Massage Establishment Licensing & Regulations

The Village of Deerfield passed Ordinance O-18-09 Amending Chapter 7 (“Business”), Article 14 (“Massage Establishments”) on May 7, 2018 to regulate massage establishments. Any business with a licensed massage therapist on staff providing massage services is required to have a license from the Village of Deerfield.

The regulation of massage establishments has become a matter of growing importance affecting the public health, morals and welfare of the residents of the Village including, but not limited to, the prevention of such establishments from being used for the purposes of prostitution and the spread of disease through unsanitary practices and facilities. 

Therefore, all massage establishments must fill out an application to obtain a massage business license in order to engage in or carry on the business of massage. The license term will expire on December 31 of each year and must be renewed annually.  

Certain business operations are exempt from the license requirement. The exemptions are generally made for persons licensed to practice medicine such as a nurses, chiropractors or physical and occupational therapists. Massage therapists are not exempt. Please see the ordinance for complete exemption language (Sec. 7-87).

For more information, view frequently asked questions below.