Parma, OH Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- License holder
- Separate license per establishment location
- Issuing authority
- Director of Public Safety
- Application review window
- 90 days maximum
- License/permit term
- 1 year from issuance
- Business hours limit
- Closed 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Parma requires a separate City-issued business license for every massage establishment location plus an individual massagist permit for anyone practicing massage. The Director of Public Safety vets applicants through Police, Fire, Building and the Cuyahoga County Health Department before issuing either credential.
(a) Business License Required. No person shall engage in or carry out the business of massage unless he or she has a valid massage business license issued by the City pursuant to this chapter for each and every separate office or place of business conducted by such person. (b) Massagist's Permit Required. No person shall practice massage as a massagist, employee or otherwise unless he or she has a valid and subsisting massagist's permit issued to him or her by the City pursuant to this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-30: Local legislation current to August 3, 2026 | State legislation current to June 25, 2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 749 of the Parma Codified Ordinances treats massage as a regulated trade, not an ordinary storefront business. 02 bars anyone from operating a massage business without a City license for each separate office, and bars anyone from practicing as a massagist without a valid permit. 04). 06). 07). 09). m. 11). 03).
Violations & Fines
The Director of Public Safety can suspend a license or permit for up to 30 days for good cause, sanitation violations reported by the Health Department, or an employee's violation of state or local law at the premises with the licensee's knowledge (Section 749.12). Two suspensions within a 12-month period trigger automatic revocation. Denials, suspensions and revocations may be appealed under Section 700.04. Any violation of Chapter 749, including operating without the required license or permit, is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, under Section 749.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit if I already have a business license for my massage studio?
How long does Parma take to approve a massage establishment license?
Can Parma revoke a massage license for an employee's misconduct?
What happens if I operate a massage business in Parma without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Parma
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Massage Establishments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cuyahoga County handle massage establishments.