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

Winnebago County's Massage Parlor Ordinance, Chapter 22, Article II, makes it unlawful to operate a massage establishment in the unincorporated county without a license from the county clerk. Section 22-41(a) states: "It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in, conduct or carry on... the operation of a massage establishment, without first having obtained a license from the county clerk... All such licenses shall expire on December 1 of each year." Section 22-41(b) requires a written, notarized application and a $100.00 fee paid to the county clerk. The application must disclose the applicant's business history, any prior license revocations, criminal convictions, and must include fingerprints and photographs of the applicant and any masseur, masseuse or other employee under Section 22-41(c).

Once filed, Section 22-41(d) requires the county zoning, building and health departments to inspect the premises and report compliance within 30 days, and Section 22-41(e) requires the county liquor commission to hold a hearing on the application within 60 days. Under Section 22-41(f), the commission must refuse a license if the location fails zoning, building, health or fire code review, if the applicant or any manager was convicted of a felony or an offense involving sexual misconduct with a child, prostitution, pandering or pimping within the last five years, if the applicant is under 18, or made a false statement. Licenses must be renewed annually; Section 22-42 charges a $20.00 penalty fee for late renewal and forces the business to suspend operation after 30 days without a renewal. Section 22-43 lets the commission suspend a license for up to 30 days for prohibited touching or advertising of prohibited conduct, and Section 22-44 allows outright revocation for the same grounds.