Henrico County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Chapter 12 of the Henrico County Code regulates where and by whom a paid massage may be given. 1-3029 who administers massage for consideration. Under § 12-27, giving a massage for pay is unlawful in the county unless it is for medical, relaxation, remedial or hygienic purposes and the person giving it is a certified massage therapist, and even then the therapist may only work at a massage establishment, at a patron's regular place of business during business hours (seated massage only), at a beauty salon, care facility, health club, tanning salon, public gathering of more than 50 people, or at a residence.

The therapist must carry and conspicuously post his current state board of nursing certificate at the massage establishment (§ 12-3). Several professions are exempt from the whole chapter while acting within their licensed scope: physicians, surgeons, chiropractors, osteopaths and their supervised employees, licensed physical therapists, nursing-home and hospital employees under a licensed provider's direction, registered nurses, athletic trainers, and barbers or beauticians limited to massaging the scalp, face, neck or shoulders (§ 12-2). Section 12-4 separately criminalizes specific sexual conduct by either the therapist or the patron during a massage, including touching or exposing sexual or genital parts or failing to keep them opaquely covered, regardless of whether the massage itself was otherwise lawful.