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Kim Reynolds
GOVERNOR
Office of the GovernorChris Cournoyer
LT GOVERNOR
June 02, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 2602, an Act relating to the licensure of massage establishments, and making
penalties applicable.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sinc^ely,
Kim Wynolds
Govemor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 2602
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE LICENSURE OF MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS, AND MAKING
PENALTIES APPLICABLE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA;
Section 1. Section 152C.1, Code 2026, is amended by adding
the following new subsections:
NEW SUBSECTION. lA. '^Establishment" means a location where
massage therapy is practiced. "^Establishment" does not include
any of the following:
House File 2602, p. 2
a. A location where massage therapy is provided by a massage
therapist at the site of the customer.
b. Stand-alone devices, including chairs, that are operated
by the customer,
c. A location within a licensed health care facility where
a person exempted from this chapter pursuant to section 152C.9,
subsection 1, practices the person's licensed profession or
under the prescription of supervision of a licensed person.
d. A student clinic operated by a school of massage therapy
approved by the board.
e. A location where a sole practitioner practices massage
therapy.
NEW SUBSECTION. 5. ^Sole practitioner" meaTis a massage
therapist who provides massage therapy at a location over which
the massage therapist exercises physical control and from which
only the massage therapist offers and provides massage therapy.
Sec. 2. Section 152C.4, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph
1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
The board, or its authorized agents, may inspect any
facility establishment that advertises or offers the services
of massage therapy. The board may, by order, impose a civil
penalty upon a person who practices as a massage therapist
without a license issued under this chapter2_ os- a person or
business that employs an individual who is not licensed under
this chapter, or a person who operates an establishment without
a license. The penalty shall not exceed one thousand dollars
for each offense. Each day of a continued violation after an
order or citation by the board constitutes a separate offense,
with the maximum penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars.
In determining the amount of a civil penalty, the board may
consider the following:
Sec. 3. Section 152C.5B, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended
to read as follows:
2. A person licensed or who purports to be licensed under
this chapter shall, upon the request of any peace officer
investigating a complaint of illegal services, present a copy
of the person's valid Iowa massage therapist license, a valid
establishment license, if applicable, and a government-issued
identification to the peace officer. A person who violates
House Pile 2602, p. 3
this subsection commits a serious misdemeanor.
Sec. 4. Section 152C.7, Code 2026, is amended to read as
follows:
152C.7 Suspension and revocation of licenses.
The board may suspend, revoke, or impose probationary
conditions upon a license issued pursuant to rules adopted in
accordance with section 1520.3 this chapter.
Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 152C.10 Establishment license.
1. a. Beginning January 1, 2027, an establishment shall not
operate unless the owner has obtained a license issued by the
board. The owner shall apply to the board on forms prescribed
by the board. The board may perform a sanitary inspection of
an establishment prior to the issuance of a license and may
perform a sanitary inspection of each establishment biennially.
An inspection of an establishment may also be conducted upon
receipt of a complaint by the board.
b. The board shall require the owner of an establishment
to provide fingerprints to the board and shall submit the
fingerprints to the federal bureau of investigation through
the state criminal history repository for the purpose of a
national criminal history check, except that the department of
inspections, appeals, and licensing may adopt rules exempting a
person who has previously submitted fingerprints to the federal
bureau of investigation through the state criminal history
repository for the purpose of a national criminal history check
as part of an application for a license to practice massage
therapy.
2. The application must be accompanied by the license fee
determined pursuant to section 147.80. The license is valid
for a period as determined by the department of inspections,
appeals, and licensing by rule and may be renewed.
3. The board may deny an application for an establishment
license if the applicant is any of the following:
a. A massage therapist who is not in good standing with the
board or whose license is currently suspended.
b, A person who is under criminal investigation or who has
a criminal history determined by the board to be disqualifying.
The board may also consider criminal investigations and
histories of owners and officers of an applicant that is a
House Pile 2602, p. 4
legal person. Disqualifying criminal acts include but are not
limited to human trafficking as described in section 710A.2,
sexual exploitation of a minor as described in section 728.12,
sexual abuse as defined in section 709.1, money laundering as
described in section 706B.2, child abuse as defined in section
232.68, and dependent adult abuse as defined in section 235B.2.
4. The board may revoke an establishment license based
upon public complaint, upon receiving evidence of misconduct
or disqualifying criminal acts at the establishment, or if the
board discovers that the application for the establishment
license was fraudulent.
5. The board may take emergency action to suspend the
license of an establishment if the board learns of pending
criminal charges against an establishment owner or officer. An
establishment shall not operate with a suspended license.
6. An establishment shall keep records for a period of three
years from the date the record is created, which shall include
all of the following:
a. The name and license number of each massage therapist who
has worked at the establishment.
b» A calendar or schedule of appointments and receipts which
shall include the name of each client, and the name of each
massage therapist who provided massage therapy to the client.
c. Any other records required by the board by rule.
7. A school of massage therapy teaching a massage therapy
curriculum approved by the board is exempt from licensing as
an establishment.
8. The board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A
to implement this section, which shall include all of the
following:
a. A process for the evaluation of applications and the
issuance of establishment licenses.
b. Requirements for adequate, safe, and sanitary
establishments.
c. Requirements for compliance with state and local
building, fire, and health codes necessary to ensure the safe
and effective practice of massage therapy.
d. Requirements for retention of client and ownership
records.
House File 2602, p. 5
e. Requirements for initial and periodic sanitary
inspections of establishments.
f. Requirements for the transfer of an establishment
license.
PAT GRAS^EY AMY SINC^^R
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 2602, Ninety-first General Assembly.
/Iz/Awt
MEG^N NELSON
Chief jClerk of the HouseChief jClerk of the Hou
Approved . 2026
(I KIM*rVxNOLDS fA
Governor