Business Licensing & Operations in Charleston, WV (2026)

Charleston Zoning Ordinance § 3-060, item 18

Adult book stores, adult videotape stores, adult motion picture theaters, and adult entertainment establishments shall comply with the following: a. Such uses shall not be located within 1000 feet of each other. b. Such uses shall not be located within 500 feet of a residential district. c. Such uses shall not be located within 500 feet of a school, park, library, or religious institution.

Sec. 18-751; Sec. 18-753

It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the operation of a massage parlor without securing a permit from the city collector's office in accordance with the provisions established in this division. ... Any person making an application for a permit shall be required to pay an annual permit fee in the amount of $20.00. The permit shall be nontransferable and the applicant shall, in additi...

Charleston Zoning Ordinance § 3-060(5)

5. Tattoo/Body-Piercing Studios shall comply with the following: a. Shall not be located within 1500 feet of another tattoo/body-piercing studio. b. Shall be licensed by the State of West Virginia and inspected by the Kanawha County Health Department prior to receiving a Municipal Business License and/or Certificate of Occupancy. c. Shall not perform the acts of tattooing and piercing in areas ...

Zoning Ordinance, Land Use Table (Sec. 3-050) & Supplemental Regulation 56 (Sec. 3-060)

Vape/Smoke Shop. A retail store utilized primarily for the sale of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and vaping products or accessories, and in which the sale of other products is merely incidental. ... 56. Vape/Smoke Shops operating under a Conditional Use authorization shall comply with the following: a. Shall not be located within 1500 feet of another vape/Smoke shop. b. Shall not be l...

Sec. 18-681

(a)No person within the city shall engage in the business of junk dealer, junk dealer's agent or itinerant junk collector without a license, which license shall be issued as provided in this article.(b)No resident license shall be issued to any junk dealer, junk dealer's agent or itinerant junk collector who has not been a resident of the city for a period of at least one year prior to the appl...

Sec. 18-863

(a)All pawnbrokers doing business in the city shall be required to secure from the seller or pledger of any article proof of lawful ownership or a sworn affidavit of ownership of all articles pledged or sold to them.(b)Each such business shall truly and accurately list each article pledged or sold in a permanent record book clearly showing the kind, character or any other special or unique qual...

Charleston, WV Zoning Ordinance Sec. 3-060(4)

Home-based businesses shall not include commercial repair or storage of automobiles, dance studios, medical or dental clinics, restaurants, bars/nightclubs, mortuary or funeral establishments, kennels, stables, veterinarian clinics/hospitals, nor adult uses. Uses not specifically mentioned here shall not be permitted when the Planning Director determines that such use is of the s...

Sec. 114-762

No person shall tow for the city or provide services incidental to the towing, removal or storage of any wrecked, abandoned, disabled or other vehicle pursuant to a lawful order of the city police department unless its vehicles and its principal place of business and storage facilities inside the city meet or exceed the following criteria... A towing company's place of business shall be open to...