapy may not be administered, performed or allowed to be administered or performed in any business establishment in the Town unless permitted pursuant to Section 136-5, and separately that operation of, permitting of, or allowance of the operation of a massage establishment is prohibited in the Town, unless otherwise operated, permitted or allowed pursuant to Section 136-5.

Section 136-5 lists the exclusive exemptions: practitioners authorized under Title 8 of the Education Law to practice medicine, nursing, osteopathy, physiotherapy, chiropractic or podiatry; barbers licensed under Article 28 of the General Business Law giving a customary barbershop massage; cosmetologists, nail specialists, natural hair stylists or estheticians licensed under Article 27 of the General Business Law; students or employees supervised on-site by an Article 155-licensed massage therapist; and staff of licensed medical institutions, hospitals, hospices or nursing homes acting at the facility's direction. There is no separate Town license, application or fee for a standalone massage parlor; the only route to lawful operation is holding one of these state professional licenses or working under direct on-site supervision of someone who does.

Section 136-6 creates rebuttable presumptions: a building owner or operator is presumed to have permitted a massage establishment whenever a massage occurs on the premises, and a masseur who cannot produce a valid license on request from police or a Code Enforcement Officer is presumed to be violating Section 136-4. Section 136-7 lets the Code Enforcement Officer order a noncompliant establishment closed or revoke its certificate of occupancy, though that order is stayed 15 days to allow proof of compliance.