Definitions.
Saint Paul Legislative Code § 412.02
in effectSec. 412.02. - Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the terms defined in this section shall have the following meanings ascribed to them:
(1) Adequate or approved means acceptable to the director, following his or her determination as to conformance with public health practices and standards contained in existing health, building, housing, fire, food protection, or other applicable codes.
(2) Change of ownership means when a licensed business is sold or transferred to another person, business or corporation. A change of ownership, as it relates to an environmental plan review, does not include the changing or adding of officers to an existing partnership or corporation or change of a mailing address.
(3) Director means the director of the department of safety and inspections or his/her designated agent.
(4) Massage or bodywork means any method of applying pressure on, or friction against, or rubbing, stroking, tapping, effleurage or gliding; petrissage or kneading; vibration and jostling; friction; tapotement or percussion; compression; fascial manipulation; passive stretching within the normal anatomical range of motion or rolling of the external parts of the human body with the hands or with the aid of any mechanical or electrical apparatus, appliance or device with or without such supplemental aids as rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol, liniment, antiseptic oil, powder, cream, lotion, ointment or other similar preparation. The practice of massage or bodywork shall not include and is distinct from the practice of medicine, surgery, osteopathy, chiropractic, physical therapy or podiatry. Persons duly licensed or registered to practice medicine, surgery, osteopathy, chiropractic, physical therapy or podiatry, and nurses who work under the direction of such persons, are hereby expressly excluded from the requirements of this chapter, provided the massage or bodywork is administered in the regular course of a prescribed or authorized medical treatment and not provided as part of a separate and distinct massage or bodywork business. Beauty culturists, barbers and cosmetologists who do not give, or hold themselves out to give, massages or bodywork other than those customarily given in such shops or places of business for the purposes of beautification only, and persons who give massages or bodywork only incidentally to their general occupations and receive no compensation specifically for giving massages or bodywork, shall also be excluded from the provisions of this chapter.
(5) Massage or bodywork centers, as referenced in section 65.413 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code.
(6) Obscene and obscene work, as defined in chapter 274 of this Code.
(7) Remodel means any reconstruction, alteration or repair that requires structural, plumbing, mechanical and/or electrical permits; changing the location of walls; expanding the area of the facility; substantially changing or expanding the character of the business. Remodel does not include replacing a piece of equipment with a like piece of equipment; replacing wall, floor or ceiling finishes; repositioning equipment; providing new equipment that does not significantly alter the character of the business. The director shall have discretion in determining when this section applies.
(8) Massage or bodywork practitioner means a person who practices massage or bodywork as defined herein and conducts massage or bodywork services from a licensed massage or bodywork center, a licensed home location, or off-site massage or bodywork location, pursuant to chapter 412 of the Legislative Code. Off-site massage or bodywork location means any location where massage or bodywork services are incidental to the activities at the location. In an off-site massage or bodywork location, services do not represent a significant portion of the activity, services are incidental to the activities at the location and are infrequent. Off-site massage or bodywork service locations shall include, but not be limited to, businesses, and private homes, and other off-site locations and shall also include health/sports clubs licensed pursuant to chapter 427 of the Legislative Code and steam room/bath houses licensed pursuant to chapter 428 of the Legislative Code.
(9) Solo massage center shall mean a licensed location where a solo massage or bodywork practitioner offers and provides massage or bodywork services.
(C.F. No. 93-1644, § 2, 12-30-93; C.F. No. 03-897, § 1, 11-5-03; C.F. No. 07-149, § 166, 3-28-07; Ord 17-6, § 1, 4-26-17; Ord 20-2, § 1, 2-12-20)
Source: City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, City Charter, Legislative Code and Administrative Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITXXIXLI_CH412MABOCE_S412.02DEFetched: 11/1/2026