Westminster, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuing authority
- Westminster police department
- Certification required
- CAMTC certification, all therapists
- Background check
- LiveScan, uncertified owners/applicants
- Separate requirement
- Standard business license + Ch. 17.515 zoning clearance
- Governing chapter
- WMC Chapter 5.32, Massage and Reflexology
Summary
No massage establishment may operate in Westminster without a police-department-issued massage establishment permit, and every massage therapist working there must hold current CAMTC certification.
No massage establishment may provide massage prior to having obtained a massage establishment permit... it is unlawful for any individual to practice massage (including reflexology) for compensation within the city unless that individual is a certified massage therapist; it is further unlawful for any business to provide massage services within the city unless all individuals employed by the massage business to perform massage, whether as an employee or independent contractor, are certified massage therapists.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
060 states plainly: no massage establishment may provide massage prior to having obtained a massage establishment permit. 32. 070 lays out the application: it must be filed with the police department under penalty of perjury, and requires proof of valid CAMTC (California Massage Therapy Council) certification for a sole proprietor, or, for a business employing multiple therapists, a sworn statement that only certified massage therapists will be employed, along with copies of each therapist's current CAMTC certification and identification card. 070(C). 040 separately makes it unlawful for any individual to practice massage, including reflexology, for compensation in the city unless CAMTC certified, and unlawful for a business to employ anyone to provide massage who lacks that certification, whether as employee, independent contractor, volunteer, or trainee.
515, before a business license can be granted. 030 gives the chief of police authority to promulgate rules and delegate investigations and decisions under the chapter.
Violations & Fines
Operating a massage establishment without the required police-issued permit, or employing an uncertified individual to provide massage, is unlawful under Sections 5.32.040 and 5.32.060; the chief of police conducts the background investigation under Section 5.32.070 and administers permit issuance, denial, and, per the chapter's broader enforcement provisions, suspension or revocation for violations discovered during operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a massage business open in Westminster without a special permit?
Do individual massage therapists need certification to work in Westminster?
What background information does an uncertified massage business owner have to submit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
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