Huntsville, AL Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing office
- City Clerk-Treasurer, Ch. 15 Art. II
- Health exam
- Physician verification within 20 days
- Reapplication ban
- 12 months after revocation
- Governing code
- Ch. 8, Art. II (Secs. 8-41–8-74)
- Enforcement
- Police chief and county health dept.
Summary
Huntsville requires anyone operating a massage parlor to obtain a business license from the city clerk-treasurer before opening, plus a physician's health verification, or face license revocation and a 12-month reapplication ban.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a massage parlor without first having acquired from the city clerk-treasurer a business license for the operation of that business as required by chapter 15, article II.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under Huntsville's Code of Ordinances (Ch. 8, Art. II), anyone operating a massage parlor must first obtain a business license from the city clerk-treasurer under Chapter 15, Article II. Before a license issues, the applicant and every employee must submit a physician's written verification, dated within 20 days of application, showing they are free of contagious or communicable disease. Licensed parlors must keep boiled, laundered linens, equip attendants in robes or smocks covering shoulders to knees, stay open to public and county health department inspection during business hours, and may not double as a dormitory. Violations can trigger license revocation after a city council hearing, with a 12-month bar on reapplying.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a license, employing masseurs lacking current health verification on their person, or permitting locked-door treatment are separately punishable; conviction is grounds for license revocation with a 12-month reapplication bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to open a massage business in Huntsville?
What health documentation does Huntsville require for massage employees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntsville
Compare Huntsville to another location·View the Alabama business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.