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Salt Lake County, UT Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License required: Sexually oriented business regulatory license before opening
Governing section: Salt Lake County Code §5.20.070
Zoning first: Site must be zoned for the use under Title 19
Civil penalty: $500 per citation, §5.20.380
Criminal penalty: Class B misdemeanor; each day a separate offense
Revocation term: One year, no relicensing at that address
Employee appeal window: 15 days to county council after denial

Summary

Any sexually oriented business in unincorporated Salt Lake County, adult businesses, nude entertainment venues, outcall services, seminude dancing bars and nude/seminude dancing agencies, must hold a sexually oriented business regulatory license from the county before opening. Operating without one is unlawful under Salt Lake County Code §5.20.070, and the location must already be zoned for that use under Title 19 before the license application is even accepted.

City-specific rules exist: Sandy, West Jordan, Salt Lake City, West Valley City, and South Jordan have their own adult entertainment rules that differ from Salt Lake County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

It is unlawful for any person to operate a sexually oriented business, as defined herein, in the county without first obtaining a sexually oriented business regulatory license. The license shall specify the type of business for which it is obtained. The license shall be obtained pursuant to the general business license procedures outlined in Chapter 5.02. ... In addition to revocation or suspension of a license as provided in this chapter, each violation of this chapter shall, upon citation by the county, require the sexually oriented business licensee or sexually oriented business employee, as applicable, to pay a civil penalty in the amount of five hundred dollars, which shall be in addition to any other administrative sanctions or criminal penalties. In addition to the civil fines provided in this chapter, the violation of any provision of this chapter shall be a Class B misdemeanor. Each day of a violation shall be considered a separate offense.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).

Full Breakdown

02. 060 requires the site to already sit in a zone that allows sexually oriented businesses under Title 19, and any conditional use approval the zoning requires must be secured first. 130). 140. 150). 080). 350).

Violations & Fines

A citation for operating without the required license, or for any other chapter violation, carries a $500 civil penalty per §5.20.380, on top of any license suspension or revocation. The same conduct is also a Class B misdemeanor, and each day of continued violation counts as a separate offense. Suspension halts all operations at the location for its duration; revocation bars a sexually oriented license there for one full year, appealable to the county council under §5.20.360.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a strip club in unincorporated Salt Lake County need a special license?

Yes. Salt Lake County Code §5.20.070 requires any sexually oriented business, including nude and seminude dancing venues, adult businesses, outcall services and dancing agencies, to hold a sexually oriented business regulatory license issued through the Chapter 5.02 licensing process before opening. The property also has to already sit in a zone that permits the use under Title 19, so licensing and zoning approval both have to line up before the county will process the application.

What happens if a sexually oriented business operates without a license?

The county can cite the operator for a $500 civil penalty under §5.20.380, and the same conduct is charged as a Class B misdemeanor, with each day of continued operation treated as its own offense. The county can also sue for an injunction under §5.20.350, and any existing license can be suspended or revoked, which shuts the location down for the suspension period or bars a sexually oriented license there for a year.

Who is exempt from the sexually oriented business license?

State-licensed sex therapists and counselors, medical practitioners, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and educators licensed by the state acting within a classroom are exempt under §5.20.080. Everyone else operating a nude entertainment business, adult business, outcall service, seminude dancing bar or dancing agency in the unincorporated county needs the license regardless of business size.

Can an employee license be denied, and can that be appealed?

Yes. The local law enforcement agency can deny an employee license to applicants under 18, those who gave false information, or those convicted of a chapter violation within two years or a felony, moral-turpitude crime, or listed sex offense within five years, per §5.20.150. A denied applicant has 15 days to appeal to the county council for a hearing.

Sources & Official References

[1]Salt Lake County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 5.20

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All Salt Lake County rules

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Adult Entertainment in Cities Across Salt Lake County

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