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Kenton County, KY Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Rule
Unlicensed massage parlors prohibited
Legal basis
County Code § 113.15(E)(4)
State license required
KRS 309.350 et seq.
Training standard
600-hour massage therapy school
First offense penalty
Class B misdemeanor
Ordinance origin
Ord. 451.11, passed 1-25-05

Summary

Kenton County does not license massage parlors: § 113.15(E)(4) of the county code flatly prohibits any massage parlor, or any massage business run by someone who is not a state-licensed massage therapist under KRS 309.350, from operating anywhere in the county.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kenton County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sexually oriented massage parlor or any business offering massages that is operated by a person who is not licensed as a massage therapist in accordance with the provisions of KRS 309.350 et seq.

View official code

Full Breakdown

03 draw the line the ban enforces: a MASSAGE PARLOR is 'any business offering massages that is operated by a person who is not a massage therapist or that provides massages by persons who are not massage therapists,' while a MASSAGE THERAPIST must have graduated from a 600-hour massage therapy school, hold a valid state license, and be certified by a recognized body such as the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or the American Massage Therapy Association. 350 or it may not legally operate in Kenton County.

Ord. 04 extends its reach to both the unincorporated area and any city in the county that has not adopted an equal or stricter ordinance of its own.

Violations & Fines

Running a massage parlor without state-licensed massage therapists falls under the same enforcement track as the rest of Chapter 113: § 113.98 defines the underlying violations and § 113.99 makes a first offense a Class B misdemeanor, with a second violation within two years elevated to a Class A misdemeanor and penalized under the applicable Kentucky misdemeanor statutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a massage business operate in Kenton County without a state massage therapist license?
No. Section 113.15(E)(4) prohibits any massage parlor or massage business operated by someone who is not licensed as a massage therapist under KRS 309.350 et seq. The county treats an unlicensed massage operation as a banned use, not a licensable one, so there is no local permit that substitutes for the state license.
What counts as a massage therapist under this ban?
Section 113.03 defines a MASSAGE THERAPIST as a person who graduated from a 600-hour massage therapy school, holds a valid state license from a state that tests by written exam, and has been certified by a body such as the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or the American Massage Therapy Association.
What is the penalty for operating a banned massage parlor?
Enforcement runs through § 113.98 and § 113.99: a first violation is a Class B misdemeanor and a second violation within two years becomes a Class A misdemeanor, both punished under Kentucky's misdemeanor statutes rather than through a separate license-suspension process.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kenton County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSignificant RestrictionsSecondhand DealersSome RestrictionsAdult EntertainmentSignificant RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant Restrictions

All Kenton County rules

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