Business Licensing & Operations in Richmond, VA

Every city handles business licensing & operations a little differently. In Richmond, Virginia, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Tobacco Retail License

Richmond requires tobacco retailers to hold a city business license under Chapter 6 and comply with Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 establishing age 21 as the minimum purchase age. Local stings target underage sales near VCU campuses.

Key details: Min purchase age: 21 statewide. City license: Required Chapter 6. Governing statute: Va. Code 18.2-371.2. ID check: Buyers appearing under 30.

Selling tobacco to anyone under 21 violates Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 and risks fines, license suspension, and Class 1 misdemeanor charges for repeat offenses.

Adult Entertainment

Richmond's zoning code keeps adult entertainment establishments, adult bookstores, adult motion picture theaters and massage parlors at least 1,000 feet from residential districts, churches, schools, libraries, day care centers, hotels and each other. The use is only permitted in commercial districts like B-3 that expressly list it, so it cannot locate in R or RO zones at all.

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 30-438.1(2). Spacing distance: 1,000 feet from R/RO zones, schools, churches. Permitted zones: B-3 and M-1 districts only. Conduct rule section: § 19-208 (stage/patron distance). Minimum stage height: 24 inches above floor.

Operating an adult entertainment establishment, adult bookstore, adult motion picture theater, or massage parlor in violation of the 1,000-foot spacing rule is a zoning violation subject to enforcement by the Department of Planning and Development Review, which can include a stop-work or cease-use order and civil penalties under the zoning ordinance's enforcement provisions. Separately, on-premises conduct violations of § 19-208 (stage height, patron distance) are Class 1 misdemeanors under § 1-16(a)(1), up to $2,500 and 12 months jail.

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

Towing Companies

Richmond bars charging any towing or storage fee for removing a vehicle from private property without the owner's permission unless the lot posts a compliant sign naming the towing firm and phone number. Towing tops out at $135, storage at $45 per day, with strict caps on drop and after-hours fees.

Key details: Max tow fee: $135.00 (under 10,000 lbs). Off-hours tow surcharge: up to $25.00 extra. Max storage fee: $45.00 per 24-hour period. First 24 hours storage: free. Max drop fee: $40.00.

Violating either the signage requirements of Section 27-303 or the fee caps of Section 27-302 is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Charging a fee without a compliant sign, or exceeding the posted maximum for towing, storage, drop or administrative charges, exposes the towing company to prosecution under both sections' identical penalty clauses.

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

Pawnbrokers

Richmond caps pawnbroker licenses at 12 citywide and requires a Chief of Police and Circuit Court certificate before one issues. Licensees pay $750 plus $0.36 per $100 of gross receipts above $100,000 and must post a $500 indemnity bond and a $50,000 judgment bond.

Key details: License cap: 12 locations citywide. Per-person limit: 2 locations maximum. Base tax: $750 plus $0.36/$100 over $100,000. Indemnity bond: $500 corporate surety. Judgment bond: $50,000 minimum.

Operating without the required license, bond, or Chief of Police certificate is a licensing violation enforced by the Director of Finance and the Police Department; the City can deny, revoke, or decline to renew a pawnbroker license for noncompliance with the reporting, bonding, or eligibility requirements in Sec. 26-983. Failure to make the daily report to the Chief of Police or falsifying required seller information exposes the licensee to license revocation and potential prosecution under the recordkeeping duties tied to the permit.

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

Tattoo & Body Modification

Before inking anyone, a Richmond tattoo artist must explain the risks under Section 6-97(b) and get the client's written informed consent, and Section 6-92 flatly bars anyone under 18 from being capable of giving that consent. Parlors also need running hot and cold water, autoclave-sterilized instruments and unannounced Health Department inspections.

Key details: Consent requirement: Written informed consent before tattooing. Minors: Under 18 cannot give consent. Sterilization: Autoclave at 121-134°C per § 6-93. Inspections: Unannounced, by District Health Department. Inspection refusal penalty: Class 3 misdemeanor, up to $500.

Refusing to allow a Health Department inspection under Section 6-96 is a Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.00 under Section 1-16(a)(3). Other Article IV violations, tattooing without informed consent, using unsterilized instruments, mishandling waste, or serving a disqualified client, don't carry their own stated class, so they default to a Class 1 misdemeanor under Section 1-16(b), up to $2,500.00 and 12 months in jail.

Massage Establishments

Richmond only lets a certified massage therapist give a massage for consideration, and Section 6-62 confines where that can happen to eight named settings, from a massage establishment to a beauty salon or health club. Practitioners must display their State Board of Nursing certificate and pay the City's massage practitioner license tax.

Key details: Who may give massage: Certified massage therapist only. Allowed locations: 8 settings listed in § 6-62(b). License fee: $30.00 or $0.36 per $100 receipts. Certificate display: Required at establishment (§ 6-63). Default penalty: Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500.

The article doesn't set its own misdemeanor class, so a violation, such as operating outside the permitted locations, skipping the certificate posting, or the sexual-contact and exposure offenses in Section 6-64, defaults to the City's general penalty in Section 1-16: a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to $2,500.00 and 12 months in jail. A Section 6-64 conviction also triggers the Chief of Police's mandatory report to the State Board of Nursing, which can revoke the therapist's certificate.

Secondhand Dealers

Richmond secondhand dealers must hold a merchant's license plus a Chief of Police permit, keep a permanent purchase ledger, report identifiable items daily, hold goods 15 days before resale, and never buy from a minor.

Key details: Permit authority: Chief of Police, per location. Hold period: 15 days before resale. Reporting: Daily identifiable-item report to police. Additional tax: $75 if not buying from jobbers only. Minors: Purchases from minors barred outright.

Buying from a minor, failing to keep the required permanent ledger, skipping the daily identifiable-item report to the Chief of Police, or reselling articles before the 15-day hold expires are violations of Sec. 26-997 that can result in permit revocation by the Chief of Police and denial or suspension of the merchant's business license by the Director of Finance.

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

Auto Repair on Residential Property

Richmond flatly bans vehicle and engine repair as a home occupation. Section 30-694.1(7) prohibits repairing vehicles or internal combustion engines in connection with any home-based business, alongside a list of other uses, such as beauty salons and veterinary clinics, that also cannot operate as home occupations.

Key details: Vehicle/engine repair: Banned as home occupation. Also banned: Salons, massage, medical, kennels, vets. Scale exception: None; applies regardless of size. Governing section: § 30-694.1(7). Enforcement: § 30-1080, misdemeanor to $1,000.

Repairing vehicles or engines as a home business is a zoning violation under Section 30-1080 regardless of scale. It is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, and if the use is not stopped by the court-ordered deadline, each following ten-day period of continued operation is a separate offense, with fines up to $2,000 plus a $100 administrative enforcement fee.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Richmond actively enforces its auto repair on residential property requirements.

The Bottom Line

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