Business Licensing & Operations in Spokane County, WA (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated Spokane County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Every adult entertainment establishment, manager and entertainer operating in unincorporated Spokane County must hold a separate county license, and no establishment may open to the public between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. License fees run $1,500 a year for a live entertainment or arcade establishment and $150 for a manager or entertainer.
Adult Entertainment Licensing in Spokane County
Significant RestrictionsSCC 7.80.050; SCC 7.80.100(g)
A person may not conduct, manage or operate an adult entertainment establishment unless the person is the holder of a valid and subsisting license from Spokane County... An adult entertainment establishment may not be operated or otherwise open to the public between the hours of two a.m. and ten a.m.
Massage Establishments
Running a massage parlor or bathhouse in unincorporated Spokane County requires a sheriff-issued license under SCC 7.07.020, and every masseur or bathhouse attendant needs a separate employee license. Business is barred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and the sheriff can deny or revoke licenses for felony or sex-offense convictions.
Massage and Bathhouse Licensing in Spokane County
Significant RestrictionsSCC 7.07.020
It is unlawful for any person to conduct, operate or maintain a massage parlor or bathhouse or cause a massage parlor or bathhouse to be conducted, operated or maintained without first obtaining a current and valid massage parlor or bathhouse license issued pursuant to the provisions contained herein for the premises thereof. Such license shall be posted in a conspicuous location on the premise...
Tobacco Retail License
Retailers in unincorporated Spokane County can't sell, give, sample or market e-cigarettes, liquid nicotine or their components to anyone under eighteen, under Chapter 8.62 of the county code. Sellers must post a required warning sign, check ID when age is in question, and keep any vending machine dispensing e-cigarettes inside an adults-only premises or ten feet from every entrance.
Spokane County E-Cigarette Retail Sales Rules
Some RestrictionsSCC 8.62.040(a), 8.62.090
(a)No person may give, distribute, transfer, sell, market, or offer E-cigarettes, their components, or samples to persons under eighteen years of age...Violation of any provision of this ordinance by a minor is a class 3 civil infraction under chapter 7.80 RCW and is subject to the monetary penalty and statutory assessments as set out in chapter 7.80 RCW. Violation of any provision of this ordi...
Secondhand Dealers
Anyone buying, selling or consigning used goods more than three times a year in unincorporated Spokane County must hold a secondhand dealer license under SCC 7.05.020. The county charges twenty-five dollars annually, bars licensees under eighteen, and requires the same detailed transaction ledger and stolen-property hold rules that apply to pawnbrokers.
Secondhand Dealer Licensing in Spokane County
Some RestrictionsSCC 7.05.020
It is unlawful for any person, association or corporation to do business as a dealer in secondhand goods without a license therefor, as herein provided; provided that no such license shall be granted or issued to any person under the age of eighteen, or to any association or corporation whose managing agent is under the age of eighteen years.
Pawnbrokers
Every pawnshop operating in unincorporated Spokane County must hold a county pawnbroker license before taking in a single pledge or purchase. SCC 7.04.020 makes operating without one unlawful and bars anyone under eighteen from holding the license. The Spokane County Auditor issues the fifty-dollar annual license, which expires every December 31st.
Pawnbroker Licensing in Unincorporated Spokane County
Some RestrictionsSCC 7.04.020
It is unlawful for any person, association or corporation to operate as a pawnbroker without first obtaining a license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, provided that, no such license shall be granted or issued to any person under the age of eighteen years or to any association or corporation whose managing agent is under the age of eighteen years.
Towing Companies
Spokane County only lets the sheriff dispatch a towing operator who has been appointed by the board of county commissioners, whether on a rotational, contractual, or noncontractual basis. Operators must apply, meet county standards for equipment, performance, and pricing, and can be dropped from the list for noncompliance under SCC 46.61.567.
Non-Consent Tow Rotation in Spokane County
Significant RestrictionsSCC 46.61.567
The Spokane County sheriff, under its authority to remove vehicles from the highway, may remove the vehicles directly, through towing operators appointed by the board of county commissioners and called on a rotational or other basis, through contracts with towing operators, or by a combination of these methods. When a removal is to be accomplished through a towing operator on a noncontractual b...
All Spokane County ordinances
See every category we cover for Spokane County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Spokane County Ordinance Hub →