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

PMC § 5.04.440(C) makes it unlawful to operate a massage establishment, defined as a fixed place of business using more than one massage table/chair or employing more than one permitted technician at a time, without first obtaining a City permit; a separate entertainer-style permit is required for individual massage technicians. Applicants must file with the City, providing corporate/partnership ownership details, the names and addresses of all technicians and the manager in charge, 10 years of prior addresses and employment history, photo identification and fingerprints, all prior license denials or revocations, and all criminal convictions within the last 10 years, including expunged ones (§ 5.04.440(C)(1)-(18)).

Applicants must also prove matriculation from a 'recognized school of massage' meeting California Education Code §§ 94310-94311 and membership in a 'qualified massage association,' a nonprofit requiring at least 500 hours of training (§ 5.04.440(A)). The Director has 60 days to investigate and recommend action to the City Council, which must deny the permit for specified convictions (including Penal Code §§ 266(h), 266(i), 314-318, 647(a)/(b)) within the prior 10 years, prior permit revocations, or false statements in the application (§ 5.04.440(D)). Once operating, a manager must be on-site at all times, at least one currently permitted technician must be on duty, technicians must wear photo ID and display their permit, staff must remain fully clothed with coverage from mid-thigh to three inches below the collarbone, and touching a patron's genitals, anus, or a female patron's breasts is barred outright (§ 5.04.440(E)).

Physicians, chiropractors, licensed acupuncturists, barbers/beauticians (scalp and neck only), and State-certified massage technicians under Business and Professions Code § 4600 et seq. are exempt from the technician permit (§ 5.04.440(B)).