Laguna Niguel, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)

Municipal Code § 5-1-29 lists 'public bath, massagist or massage parlor' among the businesses that may not operate in the city without a license, and § 5-3-1 sets the specific qualification: the applicant must have at least five years' experience in the profession of treating the external parts of the human body by rubbing, stroking, kneading, adjusting, or tapping, or must have graduated from a recognized school of massage. A 'recognized school of massage' is separately defined at § 5-1-19 as a school requiring a resident course of at least 200 hours over not less than three calendar months before issuing a diploma.

Licenses are issued by the chief of police under § 5-2-1, following an investigation under § 5-2-6, and last one year under § 5-2-4. The issuing officer must deny an application if the applicant lacks the qualifications, made a false statement, lacks good moral character (a felony conviction creates a presumption against the applicant), or if the business would be detrimental to public health, morals, or order (§ 5-2-5). Every massage parlor, public bath, and massagist must keep a client registration book recording each client's full name and address with the date of treatment (§ 5-3-3).

Section 5-3-4 bars a massagist from administering a massage, alcohol rub, bath, or electric or magnetic treatment to a person of the opposite sex for hire, except for treatment given in good faith under a licensed healing profession. Section 5-3-2 separately makes it unlawful to massage, bathe, or otherwise treat a person for immoral purposes or in a manner intended to arouse or gratify sexual desire. Licenses can be revoked under § 5-2-16 for illegal, improper, or disorderly conduct, with appeal rights to the city council under § 5-2-19 within 30 days.