HB 892: Professions and businesses; prohibit massage therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours

Georgia currently regulates massage therapy licensing and practice under Article 1 of Chapter 24A of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, but does not restrict what hours a massage therapy business may operate. This bill, as substituted by the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities, adds a new rule making it illegal for any person or entity to perform massage therapy between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., starting August 1, 2026. The bill also revises the law's definitions section. It removes the separate definition of 'entity' as the owner or operator of a massage business, and it drops the word 'licensed' from the definition of a massage therapy business, so that a massage therapy business is defined more broadly as an entity where massage therapy is performed by a massage therapist, without specifying that the therapist must be licensed. The other definitions, such as license, licensee, massage therapist, and massage therapy itself, are renumbered but otherwise unchanged.

• Makes it illegal for any person or entity to perform massage therapy between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., effective August 1, 2026.
• Removes the standalone legal definition of 'entity' as the owner or operator of a massage therapy business.
• Changes the definition of 'massage therapy business' by removing the word 'licensed' before massage therapist.
• Renumbers the remaining definitions in the massage therapy licensing law (O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-3) without changing their substance.

Massage therapy businesses and licensed massage therapists operating in Georgia, along with customers seeking massage services during overnight hours. The Georgia Board of Massage Therapy, which licenses and regulates these businesses, would also be responsible for enforcing the new overnight restriction.

Massage businesses that currently offer overnight appointments would have to stop operating between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. once the law takes effect, changing scheduling and staffing for those businesses. The change is often discussed as a way to curb illicit activity sometimes associated with late-night massage establishments.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-3 by removing the definition of 'entity' and renumbering paragraphs (5) through (12).
• Section 1 also removes the word 'licensed' from the definition of 'massage therapy business,' broadening who counts as performing that business.
• Section 2 adds new subsection (g) to O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-15, making it a violation to perform massage therapy between 1:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. starting August 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-16Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-03-09Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2026-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-03-06House Third Readers (House)
6. 2026-03-04House Postponed (House)
7. 2026-03-03House Postponed (House)
8. 2026-02-24House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)Primary sponsor
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-024)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   158 yea, 6 nay (2 not voting, 11 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #666

• massage therapy regulation
• business hours restrictions
• professional licensing
• public safety