Business Licensing & Operations in Westminster, CA (2026)
8 verified business licensing & operations rules for Westminster, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Westminster confines adult businesses to the C2 General Business and CM Commercial-Industrial zoning districts, and even there a use cannot open within 200 feet of a residential zone, another adult business, or a church, school, park, or similar "sensitive use." Operating hours are also restricted and violations are a misdemeanor under Section 17.400.015.
Westminster Restricts Adult Businesses to C2 and CM Zones
Significant RestrictionsWestminster Code § 17.400.015.C
C. Restriction on Where Such Businesses May Locate. No adult business shall be established, located, or operated in any zone in the City other than the C2 (General Business) and CM (Commercial-Industrial) Districts and only when within the ascribed distances of the certain specified land uses or zones as set forth here. 1. No such business shall be located within a 200-foot radius of any reside...
Massage Establishments
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.
Westminster Massage Establishment Permit
Significant RestrictionsWestminster Code § 5.32.060; § 5.32.040(A)
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 ma...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Westminster regulates tattoo and dermatography shops under Chapter 8.10, requiring hot and cold running water, daily-cleaned floors, metal or porcelain operating tables, and county health officer inspections. Operators must disclose ink sources, sterilize equipment by autoclave, and avoid using the space as a dormitory, with violations charged as misdemeanors.
Westminster Tattoo & Dermatography Rules
Some RestrictionsWestminster Code § 8.10.020
All tattooing establishments shall be equipped with running hot and cold water, with adequate toilet facilities and with all appliances, furnishings and materials as may be necessary to enable persons employed in and about such establishments to comply with the requirements of this section. ... The floors, furnishings and equipment of tattooing establishments shall be kept clean at all times du...
Tobacco Retail License
Westminster requires every tobacco product retailer, including electronic cigarette and vapor cigarette shops, to hold a city tobacco retailer permit and keep storefront windows unobstructed above set limits so police can see inside.
Westminster Tobacco Retailer Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWestminster Code § 5.38.030(A), (C)
Permit Required. It is unlawful to operate a tobacco product retailer in the city without first obtaining and maintaining a valid tobacco product retailer permit pursuant to this chapter for each location at which that activity is to occur... Visibility. The visibility into the interior of the premises shall not be blocked by window tinting greater than twenty percent opacity, opaque coverings ...
Secondhand Dealers
Westminster requires pawnbrokers, used merchandise dealers, and auctioneers to hold a police-vetted permit and to report every item of secondhand property acquired to the chief of police by noon the following day.
Westminster Secondhand Dealer Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWestminster Code § 5.52.020; § 5.52.050
No person shall conduct business as a pawnbroker, used merchandise dealer, or auctioneer within the city without first obtaining a proper permit therefor, as provided in this chapter or as provided by state law... Every pawnbroker, used merchandise dealer, and auctioneer shall report all personal property which he has purchased, taken in trade, taken in pawn, accepted for sale on consignment, o...
Pawnbrokers
Westminster requires anyone running a pawnbroker, used-merchandise-dealer, or auctioneer business to get a police-vetted permit before opening. The Chief of Police fingerprints and photographs every applicant and can deny the permit for a felony conviction or crime tied to the trade.
Westminster Pawnbroker Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWestminster Code § 5.52.020
No person shall conduct business as a pawnbroker, used merchandise dealer, or auctioneer within the city without first obtaining a proper permit therefor, as provided in this chapter or as provided by state law. The provisions of this chapter shall not be applicable to a business which is licensed pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 21640, et. seq.
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Westminster expressly prohibits automobile repair, servicing, or refurbishment as a home-based business. Vehicle sales, brokering, and vehicle-parts sales or manufacturing from a residence are barred outright, with no permit available.
Westminster Bans Home-Based Auto Repair
Heavy RestrictionsWestminster Code § 17.400.075(C)(3)
Prohibited Home-Based Businesses. Certain uses by the nature of their operation are not compatible with residential uses, are not incidental or compatible with residential activities and shall therefore not be permitted as a home-based business. Prohibited home-based businesses include, but are not limited to, the following uses: ... 3. Automobile-related businesses, including the repair, servi...
Towing Companies
Every tow operator working in Westminster needs both a city business license and a separate police-issued permit. Operators pulling cars off private property must notify police within an hour, and violations carry up to a $500 fine or six months in jail.
Westminster Towing Company Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWestminster Code § 5.64.170
Before authorizing a tow service to remove any illegally parked vehicle from private property, the owner, person in lawful possession or their authorized representative, of the private property shall notify the Westminster Police Department of: 1. The name, address and phone number of the person authorizing the removal... It is the responsibility of the permittee and/or their tow truck operator...
Looking for Orange County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Westminster city rules.
Business Licensing & Operations in Orange County →