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Reno, NV Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing chapter
RMC Ch. 5.23
License required for
Establishment plus each therapist
Background check
Required via Reno Police Dept.
Operating hours limit
Closed 11 p.m.–6 a.m.
Revocation bar
2 years after suspension/revocation

Summary

Reno requires a massage establishment business license before any business offering massage can operate, on top of the individual therapist's state license.

It is unlawful for any person to operate, manage or maintain a business wherein massages are performed unless such a person holds a valid massage establishment business license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Administrative Code: Supplement 64 | Land Development Code: Supplement 5 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Operating, managing, or maintaining a business where massages are performed without a valid massage establishment license is unlawful under Reno Municipal Code Chapter 5.23. Therapists must separately hold a Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy license under NRS/NAC Chapter 640C, and an establishment cannot let unlicensed therapists work on-site. Owners who personally perform massage need both licenses. The license covers a specific location plus outcall work from that location.

Violations & Fines

Operating without the establishment license, or letting an unlicensed therapist perform massage on-site, is unlawful under RMC 5.23.020 and grounds for license denial, suspension, or revocation under RMC 5.23.070.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a licensed massage therapist work without an establishment license?
Only if exempt, such as a self-practitioner in a commercial location with no employees; otherwise the fixed place of business needs its own RMC 5.23 license.
What hours can a Reno massage establishment operate?
RMC 5.23.050 bars operating or administering a massage between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., regardless of the establishment license.

Sources & Official References

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All Reno rules

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