Tempe, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Operating hours ban
- 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. prohibited
- Minimum room lighting
- 60-watt fixture per treatment room
- Records retention
- 2 years, open to inspection
- License term
- Expires annually December 31
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, daily offense
- Suspension cap
- Up to 60 days
Summary
Tempe requires a City license to operate a massage establishment, sets minimum facility standards for lighting, ventilation and separate dressing areas, bans services between midnight and 6:00 a.m., and makes it unlawful to touch a client's genitals or administer massage for sexual gratification.
(a)No massage establishment license shall be issued unless the establishment complies with each and all of the following minimum requirements:...(5)Adequate dressing and toilet facilities shall be provided for patrons. A minimum of one (1) dressing area, one (1) toilet and one (1) wash basin shall be provided for each massage establishment; provided, however, that if male and female patrons are to be served simultaneously at the establishment, a separate massage room or rooms and separate dressing areas shall be provided for male and female patrons...(e)It shall be unlawful to practice or administer any massage techniques, whether for a fee or gratuity:(1)In a manner or under circumstances intended to arouse, appeal to or gratify sexual desires;(2)To any other person whose genital organs, buttocks or female breast are not covered by opaque fabric...(4)In any way touch the genital organs of the individual receiving treatment...(i)It shall be unlawful for any massage establishment to provide services any time between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 33 Update 4 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 11 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 16A, Article VIII covers massage establishments. Section 16A-161 puts the Licensing Officer (the Financial Services Director or designee) in charge of licenses, with the Police Chief fingerprinting applicants and running an ARS § 41-1750 criminal history check, and Community Development confirming zoning and building compliance. Section 16A-162 exempts state-licensed physicians, chiropractors, nurses, barbers, cosmeticians, reflexologists, home visits, employer wellness programs, chair massage, and City-permitted event massage performed by a clothed, state-licensed therapist. Section 16A-163 requires applicants to disclose five years of residence and employment history plus any felony or misdemeanor convictions.
Section 16A-164 sets an application fee and license fee set by City Council resolution (Appendix A), due annually by December 31, with a late renewal penalty and termination of any license not renewed by January 31. Section 16A-165 conditions licensing on minimum lighting of at least 60 watts per treatment room, separate dressing/toilet facilities for male and female patrons served simultaneously, daily cleaning of wet rooms, and a two-year business-records retention requirement open to law enforcement inspection at any time the business is open. m.
Violations & Fines
Section 16A-173 makes any violation of Article VIII a Class 1 misdemeanor under Section 1-7 of the City Code, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. The Licensing Officer may also suspend a license for up to 60 days or revoke it under Section 16A-169 for a felony conviction involving dishonesty, deceit, or sexual misconduct, false statements on required records, any sexual act with a patron, nudity, or letting an unlicensed person perform massage techniques on the premises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can massage services be offered late at night in Tempe?
Do licensed physical therapists or barbers need a massage establishment license?
What facility standards must a licensed massage establishment meet?
Can a massage business share space with a bar or adult business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
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