For AI agents: read the machine-readable documentation index at /llms.txt or the single-file full reference at /llms-full.txt.
Form a Business

Massage Establishments

Baltimore City Code art. 15, subtit. 11
in effect

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-1 Definitions.

§ 11-1. Definitions. (a) Board. “Board” means the Board of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing. (b) Massage. “Massage” means the administration by any person of any method of exerting or applying pressure, friction, moisture, heat, or cold to the human body, or the rubbing, stroking, kneading, pounding, or tapping of the human body by any physical or mechanical means for any form of consideration. (c) Massage establishment. “Massage establishment” means any building, place, or operation wherein a massage is administered or permitted to be administered for any form of consideration. (d) Massage therapist. “Massage therapist” means an individual who has completed at least 500 hours of training at, and has received certification from, a school which has a massage training program approved by the Commissioner of Health and by a professional organization having the authority to approve massage training programs. (e) Massagist. “Massagist” means any person who administers a massage for any form of consideration. (f) {Repealed} (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 22-125; Ord. 94-286; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-2 Rules of interpretation.

§ 11-2. Rules of interpretation. (a) In general. In interpreting and applying this subtitle, the following rules of interpretation apply: (1) those contained in Subtitles 2 and 3 of the City Code’s General Provisions Article; and (2) any additional rules contained in this section. (b) Building. The word “building” shall be deemed to apply to any part or portion of such building. (c) Tense. Words used in the present tense shall include the future. (Ord. 22-125; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-3 Purpose and intent.

§ 11-3. Purpose and intent. It is the declared purpose and intent of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore in ordaining this subtitle to protect and preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the inhabitants of this City by providing a program for regulating massage establishments in order to eliminate the social difficulties that now exist in many massage parlors and to promote higher standards of health, sanitation, and professional competence therein. (Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-4 Exemptions.

§ 11-4. Exemptions. This subtitle shall not apply to: (1) physicians, surgeons, osteopaths, chiropractors, or therapists who are duly licensed to practice their respective professions in the State of Maryland or who are permitted to practice temporarily under the auspices of any associate or establishment duly licensed in the State of Maryland, while in the course of their licensed business or profession; (2) nurses and practical nurses, who are registered under the laws of this State and operating under a physician’s direction; (3) any duly licensed hospital, medical clinic, or nursing home; (4) a trainer of any duly constituted athletic team while in the normal course of his duties; (5) any bona fide health spa or health club offering or providing massages solely incidental to the furnishing of facilities for and instruction in physical fitness and actually occupying premises of not less than 3,000 square feet, of which not more than 10% is used for massages; (6) any corporation or association which is organized and operated exclusively for social or athletic purposes and which offers or provides massages solely incidental to the furnishing of facilities for such purposes and which actually occupies premises of not less than 3,000 square feet, of which area not more than 10% is used for massages; or (7) massage therapists. (Ord. 94-286; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-5 License required for massage establishments.

§ 11-5. License required for massage establishments. No person shall maintain, operate, or conduct a massage establishment within the City of Baltimore without a license previously issued by the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-6 Registration required for massagists.

§ 11-6. Registration required for massagists. No person maintaining, operating, or conducting a massage establishment shall employ, or otherwise allow, any individual to perform as a massagist, and no individual shall perform as a massagist, unless such individual shall have first been duly registered as a massagist for that particular massage establishment with the Department of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-7 Rules and regulations.

§ 11-7. Rules and regulations. Subject to Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”} of the City General Provisions Article, the Department of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing is authorized and empowered to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to carry out the purpose and intent of this subtitle. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Text Conformed 03/01/21; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-8 Application for license — contents; fee.

§ 11-8. Application for license — contents; fee. (a) Required information. Applicants for a license under § 11-5 shall file upon a form provided by the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing a signed application, subject to the law relating to perjury, setting forth the following information: (1) a definition of service to be provided; (2) the address where it is proposed to conduct the business for which application is made; (3) the name, local and permanent addresses, and local telephone number of each applicant; (4) if applicant is a corporation, the state of corporation, the names and residence addresses of each of the officers and directors of said corporation and of each stockholder owning more than 10% of the stock of the corporation, and the address of the corporation itself, if different from the address of the massage establishment; (5) if applicant is a partnership, the names and residence addresses of each of the partners including limited partners, and the address of the partnership itself, if different from the address of the massage establishment; (6) a photograph, at least 2 inches by 2 inches in size, showing the head and shoulders of the applicant in a clear and distinguishing manner; (7) description: height, weight, age, date of birth, color of hair and eyes, other distinguishing physical characteristics of the applicant; (8) a statement indicating whether the applicant has ever been licensed to practice or carry on the same business and, if so, when and where it was last practiced or carried on; (9) a statement that the applicant has never been convicted of any crime, motor vehicle laws excepted, or convicted of violation of any municipal code or ordinance or, if so convicted, the nature of the offense and the punishment or penalty imposed; (10) the number of rooms to be occupied by the business, together with a drawing of the interior arrangement and a list of the proposed equipment with a brief description of each piece of proposed equipment; and (11) the name and address of each massagist who is or will be employed in said establishment, together with a statement of his/her individual qualifications and the name and address of the last place of business where each individual worked. (b) Application fee. The sum of $25 shall accompany the application to reimburse the City for the cost of investigation, which sum shall be retained by the City whether the license is granted or denied. (c) Successor license. An application for a successor license shall be filed with the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing on or before April 1 of each year. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-9 Application for license — investigation.

§ 11-9. Application for license — investigation. (a) Referral to Board. The application shall be referred by the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing to the Board of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing for investigation and recommendation. (b) Police interview. Before the recommendation is made, the applicant shall be personally interviewed by the Police Commissioner or by his duly authorized representative. (c) Investigation of qualifications. The Board, in addition to investigating the items set forth in the application, shall also investigate the qualifications of the applicant. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-10 Denials; appeals.

§ 11-10. Denials; appeals. (a) Reasons for denial to be in writing. If the recommendation of the Board, after investigation, is that the applicant not be licensed, the Board shall state the reasons therefore in writing. (b) Judicial and appellate review. (1) Judicial review. An applicant aggrieved by a decision under this subtitle may seek judicial review of that decision by petition to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City in accordance with the Maryland Rules of Procedure. (2) Appellate review. A party to the judicial review may appeal the court’s final judgment to the Court of Special Appeals in accordance with the Maryland Rules of Procedure. (Ord. 19-332; Ord. 04-672; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-11 Issuance of license; fee.

§ 11-11. Issuance of license; fee. (a) In general. If the recommendation of the Board is favorable, the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing shall, upon payment of a license fee in the sum of $1,500 to the Director of Finance issue a license to the applicant. (b) Term. Every license so granted shall terminate on July 1 annually, or until a successor license is issued or denied by the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing. (c) Display. The Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing shall issue a certificate of license which shall at all times be prominently displayed inside the massage establishment. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 77-319; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-13 Unlawful acts.

§ 11-13. Unlawful acts. (a) General operations. It is unlawful for any person maintaining, operating, or conducting a massage establishment to: (1) remain open or provide services any time between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m., Official City Time; (2) provide treatment at the same time to persons of the opposite sex in the same room or quarters; or (3) provide to any person at any time any service which the Health Commissioner may reasonably consider to be dangerous to health or safety. (b) Violation of State law. No person conducting a massage establishment shall tolerate on the premises any activity or behavior prohibited by the laws of the State, particularly, but not exclusively, those sections within Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland proscribing prostitution, sodomy, perverted sexual practices, a bawdy place, adultery, fornication, any lewd and lascivious cohabitation, and all laws relating to obscene matter. (c) Violations of City law. No person conducting a massage establishment shall tolerate in his establishment any activity or behavior which violates this Code, particularly, but not exclusively, those sections which parallel the State statutes on immorality and obscenity detailed above. (d) Penalties. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished as hereinafter provided in this subtitle and, in addition to such penalty, it shall be the duty of the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing to revoke the license of the establishment wherein the provisions of this section shall have been violated. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-14 Inspection.

§ 11-14. Inspection. (a) In general. Any massage establishment, its equipment, records, and methods of operation shall be open during working or business hours to inspection by representatives of the Police Department, Health Department, Fire Department, Department of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. (b) Regular inspections to be made; reports. The Police Commissioner, Health Commissioner, Chief of the Fire Department, Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing, and the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development shall assign personnel to make regular inspection of such licenses, and a report of such inspections shall be made to the respective department heads in writing. (c) Denial of entry cause for revocation. Denial of entry of such inspectors during business hours shall be cause for revocation of the license. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-15 Revocation of license; hearing.

§ 11-15. Revocation of license; hearing. (a) Grounds. Whenever the Director believes that any licensed massage establishment or registered massagist has violated any of the provisions of this subtitle, the rules and regulations promulgated by the Department, or is not qualified to hold a license, the Director may order a hearing before the Board. (b) Notice and hearing. Such hearing shall be held at a reasonable time and place designated by the Board in written notice to the licensee. The hearing shall not be held until at least 10 days following actual receipt of notice by the licensee. (c) Decision. Following such hearing, the Board shall reduce findings of fact to writing, and if it determines that the licensee has violated any of the provisions of this subtitle, the rules and regulations promulgated by the Department, or is unqualified under the provisions of this subtitle to hold the license in effect, it shall transmit a copy of such findings to the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing recommending revocation of the license, and the Director shall immediately revoke the license. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 15, § 11-17 Penalties.

§ 11-17. Penalties. (a) In general. (1) Any person violating any provision of this subtitle or failing to comply therewith is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable upon conviction by a fine not to exceed $500 or imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (2) Each day that a violation continues is deemed to be a separate offense. (b) License revocation. Conviction for any violation of the provisions of this subtitle shall constitute cause for immediate revocation of the license by the Director of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing upon the recommendation of the Board. (Ord. 25-013 Section 1; Ord. 76-159.)
Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/15/11Fetched: 10/25/2026

Starting a business in Maryland? Maryland LLC guide: costs and requirements