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Earlier editions: 2026-07

Title 4 — Business Permits and Regulations

Fountain Valley Municipal Code Ch. 4.02 General Provisions

Fountain Valley Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Fountain Valley

Cite as: Fountain Valley Municipal Code Chapter 4.02 · Text as of 2026-10-04

§ 4.02.010. Short title.

This title may be cited as the "business permit law" of the city.

(Ord. 1181 § 1, 1992)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 4.02.020. Purpose.

The purpose of this title is to provide a procedure by which specific businesses or activities may be approved which also may require special investigations or require that certain conditions be attached in order to preserve the public peace, health, safety, morals or welfare of the residents of the city.

(Ord. 1181 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1376 § 1, 2005)

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§ 4.02.030. Permit required.

No person shall commence, transact or carry on any business or covered activity listed below without first having procured a permit from the city:

(1) Merchant patrol;

(2) Dances, dancing club entertainment;

(3) Solicitors;

(4) Charitable and religious solicitors;

(5) Poolrooms and billiard halls;

(6) Massage establishments;

(7) Massage technicians;

(8) Massage technician's aid, apprentice or trainee;

(9) Pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers;

(10) Burglary and robbery alarm systems;

(11) Escorts;

(12) Escort bureaus and introductory services;

(13) Bingo games;

(14) Off-site sale of single agricultural product; and

(15) Sidewalk vendors.

This title shall not be construed to require any person or company to obtain a permit if such requirement conflicts with applicable statutes or constitutional provisions of the United States or of the state of California.

(Ord. 1181 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1376 § 2, 2005; Ord. 1406 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1547 § 4, 2019)

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§ 4.02.040. Permit fees.

Unless otherwise specifically stated in this title, a fee for filing an application for a permit shall be set forth by city council resolution and payable in advance. This annual fee shall be nonrefundable and shall be used to cover the administrative costs incurred in investigating and/or processing the application for permit. This fee shall not include the fee charged by the police department to process and create fingerprint records that are required as part of the permit application process for the following business permits:

(1) Merchant patrol;

(2) Solicitors;

(3) Poolrooms and billiard halls;

(4) Massage establishments;

(5) Massage establishment off-premises permit;

(6) Massage technician's aide, apprentice or trainee;

(7) Pawnbroker and secondhand dealers;

(8) Escorts; and

(9) Escort bureaus and introductory services.

(Ord. 1181 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1376 § 3, 2005; Ord. 1547 § 5, 2019)

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§ 4.02.050. Compliance with Title 5.

All businesses and covered activities requiring a permit pursuant to the terms of this title, unless specifically exempted herein, shall obtain and pay the fees applicable for a permit and/or license pursuant to the terms and provisions of Title 5 of this code.

(Ord. 1181 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1376 § 4, 2005)

Exceptions & meaning →

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