Business Licensing & Operations in Clovis, CA

Clovis maintains 160 local ordinances across all categories, and 8 of those deal specifically with business licensing & operations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Clovis falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Secondhand Dealers

Secondhand dealers in Clovis must keep a written register in English of every item bought, recording the purchase date and the seller's name, age, and address, under Municipal Code Section 5.9.01. The register must be produced on demand to the Police Chief or any City officer, and refusing inspection is itself a misdemeanor under Section 5.9.02.

Key details: Register language: Must be kept in English. Required entries: Purchase date, seller name/age/address. Inspection access: Chief of Police, deputies, City officers. Refusal to produce: Misdemeanor under § 5.9.02.

Failing or refusing to produce the register for inspection, or failing or refusing to exhibit purchased articles to the Chief of Police, a police deputy, any City officer, or a warrant holder, is a misdemeanor under Section 5.9.02. The statute does not set a separate fine schedule for the recordkeeping duty itself in Section 5.9.01, but the inspection-refusal misdemeanor gives officers a direct enforcement tool against dealers who will not open their books.

Tobacco Retail License

Every tobacco retailer in Clovis, including vape and e-cigarette sellers, must hold a City-issued tobacco retailer license under Municipal Code § 5.35.03 for each fixed location, obtained within 90 days of the chapter's June 19, 2024 effective date and displayed prominently at the store.

Key details: License term: July 1 to June 30 annually. Initial compliance deadline: 90 days after June 19, 2024. Renewal deadline: 30 days before expiration. 1st violation suspension: Up to 60 days. 4th violation penalty: Revocation, 5-year ban.

Selling flavored tobacco, allowing sales to anyone appearing under 25 without checking ID, refusing an unscheduled inspection, or failing to display the license are all licensing violations under § 5.35.09. The suspension ladder runs up to 60 days for a first violation, up to 120 days for a second within 60 months, up to 180 days for a third, and revocation with a five-year bar on reissuance for a fourth (§ 5.35.11(c)). Retailing without any valid license carries its own escalating ineligibility bar of 60 days, 180 days, and 5 years for a first, second, and third-or-later violation (§ 5.35.12). Denials, suspensions, and revocations can be appealed within 14 or 15 calendar days to a hearing under Title 5, Chapter 28, Article 2 (§ 5.35.13).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Clovis actively enforces its tobacco retail license requirements.

Towing Companies

Clovis dispatches police-ordered, non-consent tows strictly on a rotation basis from a list the Chief of Police maintains under the Tow Car Law, Municipal Code Chapter 5.16. A towing company must apply, pass a police investigation, and meet standing insurance, storage, and fee requirements to get and stay on that rotation list.

Key details: Governing section: Municipal Code § 5.16.04. Dispatch method: rotation list only. List administrator: Chief of Police. Minimum insurance: $500,000 combined liability. Storage required: 2 indoor + 5,000 sq ft open for 20+ vehicles.

A company operating outside the rotation system or violating Chapter 5.16's standards can be suspended or removed from the rotation list under Sections 5.16.10-5.16.11 after written notice from the Chief of Police, and can appeal under Title 1, Chapter 4 within the deadline in Section 1.4.02. Operating without list placement or assigning a rotation slot to another party also risks prosecution under Section 1.2.01.

This is one of the stricter rules in Clovis's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Adult Entertainment

Clovis confines adult businesses to specific mapped zones and imposes strict spacing rules: at least 500 feet from any other adult business, 1,000 feet from a school, library, park, or planned recreational facility where minors gather, and 250 feet from residentially designated land or a religious institution. Municipal Code Section 5.19.07 also requires a City permit and operator license.

Key details: Governing section: Municipal Code § 5.19.07. Required approvals: business permit + operator license + performer license. Distance from other adult business: 500 feet. Distance from school/library/park: 1,000 feet. Distance from residential land/religious institution: 250 feet.

Operating, owning, or managing an adult business without the required permit and operator license, or in a location that fails the 500-, 1,000-, or 250-foot spacing rules, is unlawful under Sections 5.19.05-5.19.07 and subject to the general penalty scheme in Section 1.2.01, including misdemeanor fines up to $1,000, six months in jail, or both.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Clovis actively enforces its adult entertainment requirements.

Massage Establishments

Anyone operating a massage establishment or out-call massage business in Clovis needs a permit from the Chief of Police under Municipal Code Section 5.10.03, and every therapist must be CAMTC-certified. Applicants submit fingerprints, five years of address and employment history, and a criminal history disclosure, and the Chief has 60 days to approve or deny.

Key details: Permit issuer: Chief of Police. Decision timeline: 60 calendar days. Therapist requirement: CAMTC certification required. Applicant background: Fingerprints, 5-year history required. Revocation moratorium: 5 years, same location.

A violation of Chapter 5.10 is a misdemeanor under Section 5.10.24(a), unless the City Attorney elects to charge it as an infraction. The City may also bring a civil action to enjoin a continuing violation or abate a nuisance under Section 5.10.24(b), and a revoked permit cannot be renewed until all outstanding citations are paid and violations corrected.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Clovis actively enforces its massage establishments requirements.

Auto Repair on Residential Property

Clovis outright prohibits vehicle repair as a home occupation. Section 9.58.050(R) bars body or mechanical repair, upholstery, detailing, and painting from residential dwellings, with a narrow carve-out for mobile minor repair or detailing performed at the customer's own location.

Key details: Body/mechanical repair: Prohibited as a home occupation. Auto detailing/painting: Also prohibited at the dwelling. Exception: Mobile minor repair at customer's site only. Vehicle sales: Separately prohibited, § 9.58.050(S). Governing section: Clovis Municipal Code § 9.58.050(R).

Running vehicle repair, bodywork, or painting out of a Clovis residence is a Municipal Code violation subject to the general penalty in Section 1.2.01: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail, or an infraction carrying escalating fines of $100, $200, and $500 for repeat offenses within a year. Code enforcement may also revoke any existing home occupation permit under Section 9.58.090 upon written notice, appealable to the Planning Commission within fifteen days and then to the City Council.

Compared to other cities, Clovis takes a harder line on auto repair on residential property. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Tattoo & Body Modification

Clovis requires a conditional use permit for tattoo parlors and body art studios, but confines the use to the C-2 Community Commercial District under Table 2-4 of the Development Code. The city also bans tattoo, piercing, and permanent-makeup businesses from operating as home occupations inside any residence, citywide, regardless of zoning.

Key details: Permit required: Conditional use permit (Chapter 9.64). Allowed zone: C-2 Community Commercial District only. Home occupation: Prohibited citywide under § 9.58.050(Q). Ancillary cap: 20% of floor area/gross sales in beauty shops. Maximum penalty: $1,000 fine and/or 6 months jail.

Operating a body art establishment outside the C-2 District, without an approved conditional use permit, or as a home business anywhere in Clovis violates the Development Code and is a misdemeanor under § 9.92.030, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in Fresno County jail, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense; the City Attorney may instead reduce the charge to an infraction, and the Director may issue a stop-work order or administrative citation.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Clovis actively enforces its tattoo & body modification requirements.

Pawnbrokers

Clovis confines pawn shops to the C-M Commercial and Light Manufacturing District, the only industrial zone where Table 2-6 lists the use as permitted by right. Every secondhand dealer, including pawnbrokers, must also keep a police-inspectable register of each purchase under Chapter 5.9, or face a misdemeanor charge.

Key details: Allowed zone: C-M District only (permitted by right). Register required: Every purchase, buyer name/age/address. Inspection: Open to Police Chief at any time. Register violation: Misdemeanor under § 5.9.02. Zoning source: Table 2-6, § 9.14.020.

Failing to keep or produce the secondhand-goods register, or refusing to exhibit purchased items to the Chief of Police or a City officer, is a misdemeanor under § 5.9.02. Operating a pawn shop outside the C-M District without the required land use approval separately violates the Development Code and is punishable under § 9.92.030 by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in county jail, or both.

This is one of the stricter rules in Clovis's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Clovis is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 7 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Clovis, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Clovis can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.