Business Licensing & Operations in Upland, CA (2026)
6 verified business licensing & operations rules for Upland, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Upland requires a Conditional Use Permit and business license before an adult business can open, and Section 17.20.080 keeps them 800 feet from residential zones or other adult businesses and 1,000 feet from schools, parks, churches, and day care centers. Distances are measured circle-to-circle from the unit's centerpoint, regardless of whether the sensitive use sits inside or outside city limits.
Adult Business Location Rules in Upland, California
Significant RestrictionsUpland Municipal Code § 17.20.080
An adult business shall not be located within certain distances of another adult business nor within certain distances of sensitive uses. A. For the purposes of this chapter, all distances shall be measured by drawing a circle, around the centerpoint of the unit or building containing the adult business. B. In establishing an adult business, the siting criteria shall apply both to sensitive use...
Massage Establishments
Operating a massage establishment in Upland without a permit from the police chief is a misdemeanor under Municipal Code § 5.60.020. Permits run 12 months and require fingerprints and a background check. Every massage technician must hold a California Massage Therapy Council state license, and business hours are capped at 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Upland Massage Establishment Permit
Significant RestrictionsUpland Municipal Code § 5.60.020
It is unlawful and a misdemeanor, subject to prosecution and punishment, for any person to engage in, conduct or carry on, in or upon any premises, a massage establishment within the city without first obtaining a massage establishment permit pursuant to this article. A separate permit shall be obtained for each separate massage establishment operated by such person. A permit under this article...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Upland allows tattoo parlors only in the Highway Commercial and Regional Commercial zones, and only with an Administrative Use Permit. They are barred outright from Neighborhood Commercial, Office/Professional, all residential, mixed-use, industrial and special-purpose zones under the Zoning Ordinance's use tables.
Upland Tattoo Parlor Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsUpland Municipal Code § 17.06.020, Table 17.06-1; § 17.11.030, Table 17.11-1
TABLE 17.06-1 PERMITTED LAND USES IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONES ... Tattoo Parlors — AUP AUP — ... Table 17.11-1 On-Site Parking Requirements: Personal Services, Massage Therapy, Psychics, Pawn Shops, Tattoo Parlors: 1 for each 250 sq. ft.
Tobacco Retail License
Smoke shops selling tobacco, vape, and e-cigarette products in Upland need a conditional use permit approved by the Planning Commission in specified commercial zones under Zoning Ordinance Chapter 17.42.5, on top of the state tobacco retailer license. No on-site use is allowed, self-service or vending-machine sales are banned, and sales to anyone under 18 are prohibited.
Upland Smoke Shop Conditional Use Permit
Significant RestrictionsUpland Municipal Code §§ 17.42.5.030, 17.42.5.050(B)-(D)
Smoke shops require a conditional use permit in the C/R-MU, B/R-MU, C/O-MU, CI/MU, NC, HC, and RC zones, which is a discretionary action approved by the Planning Commission. ... Each smoke shop shall hold a valid California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Retailer's License issued by the State Board of Equalization, in accordance with State law, and shall be prominently displayed in a publicly v...
Secondhand Dealers
Secondhand dealers in Upland must hold reported property for 30 days from the date it is reported to the police chief and must file a complete daily property acquisition report, including a seller's fingerprint and ID verification, under Municipal Code § 5.64.010 and § 5.64.040.
Upland Secondhand & Junk Dealer Rules
Some RestrictionsUpland Municipal Code § 5.64.010, § 5.64.040
Every secondhand dealer shall retain in his or her possession, for a period of 30 calendar days, all tangible personal property reported pursuant to state law and Section 5.64.040 of this chapter. The 30-day holding period with respect to such property shall commence with the date the secondhand dealer delivers his or her property acquisition report to the police chief. No part of this section ...
Pawnbrokers
Upland pawnbrokers must hold pledged goods in conformance with state Financial Code § 21201 and file a daily report of every item pledged or purchased with the police chief before noon on Department of Justice form JUS 123, per Municipal Code § 5.64.010 and § 5.64.040.
Upland Pawnbroker Reporting Rules
Some RestrictionsUpland Municipal Code § 5.64.010, § 5.64.040
Every pawnbroker shall retain pledged goods in his or her possession in conformance with California Financial Code Section 21201. ... Every pawnbroker shall make daily and deliver to the police chief, before 12:00 p.m., on form JUS 123, to be purchased through the California Department of Justice for that purpose, all descriptions of all property received in pledge or purchased as tangible pers...
Looking for San Bernardino County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Upland city rules.
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