Business Licensing & Operations in Suffolk County, NY (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Suffolk County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
Tattoo & Body Modification
Operating a tattoo or body-art studio in Suffolk County without a valid Body Art Establishment Permit is unlawful, and every artist must hold a Suffolk-issued Body Artist Certificate before working on a client.
Suffolk County Requires Permits for Body Art Establishments
Significant RestrictionsSuffolk County Sanitary Code Art. 14, §§ 760-1403, 760-1404
§760-1404 Body Art Establishment Permit. 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a BODY ART ESTABLISHMENT, Temporary BODY ART EVENT or MOBILE BODY ART ESTABLISHMENT who does not have a valid permit issued under the provisions of this Article. Only a person who complies with the requirements of this Article shall be entitled to receive and retain such a permit. §760-1403 … No person ex...
Tobacco Retail License
Suffolk County bans retail sale of e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine to anyone under 21, prohibits selling devices disguised as school supplies, and bars retail tobacco and liquid nicotine businesses from storing state-banned flavored vape products on site.
Suffolk County Restricts E-Cigarette Retail Sales
Significant RestrictionsSuffolk County Code § 792-9
No retail liquid nicotine business or retail tobacco business shall intentionally receive or store any flavored liquid nicotine products that are currently banned under New York Public Health Law § 1399-mm-1, or as may be amended in the future, if offered for retail sale in this state, anywhere on or in the premises of such retail establishments, nor shall any retail liquid nicotine business or...
Secondhand Dealers
Suffolk County requires anyone dealing in secondhand articles like electronics, tools, and jewelry to obtain a license from the Office of Consumer Affairs before doing business, with a duplicate license required for each additional County location.
Suffolk County Requires License for Secondhand Dealers
Some RestrictionsSuffolk County Code § 563-50
No person shall engage in any business as a dealer in secondhand articles without obtaining a license therefor from the Office in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this article and Article I. A licensee shall display the license obtained pursuant to this article in the establishment. If a licensee shall maintain more than one establishment within the County of Suffolk, he shall o...
Pawnbrokers
Suffolk County licenses pawnbrokers under its Precious Metal and Gem Exchange law: anyone doing business as a collateral loan broker under NY General Business Law Article 5 must get an Office of Consumer Affairs license before opening, and post a $5,000 bond.
Suffolk County Pawnbroker License Required
Significant RestrictionsSuffolk County Code § 563-37(A)
It is unlawful for any person to engage in any business as a precious metal and gem exchange establishment without first obtaining a license therefor from the office in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this article and Article I. [Amended 6-21-1994 by L.L. No. 13-1994; 6-10-2003 by L.L. No. 21-2003; 5-12-2009 by L.L. No. 18-2009] B. Every licensee shall maintain an establish...
Towing Companies
Suffolk County Code Chapter 796 forbids tow operators from charging more than the town's municipal towing rate to pull a vehicle from a private, publicly accessed lot, and caps storage at $20 per day. The Office of Consumer Affairs enforces it.
Suffolk County Caps Non-Consensual Tow and Storage Fees
Some RestrictionsSuffolk County Code § 796-6(A) (Fees and charges)
Fees charged for the seizure/tow of a vehicle from privately owned, publicly accessed parking lots within the County of Suffolk shall not exceed the fees established for municipal towing purposes by the town within which the tow/seizure occurs. B. Upon payment of all required charges for the release of a towed vehicle, the towing company shall provide the owner or authorized user of the vehi...
Business Licensing & Operations by City in Suffolk County
3 cities in Suffolk County have their own business licensing & operations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Suffolk County ordinances
See every category we cover for Suffolk County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Suffolk County Ordinance Hub →