Home › Business kits › Personal and home services
The license that matters most for a spa is not the shop's. It is each therapist's DOH Certificate of Registration, since only registered persons may practice massage therapy. Each therapist also needs an annual health certificate from a DOH-accredited government clinic or hospital. Cities like Bacolod ask for proof of both before issuing the sanitary permit, so hire registered therapists first.[1,3]
Hire first, then apply
DOH Administrative Order 2010-0034 allows only persons holding a valid certificate of registration from the Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy to practice. DOH resumed enforcing this after a moratorium expired in December 2017, as reported in January 2018.[1,2]
Bacolod City's sanitary permit list for massage clinics asks for the DOH licensed massage therapist registration and training certificates of massage attendants.[3]
So your staff papers decide when you can open. Ask every applicant for their DOH registration before you sign a lease.
Therapists versus attendants
Bacolod lists therapists and attendants separately: registered therapists, plus training certificates for attendants.[3]
During the 2015 to 2017 moratorium, a TESDA Massage Therapy NC II was the minimum. That was a temporary rule, so check what DOH accepts today before hiring someone with NC II only.[5]
Optional DOT spa accreditation
The DOT's 2006 spa accreditation rules set an annual fee of ₱1,000 plus a ₱100 sticker. They require health certificates for all massage therapists and a DOH massage therapist licence for supervisors.[4]
Accreditation is a quality mark that helps if you want hotel or tour partners. We have not confirmed whether it is still optional under current DOT rules.
Questions people ask
- Can a TESDA NC II holder work as a massage therapist?
- NC II was the minimum during the 2015 to 2017 moratorium. DOH has since resumed requiring its own certificate of registration.
- Where do massage therapists get health certificates?
- From a DOH-accredited government clinic or hospital, updated every year.
- How much does DOT spa accreditation cost?
- Under the 2006 rules, ₱1,000 a year plus ₱100 for the sticker. Check with DOT for any update.
- How much is the DOH therapist registration?
- Ask the DOH regional office for the current fee.
Spa opening checklist
- Collect each therapist's DOH Certificate of Registration
- Get attendants' training certificates on file
- Send all therapists for annual health certificates at an accredited government clinic
- Plan private rooms with ventilation and clean linen storage
- Set a linen washing schedule between clients
- Decide if you want DOT spa accreditation for partner deals
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- DOH Administrative Order No. 2010-0034: Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations Governing Massage Clinics and Sauna Establishments · DOH (Lawyerly copy) · 10 December 2010
- Senator Villanueva calls on DOH to recognize TESDA-trained therapists · Inquirer.net · 4 January 2018
- Sanitary and Non-Sanitary Requirements (New) · City Government of Bacolod · June 2024
- 2006 Revised Rules and Regulations to Govern the Accreditation of Spa Establishments · Department of Tourism · 27 June 2006
- TESDA news (11 February 2015) · TESDA · 11 February 2015
The extra permits, in one table
| Permit or registration | Agency | When it applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Registration (licence) for each massage therapist (AO 2010-0034)[1] | DOH (Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy) | always (anyone practising massage therapy) | paid to DOH (amount not published) |
| Licensing enforcement resumed after 2015-2017 moratorium[2] | DOH | current status as reported Jan 2018 | Not published |
| Annual health certificate for each massage therapist[1] | DOH-accredited government clinic/hospital | always | Not published |
| Sanitary permit requires DOH licensed massage therapist registration[3] | LGU (Bacolod example) | Bacolod City | Not published |
| Training certificates of massage attendants for sanitary permit[3] | LGU (Bacolod example) | Bacolod City | Not published |
| Sanitary Permit to Operate + updated health certificates[3] | LGU (Bacolod example) | Bacolod City | Not published |
| DOT spa accreditation (annual fee PHP 1,000 + PHP 100 sticker; valid 1 year)[4] | DOT | optional (described as voluntary in 2012) | PHP 1,000/year + PHP 100 sticker |
| DOT spa accreditation needs therapists' health certificates and DOH licence for supervisors[4] | DOT | if seeking DOT accreditation | Not published |
| Massage Therapy NC II (was the minimum during the 2015-2017 DOH moratorium)[5] | TESDA | historic; check current DOH rule | Not published |