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El Dorado County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Regulating chapter
Ch. 5.34, Adult-Related Establishments
CAMTC exemption
All-certified staff exempt from Ch. 5.34
Curfew
Closed 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Manager on-site
75% of open hours minimum
Employee permit
Required for every technician/manager
Enforcement
Sheriff issues, inspects, can revoke

Summary

Massage establishments and technicians in unincorporated El Dorado County are regulated as adult-related establishments under Chapter 5.34, needing a Sheriff-issued special business license and individual employee permits, unless every technician holds a California Massage Therapy Council certificate, which exempts the business from Chapter 5.34 entirely.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of El Dorado County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A.License required. It is unlawful for any person to operate or conduct an adult-related establishment unless under and by authority of a valid, unexpired and unrevoked business license issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter....C.Employee permits required.1.It is unlawful for any person to provide any of the following services without possessing a valid, unexpired and unrevoked employee permit issued by the Sheriff pursuant to this chapter:a.Act as a manager of an adult-related establishment by supervising or controlling the personnel of such an establishment or the services rendered therein;b.Give a massage for a fee or any other form of consideration;c.Act as an escort; ord.Act as a figure model in a modeling studio.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 4).

Full Breakdown

010). 34's special licensing, though it still needs the standard County Business License. m. 040). 140(C)-(E)). 120). 090). 110).

Violations & Fines

Operating a non-exempt massage establishment or working as a technician without the required Sheriff-issued license or employee permit is a misdemeanor under Section 5.36.040, with each day of violation a separate offense. The Sheriff can revoke or suspend an employee permit under Section 5.34.140(F) for violating any Chapter 5.34 duty, breaking Chapter 5.08 administrative regulations, or misrepresenting facts on the application, and keeping the establishment open outside the 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. curfew violates Section 5.34.040 independently of the licensing rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every massage business in El Dorado County need a special license?
No. Section 5.34.030(F) exempts any massage business whose therapists are all certified by the California Massage Therapy Council, which covers most licensed massage therapists today. Businesses outside that exemption, along with bathhouses, escort services and modeling studios grouped in the same chapter, need the Sheriff's special business license under Section 5.34.140.
Can a massage establishment stay open late?
No. Section 5.34.040 makes it unlawful for any adult-related establishment covered by Chapter 5.34, including a non-exempt massage establishment, to be open between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., regardless of the license the operator holds.
Do individual massage technicians need their own permit?
Yes, if the establishment is not CAMTC-exempt. Section 5.34.140(C) requires every technician and manager to hold a Sheriff-issued employee permit, and Section 5.34.130 further requires technicians to hold a diploma from a recognized school of massage before they can legally work.
What sanitation rules apply inside a massage establishment?
Section 5.34.090 requires clean, laundered towels and linens for every patron, daily disinfection of heat rooms, showers, toilets and pools with a Health Officer-approved disinfectant, and sterilization of massage instruments between uses under methods the Health Officer approves.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in El Dorado County

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsSecondhand DealersSignificant RestrictionsAdult EntertainmentSignificant RestrictionsTobacco Retail LicenseSignificant RestrictionsAuto Repair on Residential PropertySome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions

All El Dorado County rules

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