7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Dallas County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Texas counties have very limited zoning power, so Dallas County does not run a sexually oriented business licensing program. Each Dallas County city, including Dallas, Irving, Garland, and Mesquite, regulates SOBs under municipal code and Texas Local Government Code Chapter 243 secondary-effects authority.
Tex. Local Gov't Code Sec. 243.006-.007(a)
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 busine...
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 makes massage therapy a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation program; Dallas County does not issue its own massage licenses. The Dallas County Sheriff and District Attorney partner with cities and TDLR on illicit massage and trafficking enforcement.
Tex. Occ. Code Sec. 455.151(a)-(c)
Sec. 455.151. LICENSE REQUIRED. (a) Unless the person is exempt from the licensing requirement, a person may not act as a massage therapist, massage school, massage therapy instructor, or massage establishment unless the person holds an appropriate license issued under this chapter. (b) Unless the person is exempt from the licensing requirement, a person may not represent that the person is a m...
Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 146 requires every tattoo and body-piercing studio in Dallas County to hold a Texas Department of State Health Services license. Dallas County HHS supports inspections in unincorporated areas; cities like Dallas and Irving handle in-city zoning and code enforcement.
Tex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 146.003(a)-(b)
Sec. 146.003. LICENSE APPLICATION. (a) To receive a tattoo studio license, body piercing studio license, or temporary location license, a person must submit a signed, verified license application to the department on a form prescribed by the department and must submit an application fee. In addition, the person must submit evidence from the appropriate zoning officials in the municipality or co...
Tobacco, cigar, and e-cigarette retailers in Dallas County must hold a Texas Comptroller permit under Tax Code Chapters 154 and 155 and Health & Safety Code Chapter 161. Dallas County does not issue tobacco licenses, but Sheriff and DCHHS conduct underage compliance checks alongside cities.
Tex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 161.087(a), (a-1)
Sec. 161.087. DISTRIBUTION OF CIGARETTES, E-CIGARETTES, OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS. (a) A person may not distribute: (1) a free sample of a cigarette, e-cigarette, or tobacco product; or (2) a coupon or other item that the recipient may use to receive a free cigarette, e-cigarette, or tobacco product or a sample cigarette, e-cigarette, or tobacco product. (a-1) A person may not distribute to persons y...
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 governs crafted-metal dealers (gold and silver buyers) statewide with DPS registration. Dallas County does not license general secondhand dealers; cities like Dallas, Irving, and Garland run their own permit and reporting schemes for resale shops.
Tex. Occ. Code Sec. 1956.022(a)
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 inv...
Pawnbrokers in Dallas County are licensed under Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC). The county adds no parallel license, but the Dallas County Sheriff and city police rely on pawnshop reporting to recover stolen property and investigate theft.
Tex. Fin. 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...
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 makes the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation the sole licensing authority for tow operators and vehicle storage facilities in Dallas County. The Dallas County Sheriff maintains a non-consent rotation list for crash and arrest tows on county roads.
Tex. Occ. Code Sec. 2308.151, 2308.153(a)
Sec. 2308.151. LICENSE OR LOCAL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED. (a) Unless the person holds an appropriate license under this subchapter, a person may not: (1) perform towing operations; or (2) operate a towing company. (b) Unless prohibited by a local authority under Section 2308.2085, a person may: (1) perform booting operations; and (2) operate a booting company. Sec. 2308.153. INCIDENT MANAGEMENT T...
1 cities in Dallas County have their own business licensing & operations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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