How Kennewick Handles Business Licensing & Operations: A Practical Guide

Kennewick maintains 93 local ordinances across all categories, and 8 of those deal specifically with business licensing & operations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Kennewick falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Massage Establishments

Kennewick requires a Class II business license to operate a massage or reflexology business under Kennewick Municipal Code § 6.37.040, and separately bars anyone from practicing or advertising as a massage therapist or reflexologist without state licensure or certification. Businesses cannot operate between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Key details: License class: Class II business license. Hours limit: No operation 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.. Practitioner license: Required under Chapter 18.108 RCW. Inspection: Common areas only, no warrant needed. First offense: Misdemeanor.

Section 6.37.200 makes a first violation of Chapter 6.37 a misdemeanor and every subsequent violation, whether charged in the same case or a later one, a gross misdemeanor. If Benton County District Court finds a violation occurred, the court must forfeit all of the violator's Kennewick-issued massage or reflexology business licenses and bar the violator from applying for or obtaining a new one as a condition of any sentence, deferred prosecution, or probation.

Compared to other cities, Kennewick takes a harder line on massage establishments. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Towing Companies

Kennewick police direct DUI and suspended-license impounds; owners redeem vehicles from the towing agency after paying an administrative fee plus towing and storage costs.

Key details: Redemption window: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm at KPD. Hearing request deadline: 10 days. Forum for disputes: Benton County District Court. Governing section: KMC § 11.90.635.

Impounded vehicles are held for the period set by RCW 46.55.120 and released only after the administrative fee and all towing/storage costs are paid; unresolved impounds proceed toward disposition under KMC § 11.90.640.

Pawnbrokers

Kennewick requires pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers to hold a Class II business license, report transactions to police daily, and hold purchased goods 30 days before resale.

Key details: License type: Class II business license. Reporting: Daily electronic report to police. Resale hold: 30 days minimum. Penalty range: $25 to $500 per violation.

Operating without a license, falsifying required transaction records, or selling pledged/purchased goods before the 30-day hold expires can bring license suspension or revocation and a $25 to $500 penalty under KMC 6.17.085 and 6.17.090.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Kennewick actively enforces its pawnbrokers requirements.

Tobacco Retail License

Merchants selling tobacco products in Kennewick must obtain a special Tobacco Sales License and post required notices, or face gross misdemeanor penalties up to $5,000 and a year in jail.

Key details: License required: Special Tobacco Sales License. ID check age: Verify ID under age 30. Max penalty: $5,000 fine, one year jail. Posting: Notice barring sales under 18.

Selling tobacco in Kennewick without the required Tobacco Sales License, or failing to check ID and post notices under KMC 10.16.085, risks a gross misdemeanor charge up to $5,000 and a year in jail.

This is one of the stricter rules in Kennewick's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Tattoo & Body Modification

Tattooing anyone under 18 in Kennewick is a misdemeanor unless the artist can prove a documented, good-faith photo-ID age check; only licensed-physician medical procedures are exempt from the ban.

Key details: Prohibited act: tattooing anyone under 18. Penalty: misdemeanor. Legal defense: documented good-faith photo-ID check. Exemption: licensed physician medical procedures.

Applying a tattoo to a minor is a misdemeanor under KMC 10.06.075; lack of knowledge of the customer's age is no defense unless the artist proves a documented, good-faith ID check was made.

Adult Entertainment

Kennewick requires separate Class II licenses to operate an adult concession and to work there as an entertainer or manager under Kennewick Municipal Code § 6.35.040. Adult businesses other than motels must close between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Key details: License class: Class II: operator, entertainer, manager. Three licenses required: Operator, entertainer, manager. Lighting rule: Minimum one footcandle at floor level. Closing hours: 2 a.m.-6 a.m. weekdays/Sat, 2 a.m.-10 a.m. Sun. Suspension escalation: 30 days, then 90 days, then revoked.

Section 6.35.160 lets the license officer suspend a license for 30 days on a first violation, 90 days on a second violation within 24 months, and revoke it outright for a third violation within that window, in addition to assessing a penalty of $25.00 to $500.00 and ordering restitution to anyone injured. A license obtained by fraud or misrepresentation must be revoked outright. Serious safety violations found by the Building, Fire or Health Department can trigger an immediate suspension pending a hearing.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Kennewick actively enforces its adult entertainment requirements.

Auto Repair on Residential Property

Kennewick's home occupation permit, which otherwise lets residents run a small business out of any residential unit, expressly excludes automobile repair and body shop work. KMC 18.42.090(1)(n) means a commercial auto repair operation cannot be licensed as a home occupation anywhere in the city, regardless of zoning district.

Key details: Excluded use: Automobile repair, body shop work. Also excluded: Dog kennels/boarding, heavy equipment. Max floor area (allowed occupations): 25% of residence. Employee limit: 1 non-family employee, first 18 months. Customer visits: 4/day by appointment, 1 at a time.

Operating an unpermitted auto repair or body shop business from a residence is enforced as a Title 18 zoning violation under KMC 9.48.020: the Director can issue a notice and order, assess civil penalties, and require the use to cease, and a home occupation permit issued without disclosing the excluded use can be revoked. A business operating without the required City business license under KMC 18.42.090(3) is a separate licensing violation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Kennewick's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Secondhand Dealers

Kennewick requires pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers to hold a Class II business license, log every transaction into the police department's database, and hold purchased goods 30 days before resale.

Key details: License type: Class II business license. Reporting: Daily to police database by noon. Resale hold: 30 days minimum, §6.17.080(4). Penalty range: $25 to $500 per violation.

The License Officer or Hearing Examiner may suspend, revoke, or refuse a license for a violation, plus a penalty of $25 to $500 and restitution to anyone injured (KMC 6.17.090).

The Bottom Line

Kennewick is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 5 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Kennewick, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Kennewick's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.