Repeal of Retail Laundry License

On July 18, 2021, the City enacted Local Law 80 of 2021, which repeals the licensing requirement for retail laundries. This repeal went into effect on December 31, 2021.

Beginning December 31, 2021, you will no longer need a Retail Laundry license from DCWP to operate your retail laundry business. Because the license is no longer required, DCWP will no longer accept new or renewal license applications.

NOTE: Industrial Laundry and Industrial Laundry Delivery businesses will continue to be licensed. The license repeal is only for Retail Laundries.

NEXT STEPS:

On December 31, 2021, your current Retail Laundry license will expire and you may take down DCWP’s license sign. You will not need to surrender or renew your Retail Laundry license.

Even though you will no longer need a license for your retail laundry, you will still be required to comply with other laws DCWP enforces, such as:

• Your business’s bills, tickets, business cards, advertising and stationery must list your business name and address;

• Every document (example: receipt, delivery ticket, invoice, statement, etc.) that contains charges to a consumer must accurately and clearly state each of the laundry charges, not just the total charge;

• All vehicles used for delivery of laundry must include your business’s name, address, and telephone number in letters at least 2 inches in height;

• You must post a price list where orders are placed or payments are made by consumers;

• Your price list must contain a list of services offered, the minimum price charged for each service, and a description of any factors that may cause the price to be higher than the minimum. Your price list must not contain different prices for men and women for the same services;

• If scales are used to weigh laundry on the premises, each scale must have a DCWP seal and must be inspected annually;

• If your business offers self-service laundry machines to the general public:
  • an attendant must be on site from 8:00 P.M. until closing or 6:00 A.M. the following day, whichever is earlier; and
  • you must post a sign in a location that is clearly visible to consumers which states to whom complaints and claims for refunds must be made.

Additional Resources

Read Inspection Checklist: Industrial Laundries

Read Inspection Checklist: Retail Laundries

07/2022