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

Tustin City Code § 3663 makes it unlawful for anyone to provide massage services in the City of Tustin without a valid, current State certificate from the California Massage Therapy Council, and separately unlawful to commence or continue operating a massage establishment without a valid City massage establishment permit issued under Part 6 of Chapter 6. Operating while the permit is expired, cancelled or suspended is treated the same as operating without one. The permit cannot be sold, transferred or assigned, and a change in ownership or operator voids it and requires a brand-new permit naming both the new owner and new operator.

Section 3664 requires the owner and operator to apply jointly, pay an application fee set by City Council resolution, and maintain a City business license in addition to the permit; the permit runs from the date issued through June 30 of the following year and must be renewed annually. Section 3668 sets the daily operating window: massage services and the premises can run only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., a treatment that starts before 10:00 p.m. must still end at 10:00 p.m., and no one may provide massage on the premises after that hour.

The same section requires at least one CAMTC-certified technician on the premises whenever the business is open, an owner, operator or manager present at all times, and a posted notice warning patrons that the rooms are subject to unannounced inspection by City personnel. Section 3669.3 sets the penalty directly in the massage part itself: any violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine per violation, up to six months in the Orange County jail, or both, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.