CITY PERMIT

San Antonio City Code ch. 17, art. III

in effect

San Antonio City Code § 17-13 Establishments which must register with the city.

Sec. 17-13. - Establishments which must register with the city. The requirements of this article shall apply only to those establishments that have the following violations: (1) Business or individual charged with any violation of the Penal Code as listed in section 17-23; or (2) Three (3) or more violations of the San Antonio Property Maintenance Code within a twelve (12) month period; or (3) Failure to post the TDLR license for business, owner, and/or masseur. If an establishment is charged with any of the violations above, it shall be required to obtain and maintain a city permit for a minimum of three (3) years. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-14 Determination that the establishment must register with the city.

Sec. 17-14. - Determination that the establishment must register with the city. (a) After notice of the chief's determination that the establishment must apply for a city permit, the establishment shall have ten (10) days from the mailing of the chief's decision to submit its permit application to the department pursuant to section 17-16. (b) If the establishment disagrees with the chief's determination that the establishment must apply for a city permit, the establishment must send a protest letter to the chief within ten (10) days of the mailing of the chief's decision. (1) The appeal will follow the administrative appellate process as described in section 17-24. (c) Failure to submit the permit application registration paperwork within ten (10) days, or failure to protest the designation within the ten (10) days, will result in criminal charges against the business and the business owner, as well as administrative penalties including but not limited to financial penalties, revocation of the establishment's certificate of occupancy and issuance of a notice to vacate. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-15 Application for permit.

Sec. 17-15. - Application for permit. Any person required to have a city massage establishment permit shall file a written application with the chief on a form to be furnished by the department. The applicant shall submit the following: (1) The type of ownership of the business, i.e. whether individual, partnership, corporation or otherwise; (2) The name, style and designation under which the business or practice is to be conducted; (3) The business address and all telephone numbers where the business is to be conducted; (4) A complete list of the names and the residence addresses of all masseurs and employees in the business and the name and residence address of the manager or other person principally in charge of the operation of the business, if said employees and masseurs have been hired as of date of application. This information shall be updated once employees and masseurs have been hired; (5) The following personal information concerning the applicant, if an individual; and concerning each stockholder holding more than ten (10) percent of the stock of the corporation, each officer and director, if the applicant is a corporation; and concerning the partners, including limited partners, if the applicant is a partnership; and the holder of any lien, of any nature, upon the business and/or the equipment used therein; and concerning the manager or other person principally in charge of the operation of the business: a. The name(s), complete residence addresses and residence telephone numbers; b. Written proof of age; c. Height, weight, color of hair and eyes, and sex; d. Two (2) front face portrait photographs taken within thirty (30) days of the date of application and at least two (2) by two (2) inches in size; e. The massage establishment or similar business history from five (5) years prior to the date of application, including but not limited to, whether or not such person previously operated in this or another city or state under license or permit; if any such license or permit had been denied, revoked or suspended and the reason therefor. f. All criminal arrests other than misdemeanor traffic violations, fully disclosing the jurisdiction in which arrested and the disposition thereof; g. Fingerprints obtained by applicant at a licensed facility and provided to the chief. Said fingerprints shall be retained on file by the chief. (6) Such other information and identification as shall be deemed necessary by the chief to discover the truth of the matters hereinabove required to be set forth in the application; (7) Documentation of personal background check conducted at a licensed facility. (8) Written declaration by the applicant, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing information contained in the application is true and correct, said declaration being duly dated and signed and submitted to the department. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-16 Approval.

Sec. 17-16. - Approval. (a) In the case of applications for massage establishment permits, the city shall cause to be conducted an investigation of the premises where the massage operations is to be carried out, for the purposes of assuring that such premises comply with all requirements as set forth in this chapter and the state, and with all regulations of public health, safety and welfare. (b) Before any permit shall be issued under this article, the chief shall first sign his approval for the application. (c) A new permit shall be required for any change in ownership. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-17 Issuance or denial of massage establishment permits.

Sec. 17-17. - Issuance or denial of massage establishment permits. The chief shall issue the city massage establishment permit within thirty (30) days of receipt of the application unless he finds that: (1) The correct permit fee has not been tendered to the city concurrently with the application; (2) The operation, as proposed by the applicant, if permitted, would not comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to the city's building, zoning and health regulations; (3) The applicant, if an individual, or any of the stockholders holding more than ten (10) percent of the stock of the corporation, or any of the officers and directors, if the applicant is a corporation, or any of the partners, including limited partners, if the applicant is a partnership, or the holder of any lien of any nature on the business and/or equipment used therein; and the manager or other person principally in charge of the operation of the business, have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within five (5) years of the submittal of application; (4) The applicant has knowingly made any false, misleading or fraudulent statements of fact in the permit application or in any document required by the city in conjunction therewith; (5) The applicant has had a massage establishment, masseur or other similar permit or license denied, revoked or suspended by the city or any other state or local agency within five (5) years prior to the date of application; (6) The applicant, if an individual, or any of the officers and directors if the applicant is a corporation, or any of the partners, including limited partners, if the applicant is a partnership, and the manager or other person principally in charge of the operation of the business, is not over the age of eighteen (18) years. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-18 Fees generally.

Sec. 17-18. - Fees generally. The permit fee for a massage establishment shall be seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per year made payable to the City of San Antonio and submitted to the department. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-19 Fees for separate locations.

Sec. 17-19. - Fees for separate locations. Should any massage establishment have more than one (1) location where the business of massage is pursued, then a permit, stating both the address of the principal place of business and of the other location shall be issued by the chief on the tender of a permit fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per permit per additional location. Permits issued for other locations shall terminate on the same date as that of the principal place of business, regardless of the date of issuance. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-20 Non-refundable fees

Sec. 17-20. - Non-refundable fees All fees required in this chapter are non-refundable. Payment of the fees shall be by cashier's check or money order and made payable to the City of San Antonio. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-21 Renewal of permits; updated list of employees and masseurs.

Sec. 17-21. - Renewal of permits; updated list of employees and masseurs. Each permit shall be valid for a term commencing upon issuance and shall expire on the 31 st of December, unless sooner revoked or surrendered. Each permit shall be subject to renewal as of its expiration date by the filing of a renewal application with the chief. Renewal applications must be filed at least ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date of the permit that is to be renewed. The required background check shall be conducted on a yearly basis upon receipt of a renewal application. Operator shall provide an updated list of personnel on a quarterly basis with masseur name and accompanying TDLR permit for the establishment and individual masseurs. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-22 Revocation, suspension, refusal to apply or renew permits.

Sec. 17-22. - Revocation, suspension, refusal to apply or renew permits. Any of the following charged offenses in one (1) twelve (12) month period shall consist of grounds for revocation, suspension, or refusal to renew permits: (1) Any of the following offenses as described in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, ch. 43: a. Prostitution; b. Promotion of prostitution; c. Aggravated promotion of prostitution; d. Compelling prostitution; e. Obscenity; (2) Any of the following offenses as described in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, ch. 21: a. Public lewdness; or b. Indecent exposure; or (3) Harboring a runaway child as described in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, ch. 25; (4) Criminal attempt, conspiracy or solicitation to commit any of the above offenses; (5) Human trafficking as described in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, ch. 20A; (6) Human smuggling as described in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, ch. 20.05; or (7) Any violation of this chapter. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-23 Denial, suspension and revocation of permits; hearing board; appeal; revocation of certificate of occupancy.

Sec. 17-23. - Denial, suspension and revocation of permits; hearing board; appeal; revocation of certificate of occupancy. (a) A massage establishment permit may be denied, revoked or suspended by the chief in any case where any of the provisions of this chapter are violated, or where any employee of the permittee is or was engaged in any conduct which violates any of state laws or city ordinances at the establishment and the permittee has actual or constructive knowledge thereof. A criminal charge is sufficient to move forward with suspension or revocation regardless of whether there has been a conviction at that time. (b) A board comprised of the chief, development services director or designee, and the city manager or designee shall hear all appeals in which a permit has been required, denied, revoked or suspended. The board shall have the authority to determine, after hearing, to uphold, modify, or reverse the decision by the chief. (c) An appeal must be filed with the vice division of the department within ten (10) calendar days of the decision of the chief. (d) The appellate hearing shall be held no later than twenty (20) business days from receipt of appeal. (e) Written decision of the board shall be issued within ten (10) calendar days of hearing. (f) The decision of the board shall be final. (g) If a massage establishment permit is revoked, the establishment's certificate of occupancy shall be revoked pursuant to chapter 10, City of San Antonio Code of Ordinances. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

San Antonio City Code § 17-24 Transfer of permit prohibited.

Sec. 17-24. - Transfer of permit prohibited. No massage establishment permit is transferable, severable or divisible, and such authority as a permit confers shall be conferred only upon the permittee named therein. (Ord. No. 2019-02-14-0122, § 1, 2-14-19)

Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH17MABU_ARTIIICIPEFetched: 10/27/2026