Chapter 5.72 — ACUPRESSURE

Acupressure. The stimulation or sedation of specific meridian points and trigger points near the surface of the body by the use of pressure, including massage, applied by the acupressurist in order to prevent or modify the perception of pain or to normalize physiological functions, including pain control, in the treatment of certain diseases or dysfunctions of the body.

Acupressurist. A person who administers acupressure.

Acupressure establishment. A place wherein acupressure is administered.

Employee. Any person, other than an acupressurist, who renders any service to an acupressure establishment, and who receives compensation directly from the acupressure establishment permittee or his or her agent.

Recognized school of acupressure. (1) any school or other institution of learning which has been approved by the California Department of Education under Section94311 of the California Education Code and whose acupressure curriculum satisfies the minimum requirements set forth in Section 18818, Title 5, Division 21 of the California Administrative Code, and (2) any school or other institution of learning outside the State of California whose acupressure curriculum would satisfy the minimum requirements set forth in Section 18818, Title 5, Division 21 of the California Administrative Code.

(Prior code § 11-5)

• A. No person shall qualify for an acupressure establishment permit who is not at least 18 years of age.

• B. Submission of an application for a permit does not authorize the applicant to operate an acupressure establishment.

• C. In addition to obtaining a permit from the City Council, every applicant shall supply the following information in writing to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department:

  1. The date of the application.

  2. The applicant's full true name and any other used, date of birth, sex, height, weight, color of hair, color of eyes, California drivers' permit number or California identification number, Social Security Number, present residence address, and present residence telephone number. Additionally, the applicant shall submit two photographs of the applicant to be taken by the Sheriff's Department and, if required by the City Clerk, the applicant must furnish its fingerprints.

  3. The applicant's residences and the dates thereof, for the five years preceding the date of the application.

  4. The applicant's business, occupation, and employment history, and the dates thereof, for the five years preceding the date of application.

  5. The applicant's entire permit and permit history, and the dates and types thereof,

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA § 5.72.020

BUSINESS LICENSES REGULATIONS

§ 5.72.020

including any permit or license issued by any agency, board, city, county, territory, or state. Such history shall include the address, City and State, and the approximate dates, if any, where and when the applicant practiced a similar business, either alone or in conjunction with others. The applicant shall indicate whether any such permit or license was revoked or suspended and, if so, the reasons for such revocation or suspension.

6. The applicant's entire record of criminal convictions (except non-felony traffic offenses) and ordinance violations, and the dates and places thereof.

7. A complete description of all services to be provided at the acupressure establishment and of any other business to be operated on the same or, when owned or controlled by the applicant, adjoining premises.

8. Acceptable written proof that the applicant is at least 18 years of age.

9. The name, address, and date of birth of each acupressure therapist and each employee who is or will be employed in the acupressure establishment.

10. The name and address of any acupressure establishment or other like establishment, including, but not limited to, massage establishments, owned or operated by any person whose name is required to be given pursuant to this section.

11. If the applicant is a corporation, its name exactly as shown in its Articles of Incorporation or Charter, its state and date of incorporation, and the names and residence addresses of each of its current officers, directors, and any stockholders holding more than five percent of the corporation's stock.

12. If the applicant is a partnership, the name and residence address of each of the partners, including limited partners. If the applicant is a limited partnership, it shall furnish a copy of its certificate of limited partnership as filed with the County Clerk. If one or more of the partners is a corporation, the provisions of paragraph 13 of this subsection pertaining to corporate applicants shall apply.

13. If the applicant is either a corporation or partnership it shall designate on the application one of its officers or general partners as its responsible managing officer. Such person shall complete and sign all application forms required of an individual applicant under this section. Only one application fee shall be required.

The corporation's or partnership's responsible managing officer must at all times meet all of the requirements set for permittees by this section. If a violation of this duty should occur, the permit issued to this corporation or partnership permit shall be suspended until a responsible managing officer who meets such requirements is designated. If no acceptable person should be found within 90 days of a violation, permit issued to the corporation or partnership permit shall be deemed canceled and a new initial application for a permit must be filed.

• D. The applicant or, if the applicant is a partnership or corporation, its designated responsible managing officer shall personally appear at the City Clerk's office to submit the application containing the required information as described in this section and to pay the required application fee.

• E. The applicant shall notify and cause the Los Angeles County Health Department to inspect

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA § 5.72.020

PARAMOUNT CODE

§ 5.72.040

the premises sought to be licensed to ensure compliance with all applicable health laws. If the Department determines that the premises are in full compliance, the applicant shall submit a copy of the Department of Health's report to the City Clerk. If the City Clerk does not receive such a report within 60 days of the date of filing, the application shall be deemed void and a new application, including the payment of all associated fees, shall be required for a permit. All fees charged by the Los Angeles County Health Department shall be incurred by the applicant separately of any other fees or charges set forth in this section.

• F. The applicant shall submit any change of address which may occur during the procedure of applying for an acupressure establishment permit.

• (Prior code § 11-5)

• A. Subject to the exception below for partnerships, no acupressure establishment permit may be sold, transferred, or assigned by the permittee, or by operation of law, to any other person or persons; any such sale, transfer or assignment, or attempted sale, transfer or assignment, shall be deemed to be a voluntary surrender of the permit and it shall thereafter be deemed terminated and void. If the permittee is a corporation, its acupressure establishment permit shall be deemed terminated and void under this section when either any outstanding stock of the corporation is sold, transferred or assigned after the issuance of a permit, or any stock authorized but not issued at the time of the granting of a permit, is thereafter issued and sold, transferred, or assigned.

• B. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if one or more partners of a partnership which is a permittee dies during the life of the permit, one or more of the surviving partners may acquire, by purchase or otherwise, the interest of the deceased partner or partners without effecting a surrender or termination of such permit; in such case, the permit shall thereafter be deemed to be the surviving partner(s).

• (Prior code § 11-5)

• A. Permit Requirements.

  1. No person shall qualify for an acupressurist permit who is not at least 18 years of age.

  2. Any person who engages in, conducts, or carries on, the operation of an acupressurist without first obtaining a valid acupressurist permit issued pursuant to the provisions hereinafter set forth shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

  3. The application for a permit does not authorize the applicant to engage in the business of an acupressurist until such permit has been granted.

  4. In addition to obtaining a permit from the City Clerk, every applicant shall supply the following information in writing to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department:

     • a. The date of the application.

     • b. Each and every fact set forth in Section 5.72.020(C)(2)—(6) and (8).

     • c. Whether the applicant currently possesses or has applied for an acupressurist permit.

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA § 5.72.040

BUSINESS LICENSES REGULATIONS

§ 5.72.050

• d. The full name, address and telephone number of the acupressure establishment at which the applicant will be employed. If, subsequent to the original application, the applicant seeks employment at an acupressure establishment other than that indicated thereon, the applicant shall submit another application stating the change. In such event, the applicant shall pay an additional application fee.

• e. Such other information as the City Clerk may require in order to discover the truth of the matters herein required.

5. If the applicant has been convicted of any charges relating to a sexual offense, such as prostitution, lewd conduct, or any other sexual offense, or any felony, such conviction(s) may constitute grounds for denial of a permit.

6. A permittee shall pay an annual permit renewal fee of $100.00 to the City Clerk to defray, in part, the cost of investigation required by this section.

• B.

Prohibited Conduct.

1. Acupressurists shall at all times on the premises of the acupressure establishment be clean and wear non-transparent outer garments covering the body from knee to neck.

2. No acupressurist may perform any acupressure treatments in any location other than at an acupressure establishment holding a valid acupressure permit.

3. No acupressurist may administer acupressure treatments at any location other than that location specified on the acupressurist's permit.

4. No acupressurist shall administer acupressure treatments unless the patron wears clothing which fully covers the patron's genitals and, if the patron is female, breasts. No acupressure treatments or massage may be administered to the patron's genital area, and if the patron is female, no acupressure treatment or massage may be administered to the breasts.

• C. Permit Revocation.

1. The City Clerk shall revoke an acupressure establishment or acupressurist permit upon receiving satisfactory evidence that either: (a) the permittee has been convicted of or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any violation of Section 647a or 647b of the California Penal Code, or any lesser included offense thereof; or (b) the permittee has violated, or has permitted an employee, representative or agent to violate, any provision of this chapter on two separate occasions within a 12-month period.

   2. The procedure for such revocation shall be as prescribed by Section 5.04.220 of the Paramount Municipal Code. The action of the City Clerk is appealable by the permittee to the City Council.

2. Whenever a permit has been revoked under the terms of this section, the former permittee, whether a person, partnership, or corporation, shall not be granted a new permit for a period of one year from date of revocation

(Prior code § 11-5)

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA § 5.72.050

PARAMOUNT CODE

§ 5.72.050

No person shall engage in, conduct, or carry on, or so permit, any acupressure establishment unless each and all of the following requirements are met:

• A. Each person employed or acting as an acupressurist shall have a valid acupressurist permit, as provided in Section 5.72.040, issued by the City Clerk. It is unlawful for any owner, manager, operator, responsible managing employee or permittee in charge of or in control of an acupressure establishment to employ or permit a person to act as an acupressurist who is not in possession of a valid, unrevoked acupressurist permit issued pursuant to Section 5.72.040.

The possession of a valid acupressure establishment permit does not authorize the possessor to perform work for which an acupressurist permit is required.

• B. Acupressure treatments may be carried on or conducted and the premises may be open, only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

• C. A list of available services and the cost of such services shall be posted in an open public place within the premises and shall be described in readily understandable language. No owner, manager, operator, responsible managing employee, or permittee shall permit, and no acupressurist shall offer or perform, any service other than those posted.

• D. The acupressure establishment permit and a copy of the permit of each and every acupressurist employed in the establishment shall be displayed in an open and conspicuous place on the premises.

• E. Every acupressure establishment shall keep a written record of the date and hour of each treatment, the name and address of each customer, the name of the acupressurist administering the treatment, and the type of treatment authorized and administered. The records shall be maintained for a period of two years.

Only those officials who are charged with enforcement of this chapter shall inspect these records and they shall not use any information contained therein for any purpose other than enforcement of this chapter.

No acupressure establishment permittee or acupressure establishment employee shall utilize the records in any manner or for any purpose which is unrelated to enforcement of this chapter.

• F. All employees, including acupressurists, shall at all times while on the premises of the acupressure establishment be clean and shall wear clean, non-transparent outer garments covering the body from knee to neck; the use of such garment shall be restricted to the acupressure establishment. Separate dressing rooms for each sex, equipped with individual lockers for each employee, shall be available on the premises.

• G. No persons shall enter, be, or remain in any part of an acupressure establishment while in the possession of, consuming, or using alcoholic beverages or drugs, except pursuant to a prescription for such drugs. The owner, operator, responsible managing employee, manager, or permittee shall not permit any person in violation of this section to enter or remain upon the premises.

• H. No acupressure establishment permittee may place, publish, or distribute, or so direct or

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA § 5.72.050

BUSINESS LICENSES REGULATIONS

§ 5.72.050

permit, any advertising matter which either depicts any portion of the human body or includes matter in its text which could be reasonably construed as suggesting to prospective customers or clients that any service is available other than those acupressure treatments and any other services which the acupressure establishment permittee is legally authorized to provide on the premises.

• I. No acupressure treatment shall be given in an acupressure establishment within any cubicle, room, booth, or other area which is fitted with a door.

• J. All exterior and interior doors shall remain unlocked during business hours.

• K. No acupressure treatments may be administered unless the patron wears clothing which fully covers the patron's genitals and, if the patron is female, breasts. No acupressure treatments or massage may be administered to the patron's genital area and, if the patron is female, no acupressure treatments or massages may be administered to the breasts.

• L. No acupressure establishment may be open for business unless there is on the premises at all times at least one acupressurist holding a current, unrevoked permit.

• M. No persons other than the person receiving acupressure treatment and the administering acupressurist may be within a room in an acupressure establishment wherein acupressure treatment is being administered.

• N. Male patrons shall receive acupressure treatment only by male acupressurists. Female patrons shall receive acupressure treatment only by female acupressurists.

• O. At least one artificial light with an intensity of not less than a 60 watt bulb shall be hung from the ceiling directly above any work table or booth where acupressure services are being performed on a patron.

• P. Separate closed cabinets shall be provided for the storage of clean and soiled linen, and shall be plainly marked "Clean Linen" and "Soiled Linen."

• Q. All walls, ceilings floors, sinks, and all other physical facilities shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition and in good repair.

• R. A minimum of one separate wash basin shall be provided for each acupressurist who works at the establishment at any one time. Such a basin shall provide soap or detergent and hot and cold running water at all times, and shall be located as close as practicable to the area devoted to the administration of acupressure. In addition, sanitary towels shall be provided at each wash basin in permanently installed dispensers.

• S. A clean sheet or other effective sanitary covering shall be placed over any table, floor or other area upon treatment. The sheet or other covering shall be deposited in the "Soiled Linen" cabinet at the conclusion of any acupressure treatment. Acupressurists shall thoroughly wash their hands and arms with hot water and soap before and after each acupressure treatment.

• T. No acupressure treatment shall be performed or applied to any patron nor by any acupressurist when the owner, manager, operator, responsible managing employee, or permittee has any reasonable basis to believe the patron or acupressurist might be infected with a virus, bacteria, or other infectious agent which could be transmitted by the process of an acupressure treatment.

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA

PARAMOUNT CODE

§ 5.72.050

§ 5.72.090

• U. The holder of an acupressure establishment permit shall notify the City Clerk, in writing, of any change in information concerning the original application within 30 days of such change.

• V. The holder of an acupressure establishment permit shall notify the City Clerk, in writing, of the name and address of each person employed as an acupressurist within five business days of that person being employed.

(Prior code § 11-5)

The City Manager or designee and a representative of the Los Angeles County Health Department shall have the right to periodically enter and inspect any acupressure establishment for the purpose of enforcing compliance with all applicable regulations and laws. No permittee under this section shall interfere with such an inspection by signaling verbally or by mechanical or electronic device to employees of the establishment that an inspection is to occur. (Prior code § 11-5)

• A. No holder of an acupressure establishment permit may relocate an acupressure establishment currently within the City to another location within the City without first securing separate written statements signed by the City Clerk and by the Director of Planning which state that the proposed location and facilities comply with the provisions of this section.

• B. No holder of an acupressure establishment permit may operate under any name not specified in the original permit without first securing from the City Clerk a permit which has been amended to record the change.

(Prior code § 11-5; Ord. 1198, 4/22/2025)

A permittee shall pay an annual permit renewal fee of $100.00 to the City Clerk to defray, in part, the cost of investigation required by Section 5.72.060. (Prior code § 11-5)

The procedure for permit revocation shall be as prescribed by Section 5.04.110 of the Paramount Municipal Code.

(Prior code § 11-5)

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/PA4983 on 2026-07-07

City of Paramount, CA § 5.76.010

BUSINESS LICENSES REGULATIONS

§ 5.76.020