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Skagit County, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
SCC 14.15.400(2)(d)(i)
Allowed zone
Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial (BR-HI) only
Permit type
Hearing Examiner special use permit (SCC Ch. 14.51)
Application must disclose
Hours, employees, signage, screening, parking (SCC 14.51.040)
Decision options
Approve, approve with conditions, or deny (SCC 14.51.060)
Ongoing duty
Annual self-certification required (SCC 14.51.080)
Civil penalty
$100 per day per violation (SCC 14.09.330)

Summary

In unincorporated Skagit County, adult entertainment is allowed only in the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial (BR-HI) zone, and only as a Hearing Examiner special use under SCC 14.15.400(2)(d)(i). It is the single zone in the county's Unified Development Code where adult entertainment appears as an allowed land use, and operators must secure a Hearing Examiner special use permit under SCC Chapter 14.51 before opening.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Skagit County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(2) Allowed Uses. In addition to the uses in SCC 14.15.020, the following uses are allowed in this zone: ... (d) Hearing Examiner Special Uses. ... (i) Adult entertainment.

Full Breakdown

400(2) lists the uses allowed in the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial zone, and subsection (2)(d) places adult entertainment in the Hearing Examiner Special Uses category alongside on-site hazardous waste treatment facilities, meaning it cannot be approved administratively. 51. 040, the application must include a narrative describing the proposed use, its days and hours of operation, the number of employees on and off site, the location and size of any signs, how the use will be screened from public view, proposed parking, expected traffic impacts, and how the site will be accessed and secured against trespass.

20, must not adversely affect uses normally allowed in the zone, must be compatible with existing and planned land uses, and must not generate intrusions on the privacy of surrounding property or adverse effects on public health, safety or welfare. 070 gives the Hearing Examiner authority to revoke, suspend, or modify the permit if conditions are not met. 080 requires the property owner to file an annual self-certification confirming the use is ongoing and still complies with the permit conditions. No other zone in the Skagit County Code lists adult entertainment as an allowed use, so operating one anywhere else in unincorporated Skagit County falls outside the zoning code entirely.

Violations & Fines

Operating adult entertainment in the BR-HI zone without an approved Hearing Examiner special use permit, or outside the conditions of an issued permit, is a Title 14 violation enforceable under SCC Chapter 14.09. The Director may impose a civil penalty of $100 per day per violation under SCC 14.09.330(2)(a), or the county can charge a Class 1 civil infraction carrying a default $250 penalty under SCC 14.09.320. The Hearing Examiner can also revoke, suspend, or modify the special use permit under SCC 14.51.070, and failing to file the annual self-certification required by SCC 14.51.080 is itself a compliance failure the county can act on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can adult entertainment locate anywhere in unincorporated Skagit County?
No. SCC 14.15.400(2)(d)(i) lists adult entertainment as an allowed use only in the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial (BR-HI) zone, and only as a Hearing Examiner special use. It does not appear as an allowed use in any other zone in the county's Unified Development Code.
What permit does an adult entertainment business need?
A Hearing Examiner special use permit under SCC Chapter 14.51. The application must describe the proposed operation in detail, including hours, staffing, signage, parking and screening from public view, before the Hearing Examiner can approve, condition, or deny it under SCC 14.51.050 and 14.51.060.
Does the permit ever expire or need renewal?
The code does not set a fixed term, but SCC 14.51.080 requires the property owner to file an annual self-certification with the county confirming the use is still active and still complies with the permit's approved conditions.
What can the county do if a permit holder violates the conditions?
The Hearing Examiner can revoke, suspend, or modify the special use permit under SCC 14.51.070, and the county can separately pursue a civil penalty of $100 per day per violation under SCC 14.09.330 or a Class 1 civil infraction under SCC 14.09.320.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Skagit County

All Skagit County rules

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