Massage and Special Treatment - Licence directory

Under the Essex Act 1987, you need a licence for any property where the following treatments are offered:

• massage or chiropody
• electric treatment, radiant heat, light (including UV) or electric vapour treatment
• laser treatment
• sauna or other baths for therapeutic treatments
• or any similar treatment

Conditions of the Licence

• you must be 21 years old or older
• you will need to have a police record check (spent convictions are not taken into account)
• you must follow the Schedule of Conditions so that the licence issued remains valid. You can find this in the related downloads section
• you must pay the fee for the application in full
• this licence will run from the 1st April to the 31st March the following year
• if your property offers massage or special treatment without a licence you will be guilty of an offence and may be charged with a fine not exceeding Level 4 on the standard scale. Essex Act 1987, Section 18(1)(a)
• If you issue, publish or display an advertisement relating to a company for massage or special treatment that is not licensed, you will be guilty of an offence and may have to pay a fine of up to £1000 and a daily fine of up to £40

Exemptions

You may not need a licence if:

• you hold medical qualifications or membership (e.g. osteopaths or physiotherapist)
• you only offer face or scalp massage
• the premises is a registered hospital or nursing home

Please check with us for more precise exemptions.

• Massage and Special Treatment Condition
• Code of Practice 1 - Massage, Aromatherapy and Reflexology
• Code of Practice 2 - Laser /Intense Pulse Light (IPL)
• Code of Practice 3 - UV Light Treatments
• Code of Practice 4 - Sauna and Steam Rooms
• Code of Practice 5 - Spa Pools
• Code of Practice 6 - Electric and Electric Vapour Treatment

To apply for or renew a Licence for Massage and Special Treatments you must use our online form.

In order for you to be able to apply online you will need to create a MySouthend account. Our new online process makes applying for licences quicker and easier. As part of the ongoing modernisation of our licensing service, you can now create an online account. This means that you can apply for or renew, vary or transfer an existing licence and track its progress during the application process.

To apply for Massage and Special Treatments (notice to administer) please email licact2003@southend.gov.uk for an application form Once your application is received and processed a Council Officer will contact you regarding the next steps in the process.

Applicants are required to provide a DBS certificate no older than 1 month old from the date a Massage and Special Treatments application is submitted. We reserve the right to require original documentation.