Business Licensing & Operations in Columbus, GA (2026)
5 verified business licensing & operations rules for Columbus, Georgia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Columbus, Georgia bars any adult entertainment establishment within 600 feet of a church, school, day care center, library, playground, community teen center, residential zone, or A-O zone condominiums and townhouses. Every establishment and its employees must carry an annual permit from the chief of police, and a recent felony or moral-turpitude misdemeanor conviction disqualifies an owner, manager, or employee outright.
Columbus, Georgia Adult Entertainment Rules
Significant RestrictionsColumbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances § 14-226
No adult entertainment establishment shall be located within 600 feet of the property line of any church, school, community teen center, library, nursery school, day care center, playground, residential zone, or condominiums and multiple-family dwellings and townhouses located in A-O zones.
Massage Establishments
Columbus, Georgia requires every massage therapist to pass the National Certification Examination and hold accreditation from one of six named professional bodies before operating.
Columbus GA Massage Therapist Licensing
Some RestrictionsColumbus, Georgia Unified Development Ordinance § 3.2.45(A)-(B)
A.Certification. Massage therapists shall have successfully completed the National Certification Examination.B.Licensure and Operation. Massage therapists shall be licensed with and operate the business in accordance with the requirements of one of the following:1.The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology; ... 5.The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation of th...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Columbus, Georgia requires tattoo and body-piercing shops to hold an annual permit from the health authority, pay a permit fee, and renew by June 30 or face administrative closure for noncompliance.
Columbus, Georgia Tattoo Studio Permits
Some RestrictionsColumbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances § 13-542
(8)Tattoo studio and tattoo artist permits granted by the health authority under this chapter shall expire on June 30 of each year. Permit holders do not have an automatic right to renewal and must be in satisfactory compliance with the provisions of the rules of this chapter for the granting of permits. Permit renewal fee(s) must be received by the health authority within 30 days of the expira...
Secondhand Dealers
Columbus, Georgia requires secondhand dealers, trade shops, swap shops, flea markets and thrift shops, to log every purchase in a registry and hold traded goods seven days for police inspection.
Columbus, Georgia Secondhand Dealer Registry
Some RestrictionsColumbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances § 14-82
Every dealer in the articles described herein shall keep a registry which shall contain the following information in connection with the purchase by such dealer of such article or articles: (1)The name of the person or other entity from whom the article is purchased;(2)The residence or place of business of such person or entity;(3)Identification of such person or entity, including driver's l...
Pawnbrokers
Every pawnbroker in Columbus, Georgia pays a $150.00 annual regulatory fee on top of occupation tax, records each pawner's ID and merchandise on a police-prescribed form, and files a daily transaction report to the Columbus Police Department. Owners, managers, or employees with a felony or theft-related misdemeanor conviction in the last five years cannot hold a license, and buying from anyone 17 or younger is flatly illegal.
Columbus, Georgia Pawnbroker Licensing Rules
Significant RestrictionsColumbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances § 15-3
All businesses involving pawnbrokers shall pay an annual regulatory fee of $150.00, plus an occupation tax as provided by law.