Newport News, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Opposite-sex contact
- prohibited by §24-2
- Violation penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor
- License consequence
- mandatory revocation
- Certified therapists
- exempt from 'massage' definition
Summary
Newport News massage parlors and health clubs may not let staff perform massage or physical-contact services on clients of the opposite sex: a violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor and grounds for license revocation.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, either as a public or private facility, any massage parlor, health club or similar type establishment, where any physical contact or massage with the recipient of the service provided by such establishment is provided by a person of the opposite sex.(b)It shall be unlawful for any employee, individual, owner or operator of such establishment to give or administer a massage to a member of the opposite sex.(c)Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished as for a Class 1 misdemeanor and, in addition, the commissioner of the revenue shall revoke the license of the establishment wherein the violation took place. (Ord. No. 1600; Code 1961, §§ 21C-2, 21C-3)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 24 defines a 'massage parlor' as any fixed-location business offering massage, baths, rubs, or similar body treatments, and a 'health club' as an establishment combining massage, baths, or exercise services for members or the public. The definition of 'massage' excludes services in hospitals, medical offices, and those performed by therapists certified by the American Massage Therapy Association, the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage, or the Associated Bodyworkers and Massage Professionals, as well as facial or scalp massages given in a licensed barbershop. Section 24-2 makes it unlawful for any such establishment, or its employees, to let a person perform a massage or physical-contact service on a client of the opposite sex.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the Commissioner of the Revenue must revoke the establishment's business license upon conviction, per §24-2(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are licensed massage therapists exempt from Chapter 24?
What happens to a massage parlor's license after a violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
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