Salt Lake County, UT Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- county business license before operating (§5.16.020)
- Application needs
- state massage therapist certificate + exact address
- Reviewed by
- zoning, local fire agency, county health department
- Alcohol
- prohibited on massage establishment premises
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor for chapter violations
- Appeal
- heard under §§5.02.140-5.02.180
Summary
Operating a massage establishment anywhere in unincorporated Salt Lake County without a county business license is unlawful under Code §5.16.020. Applicants must submit a state massage therapist certificate and the exact address, then clear zoning, fire and health review before the mayor signs off on the license.
5.16.020 - License—Required. It is unlawful for any person to operate, conduct, carry on or maintain a massage establishment in the county without first obtaining a business license from the county. ... 5.16.050 - Investigation of applicant and premises. A.All applications for massage establishment licenses shall be referred to:1.The planning and development services division for zoning approval, and for a search of outstanding arrest warrants;2.The local fire agency for inspection to determine compliance with the provisions of the fire code; and3.The Salt Lake County Health Department for investigation to determine the sanitary condition of the premises and compliance with applicable health regulations. ... 5.16.060 - Unlawful conduct and activities. B.It is unlawful to serve, store or allow to be served or consumed, any alcoholic beverages on the premises of any massage establishment. ... 5.16.090 - Penalties. Any violation of this chapter constitutes a Class B misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).
Full Breakdown
16 defines a massage establishment as any place where a massage therapist practices massage for a fee, gratuity or free demonstration, borrowing the practitioner definitions from Utah Code §58-47b-102. 020 makes it unlawful to operate, conduct, carry on or maintain that business without first getting a county license. 030 requires a state certificate proving the applicant is licensed as a massage therapist plus the street, building and room number of the proposed location. 050, every application is routed to three reviewers before the license official and mayor decide it: the planning and development services division checks zoning compliance and runs an outstanding-warrant search, the local fire agency inspects for fire code compliance, and the Salt Lake County Health Department investigates sanitary conditions.
040). 060 separately bars anyone not state-licensed from practicing or advertising massage therapy, and bans serving, storing or allowing alcohol to be consumed anywhere on a massage establishment's premises. 070 exempts the practitioner categories listed in Utah Code §58-47b-304. 180.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Chapter 5.16, including operating without a license, letting an unlicensed person practice massage, or serving alcohol on site, is a Class B misdemeanor under §5.16.090, punished per the state fine and imprisonment schedule for that class. A license can also be pulled through the revocation process in §5.16.080, and a denied or revoked applicant can appeal under §§5.02.140-5.02.180.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county license to open a massage business in unincorporated Salt Lake County?
What does the county check before approving a massage establishment license?
Can a massage establishment in the county serve alcohol?
What happens if someone operates an unlicensed massage business or practices without a state license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake County
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