Paso Robles passes ordinance regarding massage service certifications
—The Paso Robles City Council unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance affecting the certification requirements of massage establishments in the city at the May 15 meeting. During a May 1 hearing, there was no public opposition to the ordinance, which will amend six sections of the Municipal Code.
Paso Robles’ Municipal Code states that in order to practice massage within the city, massage therapists and practitioners must be certified by the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). This section was added into the code in 2013 in response to concern over illegal activities occurring within several massage establishments.
However, massage establishments have approached the city in regards to the difficulty in becoming certified through CAMTC or hiring certified employees due to the lengthy amount of time to go through the certification process. This process includes completing at least 500 hours of an approved CAMTC school’s coursework and it may take several months to be issued certification after the fact.
The ordinance will provide two exceptions to the code which will allow massage therapists without a CAMTC license to practice in Paso Robles. Interim licenses will be provided to those waiting for approval from CAMTC or working on the requirements to obtain certification.
For more information, visit the Council Agenda Report here.
