La Habra, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Chapter 5.28 requires an operator's permit for any massage establishment under Section 5.28.030, with narrow exemptions in Section 5.28.040 for state-certified massage therapists and practitioners, licensed physicians, chiropractors, acupuncturists and similar professionals performing massage within the scope of their own licenses. The permit application under Section 5.28.050 requires fingerprints, two recent photographs, an eight-year business and criminal history, and a certificate of compliance from the community development, building and safety, and Orange County health departments before the chief of police and community preservation manager will approve it.

Section 5.28.070 lets the city deny the permit for prior convictions involving Penal Code Section 290 registration offenses, controlled substance offenses, false statements, or noncompliance with zoning, health, fire and safety requirements. Once operating, Section 5.28.100(I) confines massage operations and the premises being open to only between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m., barring anyone from operating or administering a massage, including off-premises massage, between seven p.m. and seven a.m.; a massage begun before seven p.m. must still terminate at seven p.m. Section 5.28.100(H) separately requires the operator to keep dated treatment records, including the patron's name and address and the technician who performed the service, retained for twenty-four months and open only to enforcement officials or emergency personnel.

Section 5.28.110 gives the police chief and county health department the right to make unscheduled inspections during business hours, and refusing, delaying or interfering with a lawful inspection is itself a punishable offense under Section 5.28.110(D).