Fairfield, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted zones
- CS, CT and IL districts only
- Spacing from other adult business
- 1,000 feet minimum
- Spacing from schools/parks/churches
- 750 feet minimum
- Permit issuer
- Director of Community Development
- Decision deadline
- 30 city business days on complete application
- Excluded areas
- Four named zones near Air Base Pkwy
Summary
Fairfield channels adult entertainment businesses into the CS, CT and IL zoning districts and requires a zone clearance under Municipal Code Section 25.32.2 before any of them can open. No adult business may sit within 1,000 feet of another adult business, or within 750 feet of a residential district, school, library, park, playground, freeway or church, and four named neighborhoods are off-limits entirely.
1. Permissible districts. Provided the requirements of subparagraph (2) below are satisfied, an adult entertainment business may be located in the CS, CT, or IL district. 2. Separation requirements. An adult entertainment business may be located in the districts specified in subparagraph (1) above, provided that the business satisfies all of the following requirements: a. The adult entertainment business is not within one thousand (1,000) feet of any other adult entertainment business located within or outside of the City. b. The adult entertainment business is not within seven hundred and fifty (750) feet of any RVL, RL, RLM, RM, RH, RVH, or CM district or any residential area of a planned development zone district. c. The adult entertainment business is not within seven hundred and fifty (750) feet of any school, library, park, playground, freeway, or church.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4962673; v0 updated 2026-02-17).
Full Breakdown
2 requires an owner to obtain a zone clearance from the Director of Community Development before operating an adult arcade, adult cabaret, adult motion picture theater, adult retail store, or any similar business defined by the section, and it is unlawful to operate without one. 2(E) and Chapter 10D's appeal procedures. 2(D)(2): no closer than 1,000 feet to any other adult entertainment business anywhere in or out of the city, no closer than 750 feet to any RVL, RL, RLM, RM, RH, RVH or CM residential district or a residential planned-development area, and no closer than 750 feet to any school, library, park, playground, freeway, or church.
All distances run in a straight line from property line to property line, except the 1,000-foot adult-to-adult spacing, which is measured wall to wall between tenant spaces. Four named geographic areas around Air Base Parkway, Cordelia Road, and the area south of Interstate 80 and west of Interstate 680 are excluded outright, and no building may house more than one type of adult entertainment business. A zone-clearance permit is nontransferable to a new address or new owner.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a zone clearance, or outside the permitted CS, CT or IL districts and required buffers, is unlawful under Section 25.32.2(B) and (D)(4), and Chapter 10D layers on a separate criminal misdemeanor and administrative fine for operating without the companion adult entertainment regulatory permit. Attempting to transfer a zone clearance to another owner or location voids it automatically. Denials can be appealed to the hearing officer under Section 25.32.2(E).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where in Fairfield can an adult entertainment business locate?
How far must an adult business stay from a school or church?
Do I need a separate permit beyond the zone clearance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Fairfield to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle adult entertainment.