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Tazewell County, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

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

Key Facts

Regulating chapter
Ch. 150, Adult Uses
License required
Adult establishment license
Issuing official
Adult Use Commissioner, §150.03
Exemption
Sole proprietor, 1 employee max
Max fine
$500 per day, §150.99
Application fee
$500 processing fee, §150.05(B)

Summary

Tazewell County treats a massage establishment as a type of adult entertainment establishment under Chapter 150 and requires it to hold an adult establishment license to operate in the unincorporated county, unless the business is a sole proprietor with no more than one employee, per §150.02 and §150.04(A).

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Tazewell County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT. Any commercial establishment having a fixed place of business where any person, firm, association, or corporation engages in, or carries on any of the activities mentioned in the definition of massage. MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS operated by a sole proprietor and no more than one employee shall not be considered a massage establishment for purposes of regulation under this chapter. ... (A) Adult establishment license required. An adult establishment license shall be required to establish, operate, or maintain an adult entertainment establishment within the unincorporated area of the county.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-7: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. LU-21-12, passed 9-29-2021; and Res. LU-26-09, passed 7-29-2026).

Full Breakdown

02 as 'any commercial establishment having a fixed place of business where any person, firm, association, or corporation engages in, or carries on any of the activities mentioned in the definition of massage,' and the chapter's broader ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENT definition lists massage establishments, as item (5), alongside adult cabarets, adult stores, adult theaters, and body shops or model studios as licensed categories. 03, before opening. The code carves out one exemption directly in the definition: a massage establishment 'operated by a sole proprietor and no more than one employee shall not be considered a massage establishment for purposes of regulation under this chapter,' which removes small, owner-operated practices from the adult-use licensing scheme entirely. 20, including the noon-to-midnight weekday and Saturday hours limit and the ban on Sunday and holiday operation.

Violations & Fines

Operating a massage establishment that exceeds the sole-proprietor exemption without a current adult establishment license violates §150.04(B) and is punishable under §150.99 by a fine of up to $500 per violation, with each day of unlicensed operation charged as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every massage business in Tazewell County need an adult establishment license?
No. Section 150.02 exempts a massage establishment 'operated by a sole proprietor and no more than one employee' from being treated as a massage establishment under Chapter 150 at all, so only larger operations must get the adult establishment license.
Who issues the license for a massage establishment?
The Adult Use Commissioner, defined in §150.03 as the Chairperson of the County Board, issues, denies, suspends, and revokes adult establishment licenses, including those for massage establishments that don't qualify for the sole-proprietor exemption, under the standards in §150.07.
What rules apply once a massage establishment is licensed?
A licensed massage establishment must follow the operating restrictions in §150.20 that apply to all adult entertainment establishments, including limited weekday and Saturday hours, no Sunday or holiday operation, and no alcohol on the premises, in addition to the license terms in §150.04.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Tazewell County

All Tazewell County rules

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