Lynnwood, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Hours closed
- 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Minimum age on premises
- 18 years
- Max fine
- $5,000 gross misdemeanor
- First suspension
- 15 days
- Third violation penalty
- 2-year license revocation
- Stage distance from patrons
- 6 feet minimum
Summary
Lynnwood requires a separate adult entertainment premises license before any adult entertainment business can operate, plus individual licenses for managers and entertainers. Licensed premises must close between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and violations carry gross misdemeanor charges with fines up to $5,000.
It is unlawful for any person to operate or maintain an adult entertainment premises in Lynnwood unless the owner, operator or lessee thereof has obtained from the director or the director’s designee a license to do so, to be designated an “adult entertainment premises license.” ... It is unlawful for any business or operation licensed as an adult entertainment premises to remain open to the public, or to conduct or operate business, whether for adult entertainment or otherwise, between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. ... Any violation of the provisions of this chapter as now or hereafter amended shall be a gross misdemeanor, and shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $5,000, or imprisonment for a term not to exceed one year, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each day such violation continues shall be considered an additional and separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
030. 040. 080. 130, regardless of whether adult entertainment or other business is being conducted during those hours. 140. 100). 110). 190). 200, and filing a timely appeal stays the director's decision pending the hearing examiner's ruling. This is a city-of-Lynnwood ordinance distinct from Snohomish County's rules and unrelated to Everett, Edmonds or Seattle regulations.
Violations & Fines
Operating, working at, or advertising an unlicensed adult entertainment premises is a gross misdemeanor under LMC 5.50.190, punishable by a fine up to $5,000, imprisonment up to one year, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense. The director can also suspend a license 15 days for a first violation, 45 days for a second, and revoke it for two years after a third violation within three years, with appeal rights to the hearing examiner within 10 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lynnwood require a special license for adult entertainment businesses?
What hours can an adult entertainment business stay open in Lynnwood?
What happens if an adult entertainment business violates Lynnwood's code repeatedly?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
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Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle adult entertainment.