Massage therapists and business owners have expressed concern over Santa Barbara’s proposed ordinance regulating the industry at the City Council’s Ordinance Committee meeting on December 16, 2025.
Recognizing that massage therapy is a “professional pursuit,” its practice and the operation of massage businesses “may be associated with unlawful activity and pose a threat to the quality of life in the local community,” according to the draft ordinance.
The city’s massage establishment ordinance has largely remained the same since 1976. The draft ordinance primarily seeks to prevent illegal activity at the establishments, maintaining a uniform statewide standard by mandating certification through the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), and vetting all employees to protect clients in vulnerable states…