Business Licensing & Operations in Mobile County, AL (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Mobile County, Alabama.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
In unincorporated Mobile County, alcohol-licensed establishments cannot feature nude or semi-nude servers, live sex-simulation acts, or contests encouraging that conduct. The Mobile County Sexually Oriented Business Act, a local act of the Legislature, bans this entertainment outright rather than permitting or spacing it, with fines up to $500 and up to six months in jail.
Mobile County Adult Entertainment Ban
Heavy RestrictionsAla. Code § 45-49-20.02 (Act 97-176)
Section 45-49-20.02. Prohibited Entertainment, Attire, and Conduct. The following types of entertainment, attire, and conduct are prohibited upon any premises of a licensed establishment within the unincorporated area of Mobile County: (1) The employment or use of any person, in any capacity, in the sale or service of alcoholic beverages while the person is unclothed or in such attire, costume,...
Massage Establishments
Operating a massage parlor in unincorporated Mobile County without a license from the county governing body is unlawful under a 1981 local act. The law layers on health inspections, same-sex service staffing, a ban on locked-door treatment rooms, and license revocation for prostitution-related convictions, with fines up to $500 and jail up to a year.
Mobile County Massage Parlor License
Significant RestrictionsAla. Code § 45-49-42.02 (Act 81-132)
Section 45-49-42.02. License Required. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a massage parlor without first having acquired from the county governing body a license for the operation of the business as required by this part. Section 45-49-42.11. Services Rendered Only by Persons of Same Sex; Violation. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a massage parlor, regardless of wheth...
Secondhand Dealers
Buying secondhand gold or silver items, jewelry, flatware, or bric-a-brac in Mobile County requires a $500 annual license from the license commission, plus fingerprints, a photo, and a background check. Buyers must log every purchase and hold the property untouched for 86 hours so police can inspect it.
Mobile County Secondhand Gold/Silver Dealer License
Significant RestrictionsAla. Code § 45-49-43 (Act 81-445)
Section 45-49-43. License Required. It shall be unlawful for anyone to conduct, pursue, or carry on the business of purchasing second-hand gold or silver, whether in the form of jewelry, household articles or furnishings, personal effects, bric-a-brac, settings for gems, watches, flatware, service sets, or other articles of like kind within Mobile County without first paying to the license comm...
Business Licensing & Operations by City in Mobile County
1 cities in Mobile County have their own business licensing & operations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Mobile County ordinances
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