Business Licensing & Operations, Long Beach

Long Beach maintains 185 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 Long Beach falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Secondhand Dealers

Secondhand dealers in Long Beach must hold a police-issued permit and cannot resell purchased or pawned goods for 30 days. Municipal Code § 5.64.010(C) defines the covered business as buying, selling, trading, consigning, or auctioning secondhand tangible personal property, and § 5.64.150(A) sets the 30-day resale hold.

Key details: Permit issuing authority: Chief of Police, within 60 days of application. Applicant screening: Fingerprinted and photographed at filing. Resale hold: 30 days minimum after purchase or receipt. Daily reports: Filed with police before 10:00 a.m. next day. Minors: No purchases or pledges from anyone under 18.

Conducting business as a secondhand dealer in Long Beach without the § 5.64.020 permit, failing to file the daily transaction reports required by § 5.64.070, reselling an item before the 30-day hold in § 5.64.150 expires, or accepting goods from a minor under § 5.64.170, are each independently prohibited acts under Chapter 5.64 and grounds for permit denial or revocation under § 5.64.030(B).

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

Tattoo & Body Modification

Long Beach requires new tattoo parlors to sit at least 700 feet from another tattoo parlor and 700 feet from any K-12 school under Municipal Code § 21.45.166, unless a business wins an Administrative Use Permit. Parlors can only operate between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. and must post an 18-and-over notice at the front door.

Key details: Spacing from other tattoo parlors: 700 ft. Spacing from schools: 700 ft. Hours of operation: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.. Age notice required: "No service under 18" sign. Camera retention: 30 days minimum.

Violating the 700-foot spacing, curfew or storefront-glazing rules is enforceable citywide under LBMC § 1.32.060: a 10-day notice to cure, then escalating $100 and $250 infraction citations, and a $1,000 misdemeanor fine for a violation that recurs within six months. Standards A through P may be appealed to the City's Zoning Administrator under § 21.10.045 before enforcement proceeds.

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

Pawnbrokers

Long Beach requires anyone operating a pawnshop to obtain a police-vetted permit before opening. Municipal Code § 5.64.020 bars conducting a pawnbroker business without a permit, and § 5.64.040(B) separately requires pawnbrokers, but not secondhand dealers, to file a faithful performance bond with the City.

Key details: Permit issuing authority: Chief of Police, within 60 days. Applicant screening: Fingerprinted and photographed at filing. Bond requirement: Faithful performance bond, pawnbrokers only. Daily reports: Filed with police before 10:00 a.m. next day. Resale hold: 30 days minimum after purchase, § 5.64.150(A).

Operating a pawnshop in Long Beach without the § 5.64.020 permit, without the § 5.64.040(B) bond, or without filing the required § 5.64.070 daily transaction reports with the Chief of Police, is a Chapter 5.64 violation subject to the City's general penalty provisions; selling an item within the 30-day hold under § 5.64.150(A) or accepting goods from a minor under § 5.64.170 are independently prohibited acts.

Compared to other cities, Long Beach takes a harder line on pawnbrokers. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Towing Companies

Long Beach permits tow companies that contract with the city for police-initiated tows, with rotation rules, fee schedules, and storage standards. Private property tows must follow California Vehicle Code rules.

Key details: Police rotation: Official Police Garage program. State authority: Vehicle Code 22658. Carrier permit: CHP motor carrier required. BAR registration: Automotive Repair Bureau. Sign requirement: Posted at lot entrance.

Removal from rotation, contract termination, civil penalties, and CVC 22658 damages of up to two times the tow fee for unlawful private-property tows. Predatory towing can lead to criminal charges.

Adult Entertainment

Adult entertainment businesses in Long Beach must sit at least 300 feet from any residential zone, 1,000 feet from a school or another adult business, 600 feet from a City park, and 500 feet from a church under Municipal Code § 21.45.110. The code also bars them from several named commercial corridors and caps hours to 9 a.m.–midnight.

Key details: Residential buffer: 300 ft. School buffer: 1,000 ft. Park buffer: 600 ft. Church buffer: 500 ft. Other adult business buffer: 1,000 ft.

Operating an adult entertainment business inside a prohibited buffer zone or outside the 9 a.m.-to-midnight window is a zoning violation enforceable citywide under LBMC § 1.32.060: a 10-day notice to cure, then escalating citations of $100, $250 and a $1,000 misdemeanor for repeat noncompliance within six months, plus the City's separate authority to pursue license revocation or civil nuisance abatement.

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

Auto Repair on Residential Property

Long Beach allows residents to repair their own cars and motorcycles at home as an accessory use under Municipal Code § 21.51.227, but only on vehicles they own, only on paved surfaces, never in the public right-of-way, and never between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Key details: Vehicles allowed: Owner-registered vehicles only. Surface required: Paved area only. Hours: No repair 10 p.m.–7 a.m.. Vehicle size cap: Under 3/4-ton carrying capacity. Prosecution: Always misdemeanor, never infraction.

Long Beach Municipal Code § 1.32.010(E) expressly lists § 21.51.227 among the handful of code sections the City Prosecutor may not reduce to an infraction: a violation of the home auto-repair standards must be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, punishable under § 1.32.010(B) by up to $1,000 in fines, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.

Massage Establishments

Long Beach requires a Massage Establishment Permit, a Health Permit, and, when massage is the primary use, an Administrative Use Permit before any massage business can operate. Municipal Code Section 5.58.030 layers these on top of the standard Chapter 3.80 business license.

Key details: Business License: Required under Chapter 3.80. Massage Establishment Permit: Required, 5.58.030(A). Health Permit: Issued by Health Officer, 5.58.030(D). AUP threshold: Required if massage over 50% of business. Max penalty: $1,000 fine / 6 months jail.

Operating a massage establishment without the required permits is a misdemeanor under Section 5.58.180(E), punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both, and each day of violation counts as a separate offense. Falsely claiming to be licensed or certified draws a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation under Section 5.58.180(D), and an unpermitted establishment is also declared a public nuisance subject to abatement.

Compared to other cities, Long Beach takes a harder line on massage establishments. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Tobacco Retail License

No one may sell tobacco in Long Beach without a City tobacco retailer's permit for each fixed location: mobile and foot-based sales are banned outright, permits run one year, and selling without one is a public nuisance in addition to being a crime under Municipal Code Chapter 5.81.

Key details: Governing chapter: LBMC Chapter 5.81. Permit required per location: Fixed location only; no mobile/foot sales. Permit term: Up to 1 year, auto-renewing. 1st/2nd/3rd violation penalty: 10-day/30-day suspension/revocation. Revoked retailer reapply wait: 120 calendar days.

A first violation within any five-year period draws a 10-business-day permit suspension; a second draws 30 business days; a third results in outright revocation, and a revoked retailer cannot reapply for a new permit for 120 calendar days (§ 5.81.090(A)-(D)). During any suspension or revocation the retailer must remove all tobacco products and related advertising from public view. Decisions may be appealed under § 5.06.010, and the Chapter is jointly enforced by the Department of Health and Human Services, the City Attorney and the City Prosecutor (§ 5.81.110).

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

The Bottom Line

Long Beach is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 6 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Long Beach, 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 Long Beach 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.