Thurston County, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Business license fee
- $300 per year, non-refundable
- Employee license fee
- $50 per year
- Required hours closed
- 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Minimum age, staff and patrons
- 18 years
- First-offense penalty
- Up to $500 fine / 90 days jail
- Second-offense penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
- License denial lookback
- 10 years for felony sex offense
Summary
Thurston County requires a $300-a-year business license for any massage parlor or public bathhouse, plus a separate $50-a-year employee license for every masseur and attendant, under Chapter 6.64. Applicants face fingerprinting, a moral-character background check, and businesses must close between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
It is unlawful to conduct, operate or maintain a massage parlor or public bathhouse unless the establishment, its owner and operator hold valid licenses acquired through the processes hereinafter provided.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 77).
Full Breakdown
030 makes it unlawful to conduct, operate or maintain a massage parlor or public bathhouse unless the establishment, owner and operator all hold valid licenses. 090). 100). 070). 140). m. 180). 190 separately makes it unlawful for any owner, employee or agent to touch or expose genitals on the premises, a ground for immediate license revocation.
Violations & Fines
A first conviction under Chapter 6.64 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to 90 days in the county jail, or both; a second or later conviction raises the exposure to a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 6 months in jail, or both (6.64.280). A separate civil penalty of up to $250 per violation can be assessed directly by the auditor (6.64.285). The auditor can suspend a license 30 days for a first violation and 60 days for a second within a two-year span, or revoke it outright for a revocation-grounds violation, fraud in procurement, or a third suspension-level violation within two years (6.64.250); suspension or revocation notice can be appealed to the Board of County Commissioners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Thurston County massage parlor license cost?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thurston County
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