Massage therapists in Memphis must hold a Tennessee Massage Licensure Board license, and establishments need a Memphis business license plus zoning approval. The city restricts adult-oriented massage parlors through zoning to prevent illicit operations near schools and residences.
Tennessee Code 63-18-101 et seq. licenses massage therapists statewide through the Board of Massage Licensure. Memphis Code Chapter 9 requires a general business privilege license for any massage establishment, and the Memphis-Shelby Unified Development Code restricts adult massage parlors from locating within specified distances of schools, parks, churches, and residential zones. Therapists must complete 500 board-approved training hours, pass MBLEx, and post their license visibly. The Memphis Police Department's Organized Crime Unit periodically inspects suspected illicit operations.
Operating without state license is a Class B misdemeanor; unlicensed establishments face Memphis citations up to $500 plus closure orders.
See how Memphis's massage establishments rules stack up against other locations.
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