--- title: HB 892. Professions and businesses; prohibit massage therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb892 cite_as: HB 892, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb892 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb892.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb892/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71922 date: 2026-03-16 status: engrossed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb891.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb893.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 685 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb892.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 892 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2026-03-06 last_action: Senate Read Second Time sponsors: - Scott Holcomb - Debbie Buckner - Tanya Miller - Stacey Evans - Carter Barrett - Ricky Williams text_version: Comm Sub has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB892/2025 upstream_id: 2017617 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - massage therapy regulation - business hours restrictions - professional licensing - public safety --- # HB 892. Professions and businesses; prohibit massage therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours ## Text The Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities offered the following substitute to HB 892: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 24A of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to massage therapy practice generally, so as to prohibit massage therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours; to revise definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Article 1 of Chapter 24A of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to massage therapy practice generally, is amended by revising paragraphs (5) through (12) of Code Section 43-24A-3, relating to definitions, as follows: "(5) 'Entity' means the owner or operator of a business where massage therapy for compensation is performed. (6)(5) 'License' means a valid and current certificate of registration issued by the board pursuant to this chapter to practice massage therapy. (7)(6) 'Licensee' means any person holding a license. (8)(7) 'Massage therapist' means a person licensed under this chapter as a massage therapist who administers or teaches massage or massage therapy for compensation. (9)(8) 'Massage therapy' or 'massage' means the application of a system of structured touch, pressure, movement, and holding to the soft tissue of the body in which the primary intent is to enhance or restore health and well-being. Such term includes complementary methods, including without limitation cupping therapy, taping techniques, the external application of water, superficial heat, superficial cold, lubricants, salt scrubs, or other topical preparations and the use of commercially available electromechanical devices which do not require the use of transcutaneous electrodes and which mimic or enhance the actions possible by the hands; the term also includes determining whether massage therapy is appropriate or contraindicated, or whether referral to another health care provider is appropriate. Such term shall not include the use of ultrasound, fluidotherapy, laser, and other methods of deep thermal modalities. (10)(9) 'Massage therapy business' means an entity where the practice of or engagement in massage therapy is performed by a licensed massage therapist. (11)(10) 'Person' means a natural person only. (12)(11) 'Provisionally permitted massage therapist' means a person issued a provisional permit under this chapter." SECTION 2. Said article is further amended by adding a new subsection to Code Section 43-24A-15, relating to unlawful acts, to read as follows: "(g) Beginning on August 1, 2026, it shall be a violation of this chapter for any person or entity to perform massage therapy between 1:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M." SECTION 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate substitute for HB 892 would ban massage therapy businesses from performing massage services between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. starting August 1, 2026, and trims some outdated definitions from state massage therapy law. ### Plain-language summary 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. ### What it does - 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. ### Who it affects 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. ### Why it matters 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. ### Key provisions - 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. ## Status - Status: Engrossed (2026-03-06) - Last action: Senate Read Second Time (2026-03-16) - Sponsors: Scott Holcomb, Debbie Buckner, Tanya Miller, Stacey Evans, Carter Barrett, Ricky Williams - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71922 > The history, votes, and amendments (685 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb892.md?full=1