Business Licensing & Operations in Dallas, TX (2026)
9 verified business licensing & operations rules for Dallas, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Dallas regulates sexually oriented businesses (SOBs) under City Code Chapter 41A, which requires annual licensing, criminal-history screening of operators, mandatory zoning buffers, and detailed interior layout standards designed to limit secondary effects on neighborhoods, schools, and parks.
Sexually Oriented Business Licensing in Dallas
Heavy RestrictionsTexas Local Government Code Chapter 243 - Municipal Regulation of Sexually Oriented Businesses
Sec. 243.006. SCOPE OF REGULATION. (a) The location of sexually oriented businesses may be:(1) restricted to particular areas; or(2) prohibited within a certain distance of a school, regular place of religious worship, residential neighborhood, or other specified land use the governing body of the municipality or county finds to be inconsistent with the operation of a sexually oriented business...
Massage Establishments
Massage therapists and establishments operating in Dallas must hold Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) credentials under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 and comply with Dallas City Code Chapter 41 permitting, inspections, and zoning rules aimed at curbing illicit massage operations.
Massage Establishment Licensing in Dallas
Some RestrictionsTexas Occupations Code Chapter 455 - Massage Therapy
Sec. 455.152. INELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSE. A person is not eligible for a license as a massage establishment, massage school, massage therapist, or massage therapy instructor if the person is an individual and has been convicted of, entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, or received deferred adjudication for:(1) an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code, or Section 43.021, 43.03, 43.031, ...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Tattoo and body piercing studios in Dallas must hold a Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) license under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 146 and follow Dallas City Code Chapter 51A zoning, with strict sterilization, recordkeeping, and minor-consent rules enforced through state inspections.
Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio Rules in Dallas
Some RestrictionsTexas Health & Safety Code Chapter 146 - Tattoo and Certain Body Piercing Studios
Sec. 146.012. TATTOOS PROHIBITED FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. (a) A tattooist may not tattoo:(1) except as provided by Subsection (a-1), a person younger than 18 years of age; or(2) a person who the tattooist suspects is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.(a-1) A tattooist may tattoo a person younger than 18 years of age if:(1) the tattoo will cover a tattoo that contains:(A) obscene or offensive ...
Tobacco Retail License
Every Dallas retailer selling cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, or alternative nicotine products must hold an annual retailer permit from the Texas Comptroller under Texas Tax Code and Health & Safety Code Chapter 161, with Dallas City Code Chapter 56 enforcing local compliance.
Tobacco Retailer Permit Requirements in Dallas
Some RestrictionsTexas Health & Safety Code Chapter 161 Subchapter H - Distribution of Cigarettes, E-Cigarettes, or Tobacco Products
Sec. 161.0815. NONAPPLICABILITY. This subchapter does not apply to a product that is:(1) approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use in the treatment of nicotine or smoking addiction; and(2) labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in accordance with regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration. Added by
Smoke Shop Rules
Dallas smoke shops, vape stores, and hookah lounges follow Dallas City Code Chapter 51A zoning rules for retail and tobacco-oriented uses, hold a Texas Comptroller tobacco retailer permit, and operate under broad Texas preemption that blocks Dallas from banning flavored vape products.
Smoke Shop Zoning and Licensing in Dallas
Some RestrictionsSecondhand Dealers
Dallas regulates secondhand goods dealers through Chapter 41A licensing and reporting standards aligned with Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956, requiring transaction records, holding periods, and electronic reporting of acquired property to Dallas Police to deter resale of stolen goods.
Dallas Ch. 41A and TX Occupations Code Govern Secondhand Dealers
Heavy RestrictionsTexas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 - Metal Recycling Entities
Sec. 1956.022. ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE; QUALIFICATIONS. (a) The department shall issue a certificate of registration to an applicant who:(1) applies and pays a registration fee;(2) presents any relevant evidence relating to the applicant's qualifications as required by commission rule;(3) submits a declaration describing the extent to which the applicant intends to engage in transactions involv...
Pawnbrokers
Pawnbrokers in Dallas operate under Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 and are licensed and supervised by the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, with Dallas Chapter 41 layering local registration, zoning, and police-reporting overlays consistent with state preemption of pawn rate and term rules.
TX Finance Code Ch. 371 Preempts Dallas Pawnbroker Regulation
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Finance Code Sec. 371.051 (Pawnshop License Required)
Sec. 371.051. PAWNSHOP LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not engage in business as a pawnbroker unless the person holds a pawnshop license. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1008, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Sec. 371.052. ELIGIBILITY.(a) To be eligible for a pawnshop license, an applicant must:(1) meet the net assets requirement of Section 371.072; and(2) show that:(A) the pawnshop will be operat...
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Dallas zoning under Chapter 51A excludes commercial automobile repair from permitted home occupations in residential districts, treating customer vehicle service as a non-residential use that triggers code-compliance enforcement, nuisance complaints, and potential abatement actions on residential property.
Dallas Ch. 51A Bars Commercial Auto Repair as a Home Occupation
Heavy RestrictionsTowing Companies
Tow operators serving Dallas must hold Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation credentials under Occupations Code Chapter 2308 and comply with Dallas Chapter 18A permitting plus the Dallas Police nonconsent tow rotation list, with strict rate, signage, and consumer-disclosure rules.
Dallas Ch. 18A and TX Occupations Code 2308 Regulate Towing Operators
Heavy RestrictionsTexas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 - Vehicle Towing and Booting
Sec. 2308.101. PERMIT REQUIRED. A tow truck may not be used for consent towing or nonconsent towing on a public roadway in this state unless an appropriate permit has been issued for the tow truck under this subchapter. Each tow truck requires a separate permit. Added by
Looking for Dallas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Dallas city rules.
Business Licensing & Operations in Dallas County →