Fresno County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zones
- M-1, M-2, M-3 only
- School/day nursery buffer
- 1,000 feet
- Church buffer
- 250 feet
- Residential/recreation buffer
- 500 feet
- Other adult business buffer
- 1,000 feet
- Hours ban
- 12:01 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.
- License review
- 60 working days, treasurer-tax collector
Summary
Fresno County confines adult businesses to the M-1, M-2, and M-3 industrial zoning districts and keeps them at least 1,000 feet from schools, day nurseries, and other adult businesses, 250 feet from churches, and 500 feet from homes and recreation areas under County Code Chapter 6.33. A county license and background check are required before opening.
No adult business shall be located:1.Within a zoning district other than M-l, M-2, and M-3;2.Within one thousand feet of any public or private school or day nursery, whether or not located within the county;3.Within two hundred fifty feet of any church, chapel, temple, mosque, or other publicly recognized place of worship, whether or not located within the county; and4.Within five hundred feet of:a.Any single family, multi-family, condominium or mobile home residence, except a caretaker's residence, in any zoning district, whether or not located within the county, andb.Any privately owned recreation area, amusement park or sports facility, whether or not located within the county.B.Adult businesses shall not be located within one thousand feet of any other adult business.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
030 sets the zoning and spacing rules: an adult business may locate only in the M-1, M-2, or M-3 industrial districts, and it must sit at least 1,000 feet from any public or private school or day nursery, 250 feet from any church or other recognized place of worship, and 500 feet from any single-family, multi-family, condominium, or mobile home residence and from any privately owned recreation area, amusement park, or sports facility; adult businesses must also stay 1,000 feet from each other. m. 060 requires a detailed application with a site plan, elevations, a 1,000-foot radius vicinity map, and fingerprinting and photographing of every owner, officer, and employee by the sheriff's department.
070 requires the treasurer-tax collector to rule within sixty working days based on reports from human services, planning and resource management, and the sheriff, and denies the license if any owner or employee has a disqualifying 'specified criminal act' conviction within the last two years for a misdemeanor or five years for a felony. 8. 120.
Violations & Fines
Operating an adult business without the Section 6.33.050 license, or outside the zoning and distance limits in Section 6.33.030, is unlawful and subject to injunction under Section 6.33.150. A license can be denied or an existing one refused renewal if any owner, officer, or employee has a disqualifying conviction under Section 6.33.070, and performers who work without the required Section 6.33.125 performer license issued by the sheriff's department risk denial, suspension, or revocation of that license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can an adult business legally operate in Fresno County?
Can an adult business appeal a license denial to the county?
What hours can adult businesses stay open in Fresno County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno County
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