San Jose, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issued by
- Chief of Police
- Separate permit
- required per location
- Massage therapists must be
- CAMTC-certified
- Also required
- ownership/management license
- Default penalty
- up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
San Jose requires anyone who owns, manages, or operates a massage business to hold a business permit from the chief of police, plus a separate ownership/management license: issued per location, not citywide.
It shall be unlawful for a person to maintain, manage, operate, conduct, control or own a massage business or off-premises massage business unless the business is maintained and operated in strict compliance with a valid business permit issued by the chief of police. A separate business permit is required for each location if a person maintains, manages, operates, conducts, controls or owns multiple massage businesses at different locations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
San José Municipal Code § 6.44.120 makes it unlawful to maintain, manage, operate, conduct, control or own a massage business or off-premises massage business without a valid business permit issued by the chief of police, with a separate permit required for each location. § 6.44.130 separately requires anyone working as a manager or holding any ownership interest to obtain an ownership/management license from the chief of police, and § 6.44.140 requires every person performing massage for pay to be a CAMTC-certified massage therapist. The chapter was rewritten in full by Ord. 29662 (adopted Dec. 15, 2015), replacing the prior three-part version.
Violations & Fines
Operating, managing or owning a massage business without the permit, or performing massage without CAMTC certification, is unlawful under §§ 6.44.120, 6.44.130 and 6.44.140; violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail under § 1.08.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does San Jose require a permit to open a massage business?
Do massage therapists in San Jose need a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Jose
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Massage Establishments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle massage establishments.