San Mateo County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Certification required
- CAMTC certification (since 7/1/2012)
- Registration certificate term
- 2 years, no application fee
- Permitted massage hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Records retention
- 2 years, on-site service log
- Administrative fine per violation
- Up to $500.00
- Suspension range
- 5 days up to full license term
- Overnight staffing rule
- No one on-site 11 p.m.-6 a.m.
Summary
Since July 1, 2012, every massage practitioner working for compensation in unincorporated San Mateo County must hold current CAMTC certification, and every massage business must register with the Director of Environmental Health and employ only CAMTC-certified practitioners under County Code Chapter 5.44.
5.44.030 - CAMTC certification and local registration required. (a)Individuals. On and after July 1, 2012, it shall be unlawful for any individual to practice massage therapy for compensation as a sole proprietorship or employee of a massage business or in any other capacity within the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County unless that individual is a certified massage practitioner.(b)Businesses. On and after July 1, 2012, it shall be unlawful for any business to provide massage for compensation within the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County unless all individuals employed by the massage business to perform massage, whether as an employee, independent contractor, or sole proprietorship, are certified massage practitioners and said business has obtained a valid county registration certificate as provided in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47).
Full Breakdown
030 bars any individual from practicing massage therapy for compensation, as a sole proprietor, employee, or in any other capacity, in unincorporated San Mateo County unless certified by the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), and bars any business from providing massage unless every practitioner it uses is CAMTC-certified and the business holds a valid County Registration Certificate. 040 requires the business's name, address, owner information, employee CAMTC certifications, and, for any owner who is not personally CAMTC-certified, a background check covering five years of business and employment history; the Director of Environmental Health issues the certificate, valid two years, with no fee for the registration itself, though the county may charge for health and safety inspections and background checks. m. 060. closing rule.
Violations & Fines
00 per violation, with each client served in violation and each day a business stays open in violation counting as a separate violation. Fine notices go out by certified mail and can be appealed in writing to the Director of Environmental Health within 10 days; unpaid fines after 30 days may go to collections and block any registration renewal. ; suspensions and revocations are appealable to the License Board within 10 days. 120).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does San Mateo County's massage registration apply where I live?
What happens if a massage business stays open past 9 p.m.?
Who is exempt from the CAMTC certification requirement?
Can the county revoke a massage business's registration?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Mateo County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Mateo County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
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