Pasco, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Business license from the City
- State license required too
- Copy of RCW 18.108.030 license attached
- Transferability
- License is non-transferable
- Maximum penalty
- $5,000 fine / 364 days jail
- Family exemption
- Massage to immediate family exempt
- Fee basis
- Set under Chapter 3.35 PMC
Summary
No one may operate a massage business or work as a massage practitioner in Pasco without a City business license, and applicants must attach a copy of their Washington State massage license issued under RCW 18.108.030. Operating without one is a gross misdemeanor.
No person shall engage in or carry out the business of massage or massage therapy or engage in or operate a massage business without first applying for and receiving from the City a business license under this chapter... All applications for a massage business license under this chapter shall be accompanied by a legible photocopy of the applicant's state massage license as provided for in RCW 18.108.030.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).
Full Breakdown
25 PMC bars any person from engaging in the business of massage or massage therapy, or operating a massage business, without first applying for and receiving a City business license. The rule reaches beyond the business owner: no individual may hold themselves out using any title that implies a massage practice, including 'massage therapist,' 'massage technician,' 'myotherapist,' 'reflexologist,' or 'body therapist,' without first getting a City license or being employed by a City-licensed massage business. 35 PMC. 030 to actually perform massage or massage therapy, so a business owner is on the hook for verifying every practitioner's state license, not just their own.
050. The chapter exempts massage given to immediate family members, licensed health professionals working within their scope of practice, and massage practiced within school or college athletic departments recognized by the Washington State Department of Licensing.
Violations & Fines
Operating a massage business or giving massages without first obtaining the required City license and paying the fee is a gross misdemeanor under PMC 5.25.060, carrying a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment of up to 364 days, or both. The same penalty applies to violating any other provision of the chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Pasco business license if I already have a Washington State massage license?
Can a licensed massage business in Pasco hire an unlicensed practitioner?
Is massage between family members regulated in Pasco?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco
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