Massage licence UK: London special treatment licence fees by borough.
A special treatment licence is what most London boroughs require before premises can offer massage. This guide explains who needs one, what boroughs charge in 2026, how renewal and therapist registration work, and what applies outside London, in Scotland and in Ireland.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Licensing rules, conditions and fees are set by each council and change every year, usually from 1 April. Always confirm with the licensing team of the borough or council where your premises are before you open or renew.
Who needs a special treatment licence in London
Part II of the London Local Authorities Act 1991 allows London boroughs that adopt it to license "establishments for special treatment". The Act's definition covers premises used "for the reception or treatment of persons requiring massage, manicure, acupuncture, tattooing, cosmetic piercing, chiropody, light, electric or other special treatment of a like kind or vapour, sauna or other baths". So a massage salon or day spa in a London borough will usually need a licence for the premises.
The Act lists exemptions, including premises not used for gain or reward, treatment by a medical practitioner registered with the General Medical Council, and members of a body of health practitioners that has notified the borough. Whether an exemption applies to you is a question for the borough.
London special treatment licence fees by borough (2026)
| Borough | Fee year shown | New licence | Renewal | Therapists and other fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 2026/27 (from 1 April 2026) | from £2,912 (lower risk); £3,136 (higher risk) | £2,240 | Variation £840, transfer £336 |
| Newham | 2026/27 | £1,072.50 (massage) | not listed separately | New therapist registration £88 |
| Hammersmith & Fulham | 2026/27 | £986 | £690 | - |
| Merton | not stated | £736 (massage, medium risk) | £466 | - |
| Haringey | not stated | £733 (class including body massage) | same table | £533 for each additional person giving treatment |
| Tower Hamlets | not stated | £732 | £732 | Adding therapists £150 per application since 1 April 2026 |
| Redbridge | 2026/27 | £710 (massage) | £492 | Variation £387, transfer £253 |
| City of London | 2025/26 (proposed) | £660 | £500 | With laser £760 / £570; 2026/27 not found |
| Hounslow | 2025/26 (as labelled) | £576 (£158 application + £418 licence) | £433 (£86 + £347) | £64 per therapist |
| Lambeth | not stated | £521 (Band B: body, sports, Thai massage) | not distinguished | Add practitioner £87 |
| Ealing | 2026/27 | £499 | £499 | Additional treatment/variation £93.11 |
Fees as published on each council's site, checked 9 November 2026; "not stated" means the page does not show the fee year. Westminster's schedule does not say which risk band massage falls into, so we show the lower-risk new fee as "from". Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea and Hackney fees could not be confirmed from their sites when we checked; ask those councils directly. Spotted a change? Email us and we will update the table.
How the licence works in practice
- Annual renewal. Licences generally run for 12 months, often from 1 April to 31 March (Hounslow, Ealing and Newham say so on their pages; Tower Hamlets says licences must be renewed yearly). Put the renewal date in your calendar well in advance.
- Named therapists. Many boroughs register the therapists who work under the licence and charge to add one. Keep qualification certificates and identity documents ready; Hounslow asks for a UK ENIC letter for foreign qualifications.
- Conditions. Licences come with standard conditions (Hammersmith & Fulham, for example, says they must be followed at all times). Read your borough's conditions before you apply: they can affect your fit-out and your client records.
- Inspections. Ask the borough whether it inspects premises before granting a new licence, and be ready for visits afterwards.
Outside London, in Scotland and in Ireland
- England and Wales outside London: there is no single national massage licence. Some areas have local acts, for example Nottingham, where massage and special treatments need a licence under the Nottinghamshire County Council Act 1985, renewable annually. Ask your council.
- Scotland: a new licensing scheme for non-surgical procedures applies from 6 September 2027 to procedures that pierce or penetrate the skin; massage is not named in it. Check local rules with your council.
- Ireland: we found no specific legislation licensing massage, and massage therapists are not among the professions regulated by CORU.
Checklist before you apply or renew
- Confirm with the borough that your premises and treatments need a licence, and which fee band applies.
- Collect each therapist's qualification certificates, identity documents and, for foreign qualifications, any recognition letter the borough asks for.
- Check your insurance covers every treatment you offer.
- Prepare client consultation records: use our free massage consultation form.
- Diary the renewal date and your council's deadline for renewal applications.
Keep documents and renewal dates in one place
Rytuo stores documents for each therapist with an expiry date, such as work permits, visas or medical checks, and reminds you before they expire, so you can renew them in time. The time clock records real working hours next to the rota. See software for Thai massage salons and rota and time clock.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to open a massage salon in London?
In most London boroughs, yes. The London Local Authorities Act 1991 lets boroughs that have adopted it license "establishments for special treatment", and its definition expressly includes premises used for massage. You apply to the borough where the premises are, and licences are usually renewed every year. There are exemptions, for example premises not used for gain, doctors registered with the GMC, and members of certain notified health practitioner bodies. Check with your borough's licensing team.
How much is a special treatment licence in London?
It depends on the borough. In the fee schedules we checked on 9 November 2026, a new licence for massage premises ranged from £499 (Ealing, 2026/27) to £2,912 or more (Westminster, from 1 April 2026), with renewals from £433 to £2,240. Several boroughs also charge per therapist. See the table on this page and always confirm on the council's site.
Do I need a massage licence outside London?
Only where a local act or local rules apply. For example, Nottingham requires a licence for massage and special treatments under the Nottinghamshire County Council Act 1985, renewable annually. Elsewhere, check with your local council's licensing team before you open.
Is a massage licence needed in Scotland?
Scotland's new licensing scheme for non-surgical procedures applies from 6 September 2027 to procedures that pierce or penetrate the skin; massage is not named in it. Local licensing may still apply, so check with your council.
Do I need a licence for a massage business in Ireland?
We found no specific Irish legislation licensing massage, and massage therapists are not on CORU's list of regulated health professions. Planning, health and safety, insurance and data protection rules still apply.
Do therapists need to be registered on the licence?
In many London boroughs, yes: the licence covers named therapists, and adding a therapist can carry a fee (for example £150 per application in Tower Hamlets or £64 per therapist in Hounslow, as listed on their pages). Hounslow asks for a UK ENIC letter for therapists with foreign qualifications.
Sources
- London Local Authorities Act 1991, section 4 (definitions, exemptions), checked 9 November 2026
- London Local Authorities Act 1991, Part II (special treatment licensing), checked 9 November 2026
- Westminster City Council: Licensing Fees 2026, checked 9 November 2026
- Newham: special treatment licence fees 2026-2027, checked 9 November 2026
- Hammersmith & Fulham: massage and special treatment, checked 9 November 2026
- Merton: therapist, massage and special treatment licence fees, checked 9 November 2026
- Haringey: special treatment licence fees, checked 9 November 2026
- Tower Hamlets: special treatments licence, checked 9 November 2026
- Redbridge: special treatments premises licence fees 2026-2027, checked 9 November 2026
- City of London: special treatment licence fees 2025/26 (committee appendix), checked 9 November 2026
- Hounslow: massage and special treatment licences, checked 9 November 2026
- Lambeth: apply for a treatment licence, checked 9 November 2026
- Ealing: licensing fees 2026 to 2027, checked 9 November 2026
- Nottingham City Council: massage and special treatment licensing, checked 9 November 2026
- Scottish SSI 2026/87 (non-surgical procedures licensing), checked 9 November 2026
- CORU: regulated health and social care professions (Ireland), checked 9 November 2026
- NAFKAM (Norwegian National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine): regulation of massage in Ireland, checked 9 November 2026
Information checked on 9 November 2026. Rules and figures change; if something here is out of date, email [email protected] and we will correct it within 7 days.
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