Douglas County, CO Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Douglas County Code Chapter 5, Part 1 requires every massage facility in the unincorporated county, or anywhere the County acts as licensing authority under an intergovernmental agreement, to hold a massage facility license before opening (§ 5-103). Facilities already operating before May 11, 2023 had to file a complete license application by December 31, 2023, to keep operating. On or after October 1, 2025, every prospective owner and employee must submit to a fingerprint-based Colorado Bureau of Investigation background check, run through a local law enforcement agency or CBI-approved third party, before being granted a license, assuming ownership, or starting employment (§ 5-105).

The Licensing Authority may charge an administrative fee of up to $150 for issuing or renewing a license or background check, and the fee cannot scale with employee count (§ 5-104(4)). Applications must disclose any conviction or nolo contendere plea for prostitution, human trafficking, fraud, theft, embezzlement or money laundering, and sex-offender registration status; failing to disclose can result in denial (§ 5-104). A temporary 30-day license is available during a sale or change of ownership and can be renewed every 30 days until the full application is decided (§ 5-107).

The Licensing Authority may deny an application if County zoning or subdivision regulations do not allow a massage facility at the proposed site, or if the proposed location has had a similar license revoked, suspended, or surrendered for cause within the prior 24 months (§ 5-106).