DALLAS – Strippers make a living by taking it off, but soon, they might need a license to do it.

The Dallas Police Department and city officials have been meeting to toughen laws on sexually oriented businesses.

The concept of licensing exotic dancers isn’t a new one. Houston strippers are already subjected to a similar regulation.

Sources told News 8 a permit in Dallas would cost less than $100. News 8 spoke with a former stripper who asked not to be identified. She said she made about $3,000 in a week, so the permit fee would be pocket change.

“That’s a lap dance in two minutes,” she said.

Dallas police sources say the city is looking to change ordinances for sexually oriented businesses in order to try to deal with crime in some of the clubs. Officers are also talking about ordering mandatory background checks on all dancers.

“A criminal background check would probably cut out more than half of the girls that work [in strip clubs],” said the former stripper. “I’d say more than half have been in trouble here and there.”

Attorney Nelson Hensely has battled the ordinance on behalf of dancers in Houston.

“I think it would be more important for waiters at restaurants to have licenses than it would be for topless dancers,” he said.

Dancers here say if Dallas adopts a similar ordinance, it would force dancers with criminal records onto the streets.

“A lot would probably quit dancing and find a more dangerous line of work, and they would work on their own on the side and on the street,” said the former stripper.

For now, Dallas police say the idea is being discussed, but so far, there is no plan to implement a licensing requirement in the near future.

E-mail rlopez@wfaa.com