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Kennewick, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

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
Penalty: $25 to $500 plus restitution

Summary

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.

6.35.020 Class: Adult concessions are Class II licenses. ... 6.35.040 License Required: (1)A person may not operate an adult concession without a valid license to do so.(2)No person shall work as an entertainer providing live adult entertainment at any adult business without having first obtained an entertainer's license.(3)No person shall work as a manager at an adult concession without having first obtained a manager's license. ... 6.35.060 General Requirements: (5)No business, except adult motels, may remain open at any time between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. weekdays and Saturdays and 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Sundays. ... 6.35.160 License Suspension and Revocation: (2)...the license shall be suspended for a period of 30 days upon the first such violation, 90 days upon the second violation within a 24-month period, and revoked for third and subsequent violations within a 24-month period, not including periods of suspension. The license officer, or on review the Hearing Examiner, may also assess a penalty of not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

030. 020 classifies an adult concession license as a Class II license under Kennewick's general licensing title. 040 sets out three separate requirements: an operator may not run an adult concession without a valid license, no one may work as an entertainer providing live adult entertainment without an entertainer's license, and no one may work as a manager at an adult concession without a manager's license. 050. 070 require extensive background disclosure, including names and aliases, criminal history within the preceding five years, business history in the adult entertainment industry, fingerprints, photographs, and a scale drawing of the premises, and the application is routed to the Health, Fire and Police Departments and the Building Inspector for a compliance review before a license issues.

080 must be at least 18 years old and provide similar identifying information and criminal history. on Sundays. 48A RCW's moral nuisance statute, to be a public and moral nuisance that the City Attorney can sue to abate or enjoin.

Violations & Fines

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work as a dancer at a Kennewick adult club without a license?

No. Section 6.35.040(2) makes it unlawful to work as an entertainer providing live adult entertainment at any adult business without first obtaining an entertainer's license, which requires proof of age 18 or older and a background check under Section 6.35.080.

What hours can an adult bookstore or club stay open?

Section 6.35.060(5) requires every adult concession except adult motels to 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.

How many violations before an adult concession license is revoked?

Section 6.35.160(2) suspends the license for 30 days on the first violation, 90 days on the second within 24 months, and revokes it for a third violation in that same 24-month window, on top of a $25 to $500 penalty.

Does the lighting requirement apply to every part of the business?

Yes, with a limited carve-out. Section 6.35.060 requires overhead lighting of at least one footcandle at floor level everywhere patrons are permitted access, and owners, managers and employees must keep that illumination on at all times a patron is present, except in an adult mini-theater or motion picture theater.

Sources & Official References

[1]Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 6.35 (Municode)

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