Business Licensing & Operations in El Paso, TX (2026)
8 verified business licensing & operations rules for El Paso, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
El Paso makes it unlawful to operate a sexually oriented business without a city license under City Code Chapter 5.09. Applicants must be at least 21, submit to EPPD fingerprinting and photographing, and meet the locational separation requirements of Title 20 zoning.
El Paso Sexually Oriented Business License Required
Significant RestrictionsEl Paso City Code §§ 5.09.040(A), 5.09.050(A)(4)
5.09.040 - License required. A. Business license. It is unlawful for any person to engage in, conduct, or operate a sexually oriented business in the city without paying the established fee and obtaining a valid sexually oriented business license. ... [5.09.050] The permit official shall issue a license unless: ... 4. The sexually oriented business ... is not in compliance with the interior con...
Massage Establishments
El Paso massage establishments must obtain a city business license under Chapter 7 and verify therapists hold current Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) credentials before performing any therapeutic massage services.
Massage Establishment Licensing in El Paso
Light RestrictionsTexas Occupations Code Sec. 455.005 (Massage Therapy — Effect on Local Law)
Sec. 455.005. EFFECT ON LOCAL LAW. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), this chapter supersedes any regulation adopted by a political subdivision of this state relating to the licensing or regulation of massage therapists.(b) Subject to Subsections (b-1), (c), (c-1), and (c-2), this chapter does not affect a local regulation that:(1) relates to:(A) zoning requirements, including cond...
Tattoo & Body Modification
El Paso requires every tattoo or body art studio to hold both a state license and a separate city registration, and every artist to carry an individual city-issued license. Chapter 5.10 layers city registration on top of the state licensing scheme already run by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
El Paso Tattoo and Body Art Studio Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Paso City Code §§ 5.10.010(A), 5.10.030(A), 5.10.070(A)
A. A person shall not operate or maintain a tattoo or body art studio unless the person holds either a tattoo or body piercing studio license issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services. ... A studio registration shall be required for any studio where tattooing or the application of body art is performed. No studio shall be allowed to perform tattooing or the application of body art...
Tobacco Retail License
Vape retailers in El Paso must hold a Texas e-cigarette retailer permit issued by the Texas Comptroller, comply with Tobacco 21, and follow zoning rules under Title 20. Local proximity to schools and parks may affect site selection.
El Paso Vape Retail Permit Rules
Light RestrictionsTexas Health and Safety Code Sec. 161.081 (Tobacco/E-Cigarette Distribution — Definitions)
Sec. 161.081. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:(1) "Cigarette" has the meaning assigned by Section 154.001, Tax Code.(1-a) (A) "E-cigarette" means:(i) an electronic cigarette or any other device that simulates smoking by using a mechanical heating element, battery, or electronic circuit to deliver nicotine or other substances to the individual inhaling from the device. ... (4) "Retailer" m...
Secondhand Dealers
Anyone buying, selling or trading secondhand goods in El Paso, from resale shops to flea-market kiosks, needs a city license under Chapter 5.12, plus detailed daily transaction records the police department can inspect on demand. The license is site-specific and must be renewed every year.
El Paso Secondhand Dealer Licensing Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Paso City Code § 5.12.040 (License—Required)
It is unlawful for an individual, partnership, corporation, joint venture, trust, association or other legal entity to engage in the business of secondhand goods without first paying the established non-refundable fee(s) and obtaining a license therefore, as hereinafter provided. A separate application and license will be required for each location, place or premises used for the conducting of ...
Pawnbrokers
El Paso pawnbrokers operate under a state license, but Article IV of Chapter 5.12 layers on city recordkeeping duties: every pawn transaction must be logged the same way secondhand dealers log theirs, and a copy of the pawn ticket or bill of sale kept on-site for city inspection.
El Paso Pawnbroker Recordkeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Paso City Code §§ 5.12.200, 5.12.210
Pawnbrokers will continue to be licensed by the state and must follow the Texas Finance Code, Chapter 371, Title 7, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 85, and other applicable state or federal law. In addition to the required state license, pawnbrokers must comply with the city's recordkeeping requirements as set forth in this article. ... Every pawnbroker must keep at his place of business the...
Auto Repair on Residential Property
El Paso bars automotive repair businesses from residential and apartment zoning districts. City Code § 20.10.740(B) forbids dismantling, repairing, or performing work on any vehicle on residential property except minor emergency repairs done incidental to a permitted use inside a building, and § 20.10.270(E)(9) separately excludes 'auto repairing or painting' from the list of businesses allowed as a home occupation.
El Paso Home Auto Repair Ban
Significant RestrictionsEl Paso City Code § 20.10.740 (Vehicles)
A.Not more than one commercial vehicle shall be allowed as accessory to a dwelling. Such commercial vehicle shall not have a manufacturer's rated carrying capacity exceeding two tons, shall not exceed twenty-six feet in length, or seven feet eight inches in width or nine feet in height. Except for minor emergency repairs, maintenance and repair of such commercial vehicle on premises, such as wo...
Towing Companies
El Paso caps what a tow company can charge for a nonconsent tow under City Code § 12.54.020: $100 for light-duty vehicles up to 10,000 pounds, $350 for medium-duty up to 25,000 pounds, and $450 for anything heavier, plus a $20 city impoundment fee if the vehicle lands in a city-owned storage lot.
El Paso Nonconsent Tow Fee Caps
Some RestrictionsEl Paso City Code § 12.54.020
A.The maximum fee that a tow company may charge for nonconsent tow service including the cost of the clean-up of debris left by the vehicle, regardless of the type of truck used is:1.Light duty tows—$100.00 for towage of a vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds and the clean-up of debris and cargos; or2.Medium duty tows—$350.00 for towage of a v...
Looking for El Paso County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement El Paso city rules.
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