Yuba City, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Yuba City Municipal Code Title 5, Ch. 3
- Issuing agency
- Yuba City Police Department
- Decision timeline
- 60 days, extendable 30 days
- Permit term
- 1 year
- Operating hours
- 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Misdemeanor fine
- Up to $1,000 plus 6 months jail
- Rewritten by
- Ord. No. 015-22, 12-20-2022
Summary
Operating a massage establishment, working as a massage therapist, or providing out-call massage in Yuba City without a valid permit from the Police Department is unlawful, and every therapist must also hold current CAMTC certification unless specifically exempted.
(a)Establishment permit. It is unlawful for any owner, operator, officer, director, or managing employee of a massage establishment to operate or permit the operation of such business without a valid massage establishment permit as required by this chapter.(b)Employee permit. It is unlawful for any massage therapist employee, independent contractor or individual to perform massage therapy at a massage establishment without having a valid employee permit issued pursuant to this chapter. All massage therapists shall provide proof of a valid employee permit upon request from a law enforcement officer, code enforcement officer or employee of the City of Yuba City.(c)Out call massage business permit. It is unlawful for any person to provide out call massage services without a valid out call massage business permit.(d)Certification. It is unlawful for any person other than a certified massage therapist to provide massage services within the City unless exempted as provided in this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Title 5, Chapter 3, rewritten in full by Ordinance No. 015-22 in December 2022, requires three distinct permits: an establishment permit for any fixed massage business, an employee permit for each therapist, independent contractor, or individual performing massage, and a separate out-call massage business permit for anyone providing massage away from a permitted location. 03 makes it unlawful to operate, work, or provide out-call services without the applicable permit, and unlawful for anyone but a California Massage Therapy Council certified therapist to perform massage unless they qualify as an exempt therapist under the chapter's 200-hour training carve-out.
11. Denial grounds include convictions for specified Penal Code sex, prostitution, or moral-turpitude offenses, required Section 290 sex-offender registration, and controlled-substance convictions. Permits run one year and must be renewed 60 days before expiration. , all payment including tips must occur at a designated reception area, alcohol and cannabis are barred from the premises entirely, and records of every service, date, hour, and therapist name must be kept on-site for two years and be open to inspection by the Chief of Police and City Attorney.
Violations & Fines
Section 5-3.24 makes most violations of Chapter 3 misdemeanors punishable by a fine of $1,000 and up to six months in the Sutter County Jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The city also runs an administrative citation track: $250, then $500, then $1,000 per violation for misdemeanor-level infractions within a rolling 12-month period, or $100, $200, then $500 for infraction-level violations, on top of any civil injunction or abatement action the city chooses to pursue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate permit for each massage therapist in Yuba City?
Can a certified massage therapist skip the city permit?
What hours can a massage business operate in Yuba City?
What is the penalty for running an unpermitted massage establishment?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yuba City
California rules heatmap·Compare Yuba City to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.