Business Licensing & Operations in Hammond, IN (2026)
6 verified business licensing & operations rules for Hammond, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
In the City of Hammond, Indiana, no one may operate an adult entertainment business without a license from the City Controller. Applicants pay a $500 non-refundable fee, and the Police and Fire Departments and the Code Enforcement Officer investigate every application before it can be approved.
Hammond Adult Entertainment Business License
Significant RestrictionsHammond Code of Ordinances § 128.03, § 128.99
(A) No person shall conduct, maintain, operate or cause substantial enlargement or transfer of ownership or control of any adult entertainment business within the city unless licensed hereunder. (B) The City Controller is responsible for granting, denying, revoking, renewing, suspending and canceling licenses under this chapter. ... (H) The applicant shall pay a non-refundable fee of $500...
Massage Establishments
Hammond Code of Ordinances § 120.10 requires a City Controller license, approved by the city's administrative official, before anyone operates a massage establishment in Hammond, Indiana, with background checks on owners and officers and a $100 filing fee.
Hammond Massage Establishment License
Significant RestrictionsHammond Code of Ordinances § 120.10
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in, conduct or carry on, or to permit to be engaged in, conducted or carried on, upon any premises in the city, the operation of a massage establishment as defined in § 120.01, without having first obtained a license from the City Controller, after the approval of the administrative official. ... Every applicant for a license to maintain, operate or...
Tattoo & Body Modification
In the City of Hammond, Indiana, no shop may tattoo or pierce skin without an establishment license, and no artist or piercer may work there without a personal permit, both issued under Chapter 127. The Board of Public Works and Safety signs off only after a public hearing, a City Health Department inspection, and proof of $1,000,000 in liability insurance; the establishment license runs $100 a year and always expires December 31.
Tattoo and Body Piercing Licenses in Hammond
Significant RestrictionsHammond Code of Ordinances §§ 127.02, 127.08, 127.27, 127.99
No person shall conduct, maintain, operate or cause to be conducted, maintained or operated, any tattoo and/or body piercing establishment within the corporate limits of the city without first being licensed under this chapter. ... No tattoo artist, body piercer ... shall do business within the corporate limits of the city without first obtaining a permit under this chapter. ... (A) The annua...
Secondhand Dealers
Hammond Code of Ordinances § 118.35 requires a City Controller license before buying or selling secondhand coins, jewelry, precious metals, or similar goods in Hammond, Indiana, and § 118.37 bars a licensed secondhand dealer from also acting as a pawnbroker or junk shop.
Hammond Secondhand Dealer License Rules
Some RestrictionsHammond Code of Ordinances § 118.35
It shall be unlawful for any person , partnership or corporation to operate a business of buying or selling the following secondhand items without first obtaining a license from the city to do so: Coins, currency, jewelry, precious metals, comic books, trading cards, stamp collections, figurines or any item whose value increases over time. ... The cost of each license shall be $100 per annum an...
Pawnbrokers
Hammond Code of Ordinances § 118.20 requires a City Controller license before anyone runs a pawnbroker or cash-for-gold business in Hammond, Indiana, with a $100 annual fee, a $500 bond, and mandatory enrollment in an online resale reporting service.
Hammond Pawnbroker License Requirements
Some RestrictionsHammond Code of Ordinances § 118.20
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in, carry on or conduct the business of a pawnbroker, or a “cash for gold” or other purchaser of scrap metal or jewelry, within the city without first having obtained a license from the city to do so. ... The license fee to carry on, conduct, or engage in the business of a pawnbroker or cash for gold store at the place designated in the license shal...
Towing Companies
In the City of Hammond, Indiana, § 72.012 of the Code of Ordinances puts the Hammond Board of Public Works and Safety in charge of every police-ordered tow. The Board writes the towing rules, designates which wrecker companies may operate and in what areas, bids and approves their contracts, and sets the fee schedule those companies must charge.
Hammond Police-Ordered Towing Contract Rules
Significant RestrictionsHammond Code of Ordinances § 72.012
(A) The City of Hammond hereby adopt and incorporates I.C. 9-22-1 et seq., all police ordered tows shall occur in compliance with this section. (B) The Hammond Board of Public Works and Safety shall have the following powers concerning all police ordered tows in the city. (1) The Board shall adopt all rules and procedures it feels are necessary and appropriate concerning all police ordere...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Hammond city rules.
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