Business Licensing & Operations in Dothan, AL (2026)
7 verified business licensing & operations rules for Dothan, Alabama, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
In the City of Dothan, an adult bookstore, adult video store, adult theater or adult nightclub falls under the zoning code's broad "adult entertainment" definition, and the Table of Permitted Uses shows it permitted only in the H-I, Heavy Industry district. Every residential, business, office and light-industrial column in the table is left blank for this use.
Dothan Confines Adult Entertainment to H-I
Significant RestrictionsDothan City Code §§ 114-26, 114-131.2
Adult entertainment. Any "adult bookstore," "adult video store," "adult theater," "adult nightclub," or any commercial establishment which for a fee is charged for presentation of material or exhibitions distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical areas," as defined below for observation by p...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Tattoo parlors operating in the City of Dothan must buy a $100.00 annual business license under NAICS code 812199 and hold a Health Department permit, on top of the general licensing, renewal and penalty rules that apply to every business in City Code Chapter 18.
Dothan Tattoo Parlor License Rules
Some RestrictionsDothan City Code § 18-22
CODE NAICS TITLES/BUSINESS LICENSE CODES FEE ... 812199 Tattoo Parlor $ 100.00 Health Department Permit required.
Tobacco Retail License
Every distributor or seller of consumable vapor products in Dothan must pay a city license tax of $0.10 per milliliter sold or delivered within the corporate limits, under City Code § 94-161, adopted by Ordinance No. 2025-207 on September 2, 2025. Out-of-town distributors with no local storefront must first obtain a city business license before making any sale.
Dothan Vape Retailer License Tax
Some RestrictionsDothan City Code §§ 94-161, 94-164, 94-168
Every distributor or seller shall pay a license tax to the city, and a license tax is hereby fixed and created, which license tax shall be a sum and amount equal to $0.10 per milliliter of consumable vapor product sold or delivered within the corporate limits of the city. ... It shall be unlawful for any distributor having no place of business within the corporate limits of the city to make any...
Secondhand Dealers
Anyone buying secondhand gold or silver in the City of Dothan needs a police-investigated permit plus a city business license under City Code Article VII, and must report every purchase to the chief of police by 10:00 a.m. the next business day.
Dothan Secondhand Gold Dealer License Rules
Significant RestrictionsDothan City Code §§ 18-148, 18-149, 18-151, 18-156(2)
Any person who shall violate any provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine in an amount not to exceed $500.00 or imprisonment, not to exceed six months, or to both fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court trying the case. ... It shall be unlawful for anyone to conduct or carry on the business of purchasing secondhand gold or silver, whether in the form of coins, jewelry...
Pawnbrokers
Pawnbrokers in the City of Dothan do not need a separate stand-alone pawnbroker permit process beyond the standard business license, but Sec. 18-242 through 18-244 impose strict daily transaction-reporting duties enforced by the chief of police. Every article received in pawn, pledge, trade, purchase or consignment must be reported the next business day, and failure to comply can cost a pawnbroker both a misdemeanor conviction and revocation of the business license itself.
Dothan Pawnbroker Daily Reporting Requirements
Significant RestrictionsDothan City Code §§ 18-242, 18-244
Sec. 18-242. - Reporting in general. Every pawnbroker within the city shall report to the chief of police, a description of every article or thing received in pawn, pledge, trade, purchase, or consignment on the business day immediately preceding the filing of the report, in a manner and time as set out herein. Reports shall be made every business day except Saturday and Sunday. Business and tr...
Auto Repair on Residential Property
In the City of Dothan, running an automobile repair or service operation out of a house is not allowed in any residential district. The zoning use table blocks 'Automobile Repair/Service' entirely in AC, R-1 through R-4, R-A, MH-1 and MH-2, permitting the use only in the B-1, B-2, L-I and H-I districts under Planning and Development's oversight.
Dothan Bars Auto Repair as Home Business
Heavy RestrictionsDothan City Code § 114-131.2
AC R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 R-A MH-1 MH-2 B-1 B-2 B-3 O-I O-2 O-3 L-I H-I ... Automobile Repair/Service P P P P
Towing Companies
Wrecker and towing companies operating in the City of Dothan must buy a $50.00 annual business license under NAICS code 9996, and when police order a vehicle towed from a city street, City Code § 98-162(d) treats the wrecker's removal as a governmental act, not a private one.
Dothan Wrecker Company License Rules
Some RestrictionsDothan City Code §§ 18-22, 98-162(d)
CODE NAICS TITLES/BUSINESS LICENSE CODES FEE ... 9996 Wrecker Company $ 50.00 ... (d)Removal authority. Whenever an officer removes or causes a vehicle or property to be removed from a public street, such officer or those ordered by him to remove such vehicle or property, whether by hand, wrecker or otherwise, shall be deemed and considered as performing a duty of the police department and acti...