Business Licensing & Operations in Bellevue, WA (2026)
3 verified business licensing & operations rules for Bellevue, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Bellevue requires a city license to operate an adult cabaret, plus separate licenses for every manager and entertainer, at fees of $700 a year for the business and $100 a year each for managers and entertainers. Violations bring a 30-day suspension on a first offense, 90 days on a second, and revocation on a third.
Bellevue Adult Cabaret License Requirements
Significant RestrictionsBellevue City Code § 5.08.020
A. It is unlawful for any person to conduct, manage or operate a cabaret unless such person is the holder of a valid and subsisting license from the city to do so, obtained in the manner provided in this chapter. B. It is unlawful for any person to conduct, manage or operate an adult cabaret unless such person is the holder of a valid and subsisting license from the city to do so, obtained in t...
Massage Establishments
Bellevue requires anyone practicing massage in the city to hold a Washington State Department of Licensing massage practitioner license under RCW 18.108.030. Practicing or advertising as a massage practitioner without that license is a misdemeanor under BCC 10.06.090, and city officers can inspect massage business premises.
Bellevue Massage Practitioner License
Some RestrictionsBellevue City Code § 10.06.090
It shall be unlawful for any person to practice or represent themselves as a massage practitioner in the city of Bellevue without first applying for and receiving a license to practice from the State Department of Licensing pursuant to RCW 18.108.030. Failure to have a license as required by this section shall be a misdemeanor. To the extent authorized by RCW 18.108.190, city law enforcement pe...
Pawnbrokers
Bellevue caps pawnshop licenses at one per 15,000 residents and charges $100 a year for a pawnshop or dealer license. Shops must close between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. except during the December holiday stretch, and every transaction gets logged for police review.
Bellevue Pawnbroker Licensing Rules
Some RestrictionsBellevue City Code (BCC) § 5.32.020
It is unlawful for any person to engage in the business of conducting a pawnshop or to act as a dealer without first having obtained a license to do so. The fee for a pawnshop license and the fee for a dealer's license shall be $100.00 per year. No pawnshop license shall be issued hereafter which would increase the number of pawnshop licenses in the city to more than one for every 15,000 of pop...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bellevue city rules.
Business Licensing & Operations in King County →