Operating Requirements for Massage Therapists
San Diego Municipal Code § 33.3522
in effect§33.3522 Operating Requirements for Massage Therapists
(a) No massage therapist, while performing any task or service associated with the massage establishment, sole practitioner massage establishment, or off-premise massage therapist business, shall be present in any room with another person unless the person’s particular anatomical areas are fully covered. This subsection does not apply to momentary nudity occurring in bathrooms, shower areas, or dressing or locker rooms. This subsection is regulatory only.
(b) No massage therapist, while performing any task for service associated with the business of massage, shall massage or intentionally touch the particular anatomical areas of another person. This subsection is regulatory only.
(c) Each massage therapist must wear a name tag when working as a massage therapist. The name tag must contain the massage therapist’s name as it appears on the police permit or state certification. This subsection is regulatory only.
(d) It is unlawful for any massage therapist to use towels, linens or instruments during the massage that are not in a clean or in a safe condition.
(e) It is unlawful for any massage therapist to provide massage services between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(f) The permittee shall ensure that patrons are advised of section 33.3522(a) and section 33.3522(b) prior to treatment. The advisal may be:
(1) posted as a document in the room where the massage is conducted;
(2) contained in patron intake documents; or
(3) posted in any other manner approved by the Chief of Police.
The advisal may paraphrase the language of section 33.3522(a) and section 33.3522(b), so long as such language is approved by the Chief of Police. Language quoting these sections need not be preapproved by the Chief of Police. This subsection is regulatory only.
(g) Any off-premise massage business therapist permittee who hires, dispatches or contracts with other off-premise massage therapists to do off-premise massage is responsible for ensuring that those massage therapists comply with all applicable regulations in this Division.
The permittee must also make reasonable efforts to prevent criminal activity by the other massage therapists. In addition to all other grounds, prostitution by such massage therapists is grounds for revoking the permit.
(“Off–Premises Massage Business License” repealed; “Operating Requirements for Massage Therapists” added 12-5-2000 by O-18907 N.S.; effective 7-1-2001.)
(Renumbered from former Section 33.3524 and amended 11-25-2014 by O-20437 N.S.; effective 12-25-2014.)
(Amended 11-20-2019 by O-21152 N.S.; effective 1-1-2020.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter03/Ch03Art03Division35.pdf#page=18Fetched: 10/28/2026