Federal Way, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Establishment license fee
- $500.00 per year
- Manager/entertainer license fee
- $50.00 per year
- Prohibited hours
- 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Patron distance rule
- 4 feet minimum, nonstage areas
- Stage elevation
- At least 18 inches, 8 feet from patrons
Summary
Federal Way requires separate city clerk licenses for adult entertainment establishments and for every manager or entertainer, caps hours to 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., and enforces a four-foot distance rule between performers and patrons.
Adult entertainment establishments shall not be operated or maintained in the city unless the owner or operator has first obtained a license from the city clerk, as set forth in this chapter... The fee for an adult entertainment establishment license in the city as required in this article is $500.00 per year. ... No person shall work as a manager, assistant manager, or entertainer at an adult entertainment establishment without having first obtained a manager's or an entertainer's license from the city clerk. The annual fee for such a license shall be $50.00. ... No adult entertainment shall be conducted between hours of 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. ... No employee or entertainer mingling with patrons shall conduct any dance, performance or exhibition in or about the nonstage area of the adult entertainment establishment unless that dance, performance or exhibition is performed at a torso-to-torso distance of no less than four feet from the patron.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-1049, passed August 11, 2026).
Full Breakdown
00 per year, and it is unlawful for any entertainer, employee, or operator to knowingly work at an unlicensed establishment. 00. m. 240 requires the stage to sit at least 18 inches above patron seating, separated by at least eight feet from patron-accessible areas, with a continuous railing three to five feet high positioned at least eight feet from the performance area; the whole performance area must stay visible from common areas and at least one manager's station, with no curtains, doors, or other obstructions.
020 document a 1995 undercover operation at the Deja Vu club in Federal Way that produced roughly 24 criminal charges over five months, the stated basis for the licensing and layout scheme. 060 carves out plays, operas, and non-obscene exhibitions or educational classes from the chapter's reach.
Violations & Fines
Operating or working at an adult entertainment establishment without the FWRC 12.10.150 or 12.10.160 license, conducting business outside the 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. curfew under FWRC 12.10.050, or performing closer than the four-foot distance required by FWRC 12.10.220 are each violations of the chapter's licensing and conduct standards enforced by the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an adult entertainment establishment license cost in Federal Way?
What hours are adult entertainment businesses allowed to operate in Federal Way?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Federal Way
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Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle adult entertainment.