Massage Establishment and Sole Practitioner Massage Establishment Patron’s Particular Anatomical Areas Covered, No Touching, Advisal
San Diego Municipal Code § 33.3516
in effect§33.3516 Massage Establishment and Sole Practitioner Massage Establishment Patron’s Particular Anatomical Areas Covered, No Touching, Advisal
(a) A responsible person in each massage establishment or sole practitioner massage establishment shall provide to all patrons sanitary and opaque coverings capable of covering the patron’s particular anatomical areas. No common use of the covering shall be permitted, and reuse is prohibited unless the covering has been laundered after each use. In addition, no responsible person shall permit a massage to be given unless the patron’s particular anatomical areas are fully covered. This subsection 33.3516(a) is regulatory only.
(b) No responsible person shall permit any person in any area within the massage establishment or sole practitioner massage establishment which is used by the patrons or which can be viewed by patrons from such an area, unless the person’s particular anatomical areas are fully covered. This subsection 33.3516(b) does not apply to momentary nudity occurring in bathrooms, shower areas, or dressing or locker rooms. This subsection 33.3516(b) is regulatory only.
(c) No permittee shall give a massage or be in any room with a patron unless the patron’s particular anatomical areas are fully covered with an opaque covering. This subsection 33.3516(c) is regulatory only.
(d) No responsible person shall permit any person to massage, or intentionally touch, the particular anatomical areas of another person. This subsection 33.3516(d) is regulatory only.
(e) No permittee shall massage or intentionally touch the particular anatomical areas of another person. This subsection 33.3516(e) is regulatory only.
(f) The responsible person and permittee shall ensure that patrons are advised of section 33.3316(a) through 33.3516(e), 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 33.3516(a) through 33.3516(e), 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.
(“Massage Establishments Patron’s Specified Anatomical Areas Covered, No Touching, Advisal” added 12-5-2000 by O-18907 N.S.; effective 7-1-2001.)
(Renumbered from former Section 33.3518 and amended 11-25-2014 by O-20437 N.S.; effective 12-25-2014.)
(Retitled from “Massage Establishments Patron’s Specified Anatomical Areas Covered, No Touching, Advisal” to “Massage Establishment and Sole Practitioner Massage Establishment Patron’s Particular Anatomical Areas Covered, No Touching, Advisal” and 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=14Fetched: 10/28/2026