Allentown, PA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning § 660-37.A, adult use
- Separation from other adult use
- 1,000 feet
- Separation from schools/homes/churches
- 500 feet
- Minimum lot area
- 20,000 sq ft
- Approval type
- Special exception, ZHB
- Hours (post-approval uses)
- 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
- Related chapter
- Ch. 141, Adult Uses (arcades)
Summary
Allentown's zoning ordinance treats adult bookstores, adult theaters, and cabarets as a special-exception commercial use. They must sit 1,000 feet from any other adult use, 500 feet from schools, homes, day cares, and churches, and on a lot of at least 20,000 square feet.
Required separation. It is unlawful to establish an adult use within 1,000 feet of any existing adult use or within 500 feet of any: [1] Primary or secondary school; [2] Residential dwelling unit; [3] Child care facility; [4] Place of worship; or [5] Any MX-N-, GX-N-, or N-zoned lot.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
A of the Zoning Ordinance (Ord. No. 16166, effective January 1, 2026) defines the adult use category to cover adult book stores, adult motion picture theaters, and cabarets featuring specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas. The required separation rule makes it unlawful to establish an adult use within 1,000 feet of any existing adult use, or within 500 feet of a primary or secondary school, a residential dwelling unit, a child care facility, a place of worship, or any MX-N, GX-N, or N-zoned lot.
Because an adult use is only allowed by special exception, the Zoning Hearing Board must find that it will not adversely affect nearby dwellings, will not harm the general character of the area, and is compatible with any neighborhood revitalization program before approving it; use variances that would allow an adult use where Table 660-4 does not permit one are flatly prohibited. Applicants must submit a notarized statement listing every person with an ownership interest and naming an on-site manager, and must update the Zoning Officer within seven calendar days of any ownership change.
m. A(3)(d) also folds in Chapter 141 of the City Code, which separately regulates adult arcades with one-person booth occupancy limits and mandatory warning signage.
Violations & Fines
An adult use established without the required Zoning Hearing Board special exception, within the 1,000-foot or 500-foot separation, or below the 20,000-square-foot lot minimum is a zoning violation subject to the City's general zoning enforcement remedies, and Chapter 141's adult arcade provisions separately carry a fine of not more than $300 and/or imprisonment of not more than 90 days per offense for violations like exceeding the one-person booth occupancy limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must an adult business be from a school in Allentown?
Can I get a zoning variance to open an adult bookstore where it isn't allowed?
What lot size does an adult use need in Allentown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
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