Bakersfield, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- City manager or designee
- Operating hours ban
- 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
- Minimum applicant age
- 18 years old
- Stage separation (live acts)
- 6 feet from patrons
- Permit term
- Expires December 31 each year
- Appeal window
- 10 days to city council
Summary
Bakersfield requires a business permit from the city manager before operating an adult entertainment business, under Municipal Code Section 5.06.020, and separately regulates hours, arcade configuration, and patron-performer separation under Chapter 5.06, with businesses barred from operating between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.
A. No person shall own or operate an adult entertainment business in the city in violation of this chapter, or without having first procured and maintained a valid business permit from the city manager or designee. Only one permit per establishment need be obtained pursuant to this subsection. ... K. No adult entertainment business shall be conducted or carried on between the hours of two a.m. and six a.m. of any day.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040 for individual managers. 030 must include the applicant's name, address, birth date, driver's license and social security numbers, the business location, its business tax certificate number, and any prior permit revocations, and the city manager must issue the permit within 15 days if the business complies with zoning and building codes, holds a valid business tax certificate, and the applicant is at least 18 with no permit revoked in the past three years. Managerial permits, requiring two passport-size photos, must issue within three days on similar findings.
m. Adult motion picture arcades must be open on one side with unobstructed sightlines, and live-entertainment arcades must have a plexiglass barrier with no opening larger than one-half inch. 064 requires live performances on a stage at least 18 inches high, with patrons kept at least six feet away and tips placed only in receptacles at least six feet from the performer: direct touching or handing tips to performers is prohibited. Permits are nontransferable and limited to one per business location.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a permit, or violating any regulation in Chapter 5.06, is unlawful, and an adult entertainment business run contrary to the chapter or state or federal law is declared a public nuisance the city attorney may abate through civil action under Section 5.06.070, separate from any criminal prosecution under Section 1.40.010. The city manager must revoke a permit for material misrepresentation on the application (Section 5.06.080), effective 10 days after mailed notice, and a denied or revoked applicant has 10 days to appeal in writing to the city council under Section 5.06.090.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bakersfield require a special permit for adult entertainment businesses?
What hours can an adult entertainment business operate in Bakersfield?
How close can patrons get to live performers in a Bakersfield adult business?
Can Bakersfield revoke an adult entertainment permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
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Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle adult entertainment.