Costa Mesa, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Article 22 (§§ 9-323 through 9-347) requires two layers of authorization: a facility-level massage establishment permit for the business, and an individual CAMTC certificate plus city registration for every practitioner. Section 9-330 makes it unlawful to operate a massage establishment, including a permanent seated-massage or reflexology installation, without a massage establishment permit issued by the chief of police; the permit alone does not authorize any individual to perform massage without their own CAMTC certificate. Under § 9-326, every certified massage practitioner or therapist working for compensation in the city must register with the police department for a city registration certificate and photo ID badge, submitting their CAMTC certificate copies, two passport photos, and proof of a $1,000,000 liability policy; the certificate is valid one year and renews annually, though a practitioner with two continuous years of city employment can skip the renewal fee every third year by showing 10 hours of continuing education.

Section 9-332 requires the establishment permit application to go to the chief of police with a nonrefundable fee, signed under penalty of perjury by the owner or an authorized officer or partner, and applicants must be at least 18. Section 9-323(g) flatly bars any massage therapist or practitioner from providing massage services in their own home. Limited exceptions exist under § 9-331 for licensed physicians, chiropractors, osteopaths, acupuncturists, nurses under a physician's direct supervision, and barbers, beauticians and manicurists performing narrowly defined massage within their own licensed scope, plus Orange County Fair massage booths and events under 48 hours staffed only by CAMTC-certified providers.

Fees for administering the article, including a county health-services fee paid to the Orange County Health Department, are set by council resolution under § 9-346.