New Hanover County, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Article II of Chapter 14 regulates massage businesses countywide. Sec. 14-33 defines 'massage business' broadly to include health clubs, physical culture studios, and massage studios, and groups it with adult bookstores and adult theaters as 'adult establishments,' though licensed health professionals are excluded from the definition (Sec. 14-32). Sec. 14-61 makes it unlawful for anyone to work as a massagist or operate a massage parlor without a license issued under this division. Sec. 14-62 requires every applicant to submit to fingerprinting, which may be forwarded to the SBI or FBI.

Sec. S. 14-177 through 14-208, anyone under 18, or anyone who has already violated the article. License fees are set in Appendix B (Sec. 14-64), and the sheriff issues the license once these requirements are met (Sec. 14-65); it is valid for one year and must be renewed annually (Sec. 14-66). Licensees must post the license and a copy of the article in a prominent place, and each massagist must post his own license in his work area (Sec. 14-67). A parlor licensee is responsible for supervising the conduct of its massagists, and failing to suppress illegal activity is grounds for revocation (Sec.

14-68). Substantively, Sec. 14-34 bars massaging anyone under 18 except on a licensed health professional's order, Sec. 14-35 bars employing anyone under 18 as a massagist, and Sec. 14-36 requires the business to verify every patron's age. Sec. m. Sec. 14-38 prohibits a massagist from touching, uncovering, or manipulating a patron's genitals or vaginal area in the course of business, and Sec. 14-39 makes it unlawful to induce a licensee or employee to violate the article or the state's sexual-misconduct statutes. The sheriff or his deputies may inspect a massage business's premises during business hours (Sec. 14-40).