Chesterfield County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Clinic permit fee
- $100.00, $50.00 to renew
- Therapist permit fee
- $30.00 initial and renewal
- Permit term
- 3 years
- Operating hours ban
- 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Max criminal penalty
- $1,000 fine / 12 months jail
- Enforcing agency
- Chesterfield Police Chief
Summary
Chesterfield County requires every massage clinic and licensed massage therapist to hold a county permit issued by the chief of police before operating, on top of the state massage therapist license. Clinic permits cost $100 and therapist permits cost $30, both good for three years.
No person shall operate a massage clinic or act as a licensed massage therapist in the county without having obtained a permit from the county. Permit applications shall be made to the chief of police, who shall investigate all permit applications. Applicants shall pay to the county treasurer $100.00 for a massage clinic permit and $30.00 for a licensed massage therapist permit... All permits shall expire every three years on the anniversary date of the issuance of the original permit. Failure to file a renewal application at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the permit shall be grounds for revoking or suspending the permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 15-101 makes it unlawful to operate a massage clinic or work as a licensed massage therapist in Chesterfield without a permit from the chief of police, who investigates every application. Clinic operators pay $100 and therapists pay $30 to the county treasurer to cover investigation costs across the police, health, fire and other departments; renewal costs $50 for a clinic and $30 for a therapist. Permits run for three years from the anniversary of issuance, and a renewal application must be filed at least 30 days before expiration or the permit can be suspended or revoked.
1-3029 licensing requirements; the chief refers every clinic application to zoning, building, plumbing, utility, health, electric and fire prevention staff before signing off, per § 15-102. under § 15-100, and the police and health departments may inspect public areas of the clinic at reasonable times. Existing clinics and therapists operating before September 27, 2023 had 60 days from that date to apply. Selling or transferring a clinic voids its permit automatically, and an unapproved enlargement of the business structure does the same under § 15-105.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a permit, or violating any part of Article V, is a class misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and up to 12 months in jail under § 15-106. The chief of police can also suspend a permit for up to 60 days or revoke it after a hearing, and the county attorney may separately seek an injunction or civil abatement to force compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit if I already have a Virginia massage therapist license?
How much does a Chesterfield massage clinic permit cost?
Can a massage clinic operate late at night in Chesterfield County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chesterfield County
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