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

Chapter 121, Massage Establishments, adopted June 17, 2025 by Local Law No. 3-2025, exists, in the words of § 121-1, to protect and preserve the public health, safety and welfare by establishing license, application, and renewal procedures and adopting standards and regulations applicable to the practice of massage. Section 121-5 makes the license mandatory: it is unlawful for any person to open, conduct, maintain or operate a massage establishment unless the space is licensed, no one may advertise as being in the massage business without a valid license, and a property owner or landlord cannot let a tenant operate one without the license first being obtained.

per § 121-6. Applying under § 121-7 means disclosing the identity, date of birth and last four digits of the Social Security number of every owner, officer and manager, any felony or misdemeanor convictions, and any prior revoked or suspended massage license; anyone connected to a previously suspended or revoked license, or a materially false prior application, must be fingerprinted. The application goes to the Police Commissioner, Fire Commissioner and Buildings Code Enforcement Officer for investigation, and the City Clerk may grant the license only if all three recommend approval within 30 days.

A denial can be appealed to the Commissioner of Buildings within 30 days of notice, with a hearing required within 30 days of the appeal. Licenses expire one year after issuance and must be renewed annually.