Business Licensing & Operations in Carroll County, MD (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Carroll County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Carroll County zones adult entertainment businesses, massage establishments, and striptease businesses away from residential and family-oriented uses. Under § 158.154, these businesses cannot locate within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, libraries, churches, or licensed childcare, and cannot locate within 2,500 feet of one another.
Carroll County Adult Business Spacing Rules
Significant RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 158.154
§ 158.154 ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS, MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT, OR STRIPTEASE BUSINESS. (A) An adult entertainment business, a massage establishment or a striptease business may not be located within 1,000 feet of: (1) A religious establishment; (2) A public or private school; (3) A public park or public recreational facility; (4) A public library; (5) A childcare home, childcare institution, or...
Massage Establishments
Carroll County Code § 6-104 lets the County Commissioners license massage establishments after a public hearing, while zoning § 158.154 keeps them at least 1,000 feet from schools, churches, parks, libraries, licensed childcare, and residential lots, and 2,500 feet from another such business.
Carroll County Massage Establishment Licensing
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 6-104
“Massage establishment” means any establishment doing business in Carroll County where massages are administered. ... After a public hearing, the County Commissioners may adopt an ordinance or regulations governing massage establishments, including: (1) massage establishment licensing; (2) license and administrative fees; (3) license application procedures; (4) license issuance procedures; (5) ...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Carroll County's zoning code steers tattoo and piercing shops out of its industrial zones: § 158.079(D)(6)(i) bars them from a Business/Industrial Park, and § 158.156(A)(2)(r) bars them from an Industrial Park, treating the use as belonging in the Commercial Districts instead.
Carroll County Tattoo and Piercing Shop Zoning
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 158.079(D)(6)(i); § 158.156(A)(2)(r)
(6) Notwithstanding anything in this subchapter to the contrary, the following uses are prohibited in a Business/Industrial Park: (a) Day treatment or care facility; (b) Funeral establishments; (c) Kennels, commercial; (d) Nonprofit clubs and fraternal organizations; (e) Religious establishments; (f) Residential dwelling units; (g) Retail greenhouses; (h) Retirement homes; (i) Tattoo or body-pi...
Secondhand Dealers
Carroll County requires secondhand dealers to keep detailed transaction records, report them to law enforcement by 10:00 a.m. the next business day, and hold every item 10 days, with narrow exemptions for antique dealers, flea markets, and charities.
Carroll County Secondhand Dealer Rules
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 112.02
SECONDHAND DEALER. A person that engages in SECONDHAND DEALER transactions. SECONDHAND DEALER does not include: (1) A charitable, religious, or nonprofit organization, if the exchange of items for consideration is incidental to the organization's primary activity; (2) An antique show, trade show, convention, or auction; (3) A flea market; (4) A person whose primary retail trade is new and unuse...
Pawnbrokers
Carroll County caps pawnshop hours at 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., bans drive-up transactions, and forces a 10-day hold on every item before resale so law enforcement can check it against stolen-property reports.
Carroll County Pawnbroker Regulations
Some RestrictionsCarroll County Code of Ordinances § 112.03
(A) A pawnbroker or secondhand dealer establishment may be open to the public only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and shall not conduct pawnbroker or secondhand dealer transactions with the public at any other time. A pawnbroker or secondhand dealer may submit a written request to the appropriate law enforcement agency to be open different hours for holidays or special events, wh...
All Carroll County ordinances
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