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

Section 5.04.205 of the Vallejo Municipal Code, dating to Ordinance 98 N.C.(2d) in 1972 and rooted in the 1965 business license code, sets a permit-and-license track for the practice of massage, alcohol rub, fomentation, bath, or electric or magnetic treatment. Applicants file a sworn, written application in duplicate with the city treasurer listing their name, business and residence address, a description of the business, employer information if applicable, and a two-inch by two-inch photograph taken within 60 days of filing. A five-dollar fee accompanies the application to cover the cost of investigation.

Every application goes to the chief of police, who orders fingerprinting and an investigation into the applicant's business and moral character "as he deems necessary for the protection of the public good." If that investigation turns up an unsatisfactory result, the chief endorses a disapproval directly on the application and the city treasurer notifies the applicant that no permit will issue. A satisfactory finding lets the chief approve the permit, which the treasurer then issues alongside the license once the fee is paid; the license itself must show the licensee's name, address, photograph, class of license, fee paid, and the operative dates. Anyone holding a valid, unexpired physical therapy license under the state's Physical Therapy Practice Act, Business and Professions Code Section 2600 et seq., is exempt from the chapter.