Kirkland, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $75 per year
- Business hours allowed
- 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
- Minimum employee age
- 18 years
- Required liability insurance
- $500,000 combined single limit
- License expiration
- December 31 each year
Summary
Kirkland requires a $75 annual city license before anyone can operate a massage parlor or public bathhouse, on top of a general business license, and bars operation between midnight and 8 a.m.
(a) It is unlawful to conduct, operate or maintain a massage parlor or public bathhouse unless such establishment or premises is licensed by the city. The licenses and related fees required by this chapter are in addition to the business license that may be required under Chapter 7.02. The application, issuance, renewal, and revocation of such licenses shall be governed by Sections 7.20.030, 7.20.040 and 7.20.080. (b) The fee for a massage parlor license or public bathhouse shall be and is hereby fixed in the sum of seventy-five dollars per year.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4945, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
32 governs massage parlors and public bathhouses. 080. The license fee is fixed at $75 per year. 108 RCW). 050 requires the premises to be open at all times to health and safety inspection by the city and the Seattle-King County health department, with interior doors built to allow immediate access. 060 bars employing anyone under 18, or anyone convicted of a felony or a violation of the chapter within the prior three years, or who has forfeited bail within the prior year. 070 makes it unlawful to advertise massage services from an unlicensed establishment.
, and public areas must stay sufficiently lit during business hours. 150 requires every licensed parlor or bathhouse to carry general public liability insurance of at least $500,000 combined single limit and file a certificate with the city, with 60 days' notice to the city before the policy can be canceled or altered. Licenses expire December 31 annually and cannot be renewed for anyone convicted of a chapter violation within the prior three years.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the KMC 7.32.040 license, employing a worker under 18 or with a disqualifying record under KMC 7.32.060, advertising an unlicensed operation under KMC 7.32.070, or running the business outside the 8:00 a.m. to midnight window set by KMC 7.32.090 are each unlawful acts under the chapter, and a conviction bars license renewal for three years under KMC 7.32.140.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkland
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Massage Establishments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle massage establishments.