Port Townsend, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Tattoo & Body Modification (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- City business license (PTMC 5.08.040)
- Zoning check
- Finance director confirms proper zoning
- Tax classification
- Taxed as retail service (5.04A.030(G))
- Reinstatement fee
- $100.00 after suspension
Summary
Port Townsend requires a city business license for any tattoo parlor and taxes tattoo services as a retail service, not a general service.
No person, whether subject to the payment of tax or not, shall engage in any business within city limits without first obtaining and being the holder of a valid and current business license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The license required by this chapter is in addition to any other license, permit, or authorization required by any other chapter in this title. (Ord. 3043 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 3040 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 2460 § 1, 1995).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Port Townsend doesn't run a separate tattoo-shop permit. A tattoo parlor is a defined use under PTMC 17.08.060 and, like every business operating in the city, must hold a valid business license under PTMC 5.08.040 before opening. The finance director checks with planning and community development that the address is properly zoned before issuing it. For the city's business and occupation tax, tattoo parlor services are pulled out of the general service classification and taxed as a 'retail service' under PTMC 5.04A.030(G), alongside tanning salons and physical fitness services.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required city business license under PTMC 5.08.040 exposes the business to license denial, suspension, or revocation under PTMC Chapter 5.08, plus a $100 reinstatement fee before a license is reissued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Port Townsend have a tattoo-specific permit?
Is tattooing taxed differently than other services in the city?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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