Glendale, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- License required for
- Adult arcades, peep shows, sex clubs
- Background check
- Fingerprints and photos required
- Disclosure window
- 3 years of employment history
- Officers/board members
- Each must disclose separately
- Governing chapter
- Municipal Code Ch. 5.60
Summary
Glendale requires a city-issued adult business license before operating an adult motion picture arcade, adult peep show, or sexual encounter establishment. Applicants must submit fingerprints and photos for a police background investigation, and licenses can be denied, suspended, or revoked.
No person shall operate an adult business without first obtaining an adult business license from the city. Any person wishing to obtain an adult business license shall file an application according to requirements and procedures in Section 5.04.050.
Full Breakdown
050. 040 layers on additional application requirements specific to adult businesses: applicants must disclose their business occupation or employment for the preceding three years, their business license or permit history including any prior denials, revocations, or suspensions in Glendale or elsewhere, and all criminal convictions and the reasons for them. Applicants must also provide fingerprints and photographs so the police division can conduct an investigation, and if the applicant is not a natural person, every officer and board member of the organization must supply the same information. 110. 060.
Violations & Fines
Operating an adult business without a license violates Section 5.60.030 and exposes the operator to license denial under Section 5.04.050 or suspension and revocation under Section 5.04.100, appealable through Section 5.04.110. Falsifying required background disclosures under Section 5.60.040 can independently support denial or revocation of the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a special license to open an adult arcade in Glendale?
What background information do adult business applicants have to submit?
Can Glendale deny or revoke an adult business license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
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Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle adult entertainment.