Merced, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before operating any massage establishment, Sec. 5.44.100
- Operator fee
- $300, non-refundable application filing fee
- Practitioner requirement
- Valid California massage certificate
- Reviewing agencies
- Building, fire, health, planning, police depts.
- Legacy permit cutoff
- State certificate required by Jan. 1, 2026
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor: up to $1,000 fine or 1 year jail
Summary
Operating a massage or bodywork business in Merced without a city permit is a misdemeanor under Municipal Code Section 5.44.100, punishable through Chapter 1.12. The finance officer issues the permit after the police chief, fire chief, health officer, and planning manager sign off, and every practitioner must also hold a valid California massage certificate.
A.Except as provided by Section 5.44.290 of this chapter, no person shall perform massage or bodywork techniques for a fee or any other consideration at a location outside a massage establishment as defined in this chapter.B.It is unlawful and a misdemeanor subject to punishment in accordance with Chapter 1.12 of this code for any person to engage in, conduct, or carry on, or to permit to be engaged in, conducted, or carried on, in or upon any premises in the city the operation of a massage establishment as defined in this chapter without first having obtained a permit from the city after approval by the requisite city officers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 - 1-26).
Full Breakdown
12, to engage in, conduct, or carry on the operation of a massage establishment in the city without first obtaining a permit approved by the requisite city officers. 100(D) grandfathers individuals who already held a valid Merced massage technician permit as of January 1, 2016, letting them keep renewing that local permit as long as they obtained a state certificate by January 1, 2026. 110 sets the operator application fee at three hundred dollars, payable to the finance officer and non-refundable regardless of outcome. 120 requires operator applicants who lack a state massage certificate to disclose two prior residence addresses, employment history for the preceding three years, physical description, photographs, and any arrest or conviction record for specified sex offenses, violent felonies, or prostitution-related activity, plus fingerprinting by the police department. 150. and Business and Professions Code Section 4600 et seq.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unpermitted massage establishment, or working as a practitioner without a valid California certificate, is a misdemeanor under Section 5.44.100 subject to Chapter 1.12's general penalty: up to a $1,000 fine, up to one year in county jail, or both. The finance officer can also refuse, revoke, or suspend a permit for good cause under Section 5.44.150 once the grounds are set out in writing and delivered to the applicant or permittee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a city permit to open a massage business in Merced?
How much does a Merced massage establishment permit cost?
Can I work as a massage therapist in Merced without a state license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced
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