You don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important From: Johnson, Ryan <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2026 12:15 PM
To: Jack Griffin <[email protected]>; Tess Sangster <[email protected]>; Michelle Bender <[email protected]>; Daniel Barron <[email protected]> Cc: Buonomo, Heather <[email protected]>; Johnson, Ryan <[email protected]> Subject: SD County DEHQ - Massage Program Changes - San Marcos CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello San Marcos Partners,
DEHQ has been working with individual jurisdictions to assist with the review and updating of their local ordinance related to massage facilities.
Since the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) provides certification to massage therapists that meet the requirements established in state law for practicing massage therapy, massage facilities no longer require an environmental inspection.
Our goal for this calendar year
is to complete the transition of the current massage regulatory program from DEHQ to each local jurisdiction to permit and regulate.
In order to complete this transition, local ordinance language needs to be updated (see below list of permitted sites) to remove the mention of DEHQ or the Health Officer/Official and should also reflect that all practicing massage therapists have the CAMTC certification in order to practice within a specific jurisdiction.
To date, the Unincorporated County, City of San Diego, City of Escondido, City of Chula Vista, and City of Carlsbad have updated their local ordinances to reflect this.
To help with this process for your City, I’ve
provided relevant sections of your current municipal code below with highlighted portions that need to be updated as part of this transition, as well as a list of any permitted operations within your jurisdiction.
DEHQ is happy to meet with your team directly and answer any questions you have regarding this transition, including timelines to ensure this is heard at your City Council by November 2026, and collaborative communication to the massage therapists in your jurisdiction.
If you are not the best contact for this process, please let me know who the appropriate contact is so I can reach out and set up a meeting to discuss further.
Permitted Sites:
DEH2025-FMSG-
000625 LUXE MASSAGE 979
WOODLAND PKWY 104 SAN MARCOS 92069
224-052-30-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000618 TAO MASSAGE 407 N TWIN OAKS VALLEY RD 101 SAN MARCOS 92069 220-050-45-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000615 LUCKY FOOT MASSAGE 754
RANCHO SANTA FE RD RD SAN MARCOS 92078
221-023-10-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000614 SABAIDEE THAI MASSAGE AND SPA LLC 819 W SAN MARCOS BLVD SAN MARCOS 92078-1112
221-061-60-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000613 AAA RELAX SPA 277 S RANCHO SANTA FE RD L SAN MARCOS 92078-2341 219-087-06-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000612 ANGIE MASSAGE 1248 E MISSION RD
SAN MARCOS 92069-3036
226-071-10-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000610 WEI PROFESSIONAL INC 100 N RANCHO SANTA FE RD 124 SAN MARCOS 92069 219-117-49-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000609 MARIA ELENA PEREZ MASSAGE THERAPY 330
RANCHEROS DR 202 SAN MARCOS 92069-2978
220-311-07-
18 DEH2024-FMSG-
000608 MIRACLE MASSAGE 702 S RANCHO SANTA FE RD
SAN MARCOS 92078
221-023-10-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000605 ANGEL MASSAGE STUDIO 1691
MELROSE DR SAN MARCOS 92078-2127
223-030-96-
00 DEH2024-FMSG-
000601 NEW RAINBOW SPA 470 S RANCHO SANTA FE RD
SAN MARCOS 92078-3621
219-400-18-
00 DEH2023-FMSG-
000596 EVRGREEN WELLNESS 720 S RANCHO SANTA FE RD 14 SAN MARCOS 92078 221-023-10-
00 DEH2022-FMSG-
000588 RELAXATION SPA 940 W SAN MARCOS BLVD D SAN MARCOS 92078-1120 219-331-29-
00 DEH2021-FMSG-
000574 RELAX ZONE THAI MASSAGE 576 E MISSION RD D SAN MARCOS 92069 220-210-36-
00 DEH2020-FMSG-
000541 SAKATA SPA 327
RANCHO SANTA FE RD SAN MARCOS 92078
219-096-14-
00 DEH2020-FMSG-
000539 MASSAGE GREEN SPA 310
TWIN OAKS VALLEY RD 104 SAN MARCOS 92078
221-091-26-
00 DEH2020-FMSG-
000524 SAN MARCOS WELLNESS DBA MODALITY WORKS 1582 W SAN MARCOS BLVD 101 SAN MARCOS 92078-4081 221-031-32-
00 DEH2018-FMSG-
000379 AAA ELITE SPA 1450 W MISSION RD E SAN MARCOS 92069-1327 219-121-07-
00 DEH2018-FMSG-
000367 SPIRIT SOUL WELLNESS 1
CREEKSIDE DR 80 SAN MARCOS 92078-2370
219-270-70-
00 DEH2017-FMSG-
000323 CRYSTAL MASSAGE 705
CENTER DR 105 SAN MARCOS 92069-3576
226-111-40-
00 DEH2015-FMSG-
000237 HOLY MASSAGE 1582 W SAN MARCOS BLVD 302 SAN MARCOS 92078-4081 221-031-32-
00 DEH2013-FMSG-
000156 MASSAGE ENVY 145 S LAS POSAS RD
SAN MARCOS 92069
219-130-45-
00 DEH2011-FMSG-
446140 GRAND MASSAGE 1915 W SAN MARCOS BLVD 110 SAN MARCOS 92078 221-024-16-
00 Ordinance Sections to be updated:
5.44.040 - Definitions.
(e) Health Department shall mean the Department of Environmental Health and/or the Health and Human Services Agency of the County of San Diego. {need to remove this definition since there will be no other references to the Health Department in this Chapter}
5.44.060 - Massage Establishment License, Outcall Massage License. (b)
License Application. An application for a Massage Establishment License or Outcall Massage License shall be filed on a form provided by the City, and shall be signed and submitted under penalty of perjury. A Massage Establishment License or Outcall Massage License application shall include the following information, which must be updated when there is any personnel change to ensure that the City has current information on file at all times relating to the Massage Business, the Owners, Operators and Managers, and all Massage Technicians who Perform Massage or who will Perform Massage at the Massage Business, as applicable:
(13) Copy of a current and valid public health permit to operate a Massage Establishment issued by the Health Department, unless deemed to be exempt from this requirement pursuant to Sections
5.44.070(y) or 5.44.150 of this Municipal Code, or some other applicable City or Health Department exemption. This subdivision shall not apply to Outcall Massage businesses. {Need to remove the highlighted section since DEHQ will no longer be issuing health permits for massage facilities.} (e) Approval or Denial of License. The Issuing Officer shall issue a license to operate a Massage Establishment or Outcall Massage business within the jurisdiction of the City to any Massage Establishment or Outcall Massage business, as applicable, that demonstrates the following:
(1) The Massage Business, the Owners, Operators and Managers, and all Massage Technicians who Perform Massage or who will Perform Massage at the Massage Business, as applicable, would comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to, the City's building, zoning, land use approvals, business license regulations; applicable Health Department regulations; and all other applicable local, State and Federal laws, rules and regulations.
{Need to remove the highlighted section since massage facilities will not need to fulfill any requirements by our Department.}
5.44.070 - Massage Accessory Use.
(a) Information Provided to City. In addition to all other requirements for obtaining a City business license, Massage Accessory Use businesses must provide the following information to the City, signed and submitted under penalty of perjury, which must be updated when there is any personnel change to ensure the City has current information on file at all times relating to the Massage Accessory Use business, the Owners, Operators and Managers, and all Massage Technicians who Perform Massage or who will Perform Massage at the Massage Accessory Use business:
(3) Copy of a current and valid public health permit to operate a Massage Accessory Use establishment issued by the Health Department, unless deemed to be exempt from this requirement pursuant to Sections
5.44.070(y) or 5.44.150 of this Municipal Code, or some other applicable City or Health Department exemption. {Need to remove the highlighted section since DEHQ will no longer be issuing health permits for massage facilities.}
5.44.080 - Massage Operating Requirements.
(k) Lavatories, Bathing Facilities, Saunas, Steam/Heat/Vapor Rooms.
This subdivision shall not apply to Outcall Massage businesses. (1) Lavatories shall be provided for patrons with hot and cold running water, soap and single service towels in wall-mounted dispensers. (2) All walls, floors and ceilings in lavatories, bathing facilities, saunas, steam/heat/vapor rooms, and all other physical facilities must be in good repair and maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
Steam/heat/vapor rooms shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with a disinfectant approved by the Health Department each day that the Massage Business is in operation. (n) Storage Cabinets, Containers for Linens. Cabinets shall be provided for the storage of clean linens. Containers approved by the Health Department shall be provided for the storage of all soiled linens.
This subdivision shall not apply to Outcall Massage businesses. (p)
Sterilized Instruments. Disinfecting agents and sterilizing equipment approved by the Health Department shall be provided for any instruments used in Perform Massage. (y) Health Department Exemptions for Existing Massage Businesses.
Any Existing Massage Business that was previously determined by the City and/or the Health Department to be exempt from the requirement to obtain a public health permit issued by the Health Department to operate a Massage Business, shall not be required to comply with Subsections (k)(3), (4) and (l) under this Section or Subsection
5.44.060(b)(13) of this Municipal Code during the period of time that the Massage Business operates in its current location. This exemption shall no longer apply once the Massage Business moves to any other location within the City. The exemption under this subsection shall not exempt the Massage Business from compliance with all other applicable local, State and Federal laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, the provisions of this Municipal Code and the Zoning Ordinance. This subsection shall not apply to Outcall Massage businesses. {Need to remove the highlighted section since massage facilities will not need to fulfill any requirements by our Department.} {Need to remove the highlighted section since our department will not be approving any disinfectant once this is returned to the City.
We do not have a specific type that we
require, we would just make sure they are using one and review the product label to make sure the facility is following the instructions for disinfection.} {Need to remove the highlighted section since DEHQ will no longer be issuing health permits for massage facilities.}
5.44.100 - Inspections by Officials.
The investigating and enforcing officials, including, but not limited to, any Inspector and the Health Department, shall have the right to enter the premises of any Massage Business from time to time during business hours for the purpose of making a reasonable inspection to observe and enforce compliance with the provisions of this Chapter and all other applicable local, State and Federal laws, rules or regulations.
{Need to remove the highlighted section since DEHQ will no longer be conducting inspections of these facilities.} Thank you,
Ryan Johnson, M.B.A, REHS
Chief, Departmental Operations
Department of Environmental Health and Quality
Food, Water, and Housing Division
C: 619-379-7647
SanDiegoCounty.gov
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