Burlington, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- License
- Required from City before opening
- Hours
- Closed 2:00 a.m. to noon
- Alcohol
- Prohibited on premises (§ 90-4J)
- Transfers
- One license per site, no transfers
- Existing operators
- 60-day application window
- Penalty
- $5-$500 first offense, § 1-4
Summary
Burlington City Code Chapter 90 requires a City business license before any adult-oriented establishment opens, and the property must already conform to the adult-use zoning standards in § 315-12.2. Licensed establishments must close between 2:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, may not serve or allow alcohol on the premises, and face a one-year ban on relicensing after operating without a permit.
The sale, use, or consumption of alcohol on the premises of an adult-oriented establishment is prohibited. ... No adult-oriented establishment shall be open between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. ... Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, no adult-oriented establishment shall be operated or maintained in the City without first obtaining a business license to operate issued by the City, provided the property is zoned in accordance with § 315-12.2 of this Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4997580; v29 updated 2026-07-07; through 07-07-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 90, adopted by the Common Council on October 17, 2023 (Ord. No. 2 of the Zoning Code. Only one license issues per fixed location; anyone wanting a second location must apply separately, and no license or interest in one may be transferred to another person (§ 90-7B, C). Existing operators at the time of adoption had 60 days to apply (§ 90-7D). A location where the Common Council found unlicensed operation is barred from receiving a license for one year following that finding (§ 90-7E).
Applicants file with the City Clerk under oath, disclosing ownership, corporate officers, a scaled floor diagram accurate to plus or minus six inches, and consent to a background check (§ 90-8). Individual applicants, and every officer, director or financial-interest holder of a corporate or partnership applicant, must be at least 18 and free of a chapter violation within the preceding five years (§ 90-9). the following morning. License holders remain subject to inspection at any reasonable time by the Code Enforcement Officer, the Racine County Sheriff's Department, Building Inspectors and the Health Department (§ 90-5B).
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required license, or violating any Chapter 90 standard, is punishable under § 90-17 through the City's general penalty at § 1-4: a first offense carries a forfeiture of $5 to $500 plus costs, a second offense within one year runs $10 to $1,000, and unpaid forfeitures can mean up to 90 days in the county jail. The Common Council may also revoke or suspend a license under § 90-16 after 10 days' written notice and a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Burlington require a special license for adult businesses?
What hours can an adult-oriented business stay open in Burlington?
Can an adult business serve alcohol in Burlington?
What happens if someone operates an unlicensed adult business in Burlington?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burlington
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