Business Licensing & Operations in Fullerton, CA (2026)
7 verified business licensing & operations rules for Fullerton, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Fullerton bans anyone from opening or operating an adult business without first obtaining an adult use development permit from the Department of Development Services, and confines those businesses to specific commercial and manufacturing zones set 750 feet back from homes, schools and parks.
Fullerton Adult Business Permit and Spacing Rule
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 7.95.020, § 7.95.060(A)-(B)
(A) It is unlawful for any person to open, operate or conduct an adult business within the city unless such person first obtains and retains a valid adult use development permit for an adult business pursuant to this chapter... (B) In those zoned areas where an adult business may locate, such business may not locate within 750 feet of any residential zone or any schools, parks, playgrounds, day...
Massage Establishments
Fullerton requires a Police-issued operator's permit before anyone runs a massage establishment, on top of the standard business license. Operators, managers and technicians must pass a written exam, and new establishments must sit at least 250 feet from residentially zoned land.
Fullerton Massage Establishment Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 3.24.030
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in, conduct or carry on, or to permit the engagement in, conduct of or carrying on the business or operation of a massage establishment within the city without first obtaining an operator's permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and complying with all other applicable provisions of this code, including, but not limited to, securing the n...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Fullerton treats tattoo parlors as a special use under Zoning Code § 15.55.020(E), capping every shop at 3,000 square feet and requiring 500 feet of separation from another tattoo parlor or K-12 school and 250 feet from any residential zone. All tattooing and piercing must stay screened from outside view.
Fullerton Tattoo Parlor Zoning Standards
Some RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 15.55.020(E)
(E) Tattoo parlors. (1) A tattoo parlor shall be located as follows: (a) A minimum of 500 feet from any other tattoo parlor or K-12 grade school; (b) A minimum of 250 feet from a residential zone; and (c) Measurements shall be taken from the closest tenant wall of the tattoo parlor to the nearest wall of an existing tattoo parlor, or the property line ...
Secondhand Dealers
Fullerton requires a police-issued permit before anyone can run a secondhand store, buying or reselling used goods. Fullerton Municipal Code § 3.52.060 puts the Chief of Police in charge of issuing, investigating and revoking these permits, backed by a $100 initial application fee and $25 renewal. Dealers must hold every purchased item for 30 days and file daily reports on incoming merchandise.
Fullerton Secondhand Dealer Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 3.52.060(A)
(A) Requirement; fee. No person shall engage in, conduct, manage or carry on the business of a pawnbroker, junk dealer, junk collector, rubbish collector or secondhand dealer, or deal in secondhand merchandise, either as a business or as a part of any other business, without first applying for and receiving a permit therefor from the Chief of Police. The permit shall be issued by the Chief of...
Pawnbrokers
Fullerton licenses pawnbrokers under the same Chapter 3.52 permit the Chief of Police issues to secondhand and junk dealers, requiring a $100 application fee and $25 annual renewal. Pawnbrokers also face a standalone restriction under § 3.52.230(B): no pawnshop can share an entrance, exit or storefront with any other retail business in the same establishment.
Fullerton Pawnbroker License and Location Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 3.52.230(B)
No one doing business as a personal property broker or pawnbroker with or without a license from the State Corporation Commissioner, shall conduct such business, or any part thereof, in the same establishment or place of business used for the transacting of any other business or in any retail wholesale store. No entrance to or exit from a place of business used by any personal property broker o...
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Fullerton lists commercial auto repair and vehicle dealer prep work in residential zones as a declared public nuisance under Chapter 6.01. The code defines both a covered dealer and a covered repair shop broadly, so home garages doing paid repair or resale prep for the public are swept in.
Fullerton Bars Commercial Auto Repair at Homes
Heavy RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 6.01.030(W)
(W) Commercial auto repair in residential zones: Commercial auto repair shall include those activities of an auto dealer preparing a vehicle for resale or an auto repair shop. For the purpose of this division (W), DEALER shall be a person (not expressively excluded by Cal. Vehicle Code § 286) who is engaged wholly, or in part, in the business of selling vehicles or buying or taking in trade v...
Towing Companies
Fullerton's Police Department dispatches only franchised tow operators for police-initiated tows: vehicle impounds and no-preference tows, such as an accident-scene tow where the driver has no preferred company. City Council awards one to three citywide franchises, and running a police tow business without one is a misdemeanor under FMC Chapter 3.74.
Fullerton Police Tow Franchise Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 3.74.025
Except as specified in this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to solicit or perform the business of police initiated tow operations in the city unless: (A) A franchise therefor has been granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and such franchise is in full force and effect; and (B) A written franchise agreement therefor has been executed between such person and the city and s...
Looking for Orange County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fullerton city rules.
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