Augusta-Richmond County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zones
- LI or HI only
- Sensitive-use buffer
- 1,000 feet
- Permit required
- License and Inspection Dept.
- Location approval
- Planning & Development, 30-day review
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine per violation
Summary
Augusta-Richmond County confines adult entertainment establishments to LI Light Industrial and HI Heavy Industrial zones, and bars them within 1,000 feet of churches, schools, parks, child care facilities, residential districts, and other sexually oriented businesses.
No adult entertainment establishments shall be located in any zone other than one designated as "LI" Light Industrial or "HI" Heavy Industrial under the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Richmond County, as incorporated in the Augusta-Richmond County Code, Title 8, Chapter 5. In addition, no adult entertainment establishment or use restricted hereunder shall be located; (a) within 1,000 feet of: (1) A church or place of religious worship; (2) A public or private elementary or secondary school; (3) A child care facility.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Under Title 6, Chapter 1 of the Augusta-Richmond County Code, an adult entertainment establishment (adult bookstores, adult theaters, adult dancing/erotic dance establishments, escort bureaus, and similar uses) must hold a License and Inspection Department permit and Business Tax Certificate, and may only operate in zones designated LI or HI under the county's Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Sec. 6-1-9 also imposes a 1,000-foot buffer from churches, schools, child care facilities, parks, cemeteries, residential district boundaries, government buildings, and other sexually oriented businesses, plus buffers within designated Augusta gateway/corridor areas. The Planning & Development Department must approve the location within 30 days of a complete application.
Violations & Fines
Operating outside an LI/HI zone or within the buffer distances is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per violation or imprisonment; Augusta can also suspend a permit for 15 days or revoke it after repeated violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can an adult entertainment business locate in Augusta-Richmond County?
What happens if a business violates the location rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Augusta-Richmond County
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