Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Licensed massage establishments are inspected annually at a minimum to ensure they are compliant with laws and rules.

Yes, corporations who have changed massage establishment owners by adding or removing corporate owners or officers are required to update their corporate officers.

Information about changing corporate owners and officers can be found in the Licensing section.

Some ownership changes may constitute a transfer or change of ownership. If a transfer of ownership has occurred, you will need to apply for a new massage establishment license.

Yes. If you filed a change of name with the Division of Corporations for your partnership, corporation or limited liability company, you would need to update your establishment license by submitting a Massage Establishment Change of Name/Location application.

Yes. If you changed your fictitious name, registered a new fictitious name which you intend to use in advertisement, or cancelled your fictitious name registration with the Division of Corporations, you will need to update your establishment license by providing the fictitious name and registration number to the board in writing.

Your update can be made by email to MQA.MassageTherapy@flhealth.gov, or by mail to:

Florida Department of Health
Board of Massage Therapy
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-06
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Yes, if you are a new owner, you MAY NOT operate the establishment under a previous owner’s establishment license. If a transfer of ownership has occurred, you will need to apply for a new massage establishment license.

No. A massage therapist license is required to practice massage therapy in the state of Florida, though cosmetologists, full specialists, and barbers can perform massage related to the hands, feet, and scalp in accordance with their practice acts.

Massage is defined in Chapter 480.033(3), Florida Statutes as

…the manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body with the hand, foot, arm, or elbow, whether or not such manipulation is aided by hydrotherapy, including colonic irrigation, or thermal therapy; any electrical or mechanical device; or the application to the human body of a chemical or herbal preparation.

Cosmetology and specialties thereunder are regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and are defined in Chapter 477.013, Florida Statutes. Barbering is also regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and is defined in Chapter 476.034, Florida Statutes.

The practice of massage without a massage therapist license is a violation of Florida Statutes, and may carry penalties including citation and fines, administrative action, or criminal prosecution.

If you believe a person is practicing massage without a license or a massage therapist is practicing beyond the definition above, we encourage you to file a complaint with the Department of Health.

Yes, under Section 480.043(12), Florida Statutes, as a condition of licensure, a massage establishment must have a designated establishment manager (DEM). There is no exemption from the requirement to designate an establishment manager.

If you massage establishment is closing and you no longer wish to hold the massage establishment license, you can submit a request to voluntarily relinquish your license.

A sample inspection form is available on the board website.

Yes. A photocopy of a massage therapist license may be displayed. A photograph of the licensee must be affixed to the photograph.

By January 1, 2025, the massage establishment licensees shall post in a conspicuous place accessible to employees a sign at least 11 inches by 15 inches in size, printed in a clearly legible font and in at least a 32-point type, which substantially states in English and Spanish:

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in an activity and cannot leave, whether it is prostitution, housework, farm work, factory work, retail work, restaurant work, or any other activity, call the Florida Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-855-FLA-SAFE, to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking are protected under United States and Florida law.

Yes, if they are certified to do so. This certification is shown as “COLONIC” on the face of the license of a certified massage therapist, and can be verified using the Department of Health’s license verification portal.