Norfolk, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issued to
- Individual operator only, non-transferable
- Practitioner training
- 200 hours, accredited school
- State certification since
- July 1, 1997 (Board of Nursing)
- Penalty
- Class 2 misdemeanor, $1,000/6 mo.
- Issuing authority
- Director of Public Health
- Chapter adopted
- Ord. No. 38,552, 10-29-96
Summary
Norfolk requires anyone operating a massage or bodywork business, defined in its code as a 'health parlor,' to hold an operator's permit from the director of public health before opening. Individual masseurs and masseuses need 200 hours of accredited training, and since July 1, 1997 anyone billed as a massage therapist must be certified by the Board of Nursing.
It shall be unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid health parlor operator's permit to operate a health parlor in the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 166).
Full Breakdown
' A 'health parlor' under § 21-1 is any place offering physical massage, steambath, hot box, electrical/mechanical/chemical magnetic bath, or stimulation exercises, on-site or by house call. Applicants apply in writing to the director of public health under § 21-37, agreeing to follow the chapter's rules and to allow inspections. The director sets the fee and issuance procedures under § 21-38, and under § 21-39 the permit issues only to an individual, stays valid until suspended or revoked, cannot be transferred to another operator or location, and must be posted in full public view at the parlor.
' Individual practitioners face their own credentialing under § 21-1: masseurs and masseuses must show 200 hours of massage-therapy training from a Board of Education-accredited school (those already holding a valid health certificate when the chapter took effect on October 29, 1996 had one year to comply), and since July 1, 1997 anyone billed as a massage therapist must be certified by the Board of Nursing. Personnel in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, licensed practitioners' offices, and barbershop or beauty-parlor staff performing only scalp, head, face or neck massage are excluded from the chapter.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the permit, or otherwise violating Chapter 21, is a Class 2 misdemeanor under § 21-3(a): up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, or both. An employee who performs masseur, masseuse or massage-therapist duties in violation of the chapter is separately guilty under § 21-3(b), with each day of unlawful employment, and each unlawful touching of a different patron, charged as its own offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a 'health parlor' under Norfolk's massage law?
Can a Norfolk massage operator's permit be sold with the business?
What training does a Norfolk masseuse need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Norfolk
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