Union City, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Every massage establishment owner
- Issuer
- Permit Administrator
- Technicians need
- CAMTC certification (§9.34.030)
- Also required
- Standard business license, Ch. 5.04
- Violation
- Misdemeanor and public nuisance
Summary
Union City requires every massage establishment's owners to obtain an operator permit from the Permit Administrator before opening, on top of state CAMTC certification for each technician.
No massage establishment may operate in the City unless and until all owners of the massage establishment have applied for and obtained an operator permit from the Permit Administrator pursuant to this section. Massage establishment owners that have an establishment registration certificate shall be issued an operator permit without having to submit an application and will be required to renew the operator permit on the date that the establishment registration certificate would have expired.
A. Application for Operator Permit. All owners of the massage establishment, or their duly authorized agent, shall file an application for an operator permit for the massage establishment on a form provided by the Permit Administrator. For purposes of this section, the "applicant" for the operator permit shall refer to and include each and every owner of the massage establishment. The application shall include the following information:
1. Name, address, and telephone number of the massage establishment;
2. The name, residence address and telephone number, and business address and telephone number of the massage establishment owner(s) applying for the operator permit;
3.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4940544; v16 updated 2026-06-23).
Full Breakdown
Under Union City Municipal Code § 9.34.040, no massage establishment may operate until all of its owners have applied for and received an operator permit from the City's Permit Administrator. Applicants must submit ownership, property, and business-form details, list every CAMTC-certified technician, disclose prior licensing history and felony convictions, and be fingerprinted. Section 9.34.030 separately requires every technician who practices massage in the City to hold current California Massage Therapy Council certification. The permit is in addition to the standard business license Chapter 5.04 requires for operating any business in the City, per § 9.34.110.
Violations & Fines
Operating a massage establishment or practicing massage in violation of Chapter 9.34 is a misdemeanor and a public nuisance under § 9.34.130, enforceable by criminal prosecution and civil nuisance abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do individual massage therapists need their own city permit?
Is the massage permit enough, or do I need a business license too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union City
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Massage Establishments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle massage establishments.