Business Licensing & Operations in Pierce County, WA (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Pierce County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Adult entertainment establishments, entertainers, and managers in unincorporated Pierce County must each hold a separate county license under Chapter 5.14 PCC, which also sets strict conduct rules like an 18-inch stage requirement and a no-touching rule.
Pierce County Adult Entertainment License Rules
Significant RestrictionsPCC 5.14.190.E, F
All adult entertainment shall occur on a stage or platform intended for that purpose which is raised at least 18 inches from the level of the floor. ... No entertainer or employee shall fondle, caress, or touch any patron in a manner which seeks to arouse or excite the patrons' sexual desires.
Secondhand Dealers
Buying and reselling used goods for value in unincorporated Pierce County requires a county secondhand dealer license under PCC 5.12.020, plus documentation from sellers of recent-make items proving legitimate origin under PCC 5.12.075.
Pierce County Secondhand Dealer Licensing
Some RestrictionsPCC 5.12.075
Secondhand dealers shall require that all sellers of tangible personal property showing signs of recent make and vintage provide a copy of either a sales receipt from the last 60 days or a copy of the seller's business license and a reseller permit.
Pawnbrokers
Pawnbrokers in unincorporated Pierce County need a county license and face a hard population-based cap on how many can operate. PCC 5.12.020 requires the license, and PCC 5.12.060 limits pawnbrokers to one per 35,000 unincorporated residents.
Pierce County Pawnbroker License Rules
Significant RestrictionsPCC 5.12.060
The number of licenses issued for pawnbrokers shall be limited to a number of establishments in the unincorporated areas of the County based on a ratio of one pawnbroker per 35,000 inhabitants of the unincorporated areas of the County. For this purpose, the population of the unincorporated areas of the County shall be that determined in the last preceding official United States Census of Pierce...
Business Licensing & Operations by City in Pierce County
2 cities in Pierce County have their own business licensing & operations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Pierce County ordinances
See every category we cover for Pierce County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Pierce County Ordinance Hub →