Paulding County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zoning districts
- B-1, PSC, B-2 only
- Approval type
- Special Exception, Zoning Administrator sign-off
- State law tie-in
- O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-1 et seq.
- Certification expires
- 12 months if unused
- Extension deadline
- 30 days before lapse
Summary
Massage therapy businesses in unincorporated Paulding County may only locate in General Business (B-1), Planned Shopping Center (PSC) or Highway Business (B-2) zoning, and only after certification as a Special Exception Use under UDO Section 230-30. The Zoning Administrator signs off on the site before any permit issues, and the operation must also meet every licensing requirement of Georgia's Massage Therapy Practice Act, O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-1 et seq.
Section 230-30. - Special Exception Uses. A use that, owing to some special characteristics attendant to its operation or installation, is permitted in a district subject to review and sign off by the Zoning Administrator or their designee that the site-specific requirements for maintaining such special exception use are met, and subject to special requirements, as set forth in the specific zoning district section. The Zoning Administrator or their designee shall maintain a written record of such review and -certification, which shall be a public record. A certification of Special Exception shall become null and void if no permit to construct the project has been issued within 12 months of the date of approval by the Zoning Administrator. Massage Therapy (B-1, PSC, B-2) provided all requirements of O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-1 et seq. as may be amended have been met.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
, the state Massage Therapy Practice Act, as that law is amended. Because it is a Special Exception rather than a use permitted by right, Section 230-30's general procedure controls how the site gets approved: the Zoning Administrator or a designee reviews the location against the applicable standards and issues a written certification that becomes part of the public record. That certification is not permanent. It becomes null and void if no permit to construct has been issued within 12 months of approval, or, for a use that needs no construction permit, if the massage establishment has not actually opened and been operating within that same 12 months.
An owner who needs more time can file a written extension request with the Community Development Department at least 30 days before the certification lapses, laying out the reason for the delay, how much additional time is needed, and a projected completion schedule. A. Title 43, Chapter 24A before opening; the county zoning approval addresses only where the business may sit, not who may practice inside it.
Violations & Fines
Operating a massage establishment in a zoning district other than B-1, PSC or B-2, or without the Zoning Administrator's Special Exception certification, is a zoning violation the Community Development Director enforces under UDO Section 130-10, with citations referred to the County Marshal. Sec. 1-19's general penalty applies absent a more specific fine: $100 to $1,000 for a first violation, escalating on repeat offenses, with each day of continued noncompliance treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a massage business locate in Paulding County?
Does the county issue its own massage therapist license?
How long is a Special Exception certification good for?
What happens if a massage business opens in the wrong zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Paulding County
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