§ 15-270. Minimum standards.

(a)

Massage therapist. No applicant shall be issued a license as a "massage therapist" unless both of the following standards are first met:

(1)

The applicant must be of good moral character. No applicant shall be found to have met this requirement if said applicant has been convicted, pled guilty, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to any felony, or to any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, within a period of five (5) years prior to the filing of the application; and

(2)

The applicant must be the holder of a diploma or certificate earned by the applicant from a state certified school, representative of the fact that the applicant attended a course of massage therapy education and study of not less than five hundred (500) classroom hours consisting of a curriculum of anatomy and physiology, basic massage theory, technique and clinical practice, approach to massage, allied modalities and disease awareness, and other such subjects and have passed the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Body Work exam for massage therapists.

(b)

Massage establishment. No applicant shall be issued a license for a "massage establishment" unless all of the following standards are first met:

(1)

The applicant, including the partner applying on behalf of a partnership and an agent applying on behalf of a corporation, must be of good moral character. No applicant shall be found to have met this requirement if said applicant has been convicted, pled guilty, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to any felony, or to any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, within a period of four (4) years prior to the filing of the application;

(2)

A corporate applicant must be chartered under the laws of Georgia or authorized by the Secretary of State to do business in Georgia. The applicant shall be the owner or legal agent of the establishment. The corporate applicant must identify an agent for service of process in DeKalb County;

(3)

The owner/applicant, or corporate agent must be a resident of the State of Georgia;

(4)

A readable sign shall be posted at the main entrance identifying the establishment as a massage establishment, provided also that all such signs shall comply with the sign requirements of the DeKalb County Code;

(5)

Minimum lighting shall be provided in accordance with the Uniform Building Code, and, additionally, at least one (1) artificial light of not less than forty (40) watts shall be provided in each enclosed room or booth;

(6)

Ordinary beds or mattresses shall not be permitted in any licensed massage establishment;

(7)

Minimum ventilation shall be provided in accordance with the Standard Mechanical Code and the Georgia Energy Code; and

(8)

The establishment, prior to the issuance of any license hereunder, must be in compliance with all applicable building and life safety codes, and the building to be occupied must have a valid, current certificate of occupancy.

(Ord. No. 99-05, § 1, 2-9-99)