Clovis, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- 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
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor or infraction
Summary
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.
(a) Establishment permit. It is unlawful for any owner, operator, officer, director, or managing employee of a massage establishment to operate or permit the operation of such business without a valid massage establishment permit as required by this chapter. (b) Out call massage business permit. It is unlawful for any person to provide out call massage services without a valid out call massage business permit. (c) Certification. It is unlawful for any person other than a certified massage therapist to provide massage services within the City unless exempted as provided in this chapter.
Full Breakdown
03 makes it unlawful to operate a massage establishment without a valid establishment permit, unlawful to provide out-call massage without a separate out-call massage business permit, and unlawful for anyone other than a California Massage Therapy Council certified therapist to perform massage in the city unless exempted. 06 requires the written application to go to the Chief of Police with a Council-approved fee, and to include identifying information, five years of prior addresses and employment history, proof the applicant is over 18, a listing of felony and moral-turpitude misdemeanor arrests or convictions, fingerprints, a police-taken photograph, and a statement on any prior Red Light Abatement Act proceedings.
11 gives the Chief of Police 60 calendar days to issue or deny, and lists mandatory denial grounds including convictions for specified Penal Code sex or vice offenses, required Penal Code Section 290 sex-offender registration, controlled-substance convictions, or a finding the location would be injurious to community health, safety, or welfare. 23. 25.
Violations & Fines
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to open a massage business in Clovis?
What can get a Clovis massage permit application denied?
What happens if a Clovis massage permit is revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clovis
California rules heatmap·Compare Clovis to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Massage Establishments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fresno County handle massage establishments.