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

Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 9.41 makes it unlawful to operate a massage establishment without first obtaining a massage establishment permit from the Department of Public Safety (SMC 9.41.080(a)), and this permit sits on top of the general business license required under Chapter 5.04 (SMC 9.41.030). Every massage therapist practicing for compensation in the city must be CAMTC-certified as of April 30, 2016 (SMC 9.41.060), and the establishment permit must name each authorized massage professional; using an uncertified practitioner is grounds for revocation.

The permit application (SMC 9.41.090) goes to the director of public safety with the fee set by the city's fee schedule, and requires the establishment's name and address, ownership details down to any shareholder holding more than 10 percent of a corporate applicant, proof of the property owner's or HOA's acknowledgment of the use, CAMTC certification and ID cards for each practitioner, and for any non-CAMTC-certified owner: a felony history disclosure, Penal Code Section 290 registration status, five years of employment history, and a full fingerprint set. Owners must also certify no unresolved wage-and-hour violations under the FLSA or California Labor Code. A permit, once issued, is valid for one year and must be renewed annually (SMC 9.41.100(c)).

Operationally, no massage establishment may stay open between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., and any massage begun before 10:00 p.m. must still end at that hour (SMC 9.41.140(a)(1)). Hours of operation must be posted in the reception area and visible from the front window. The director may deny a permit application on 12 separate grounds under SMC 9.41.110, including false statements, disqualifying felony convictions within five years, Penal Code Section 290 registration, or an existing Sunnyvale establishment with unpaid fines. A denial may be appealed in writing to the city manager within 15 days (SMC 9.41.120).