Hampton, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- C-3 and M-2 only
- School/park/library buffer
- 1,000 feet
- General residential buffer
- 300 feet
- Governing section
- Zoning Ord. § 3-3(20)
Summary
Hampton confines adult entertainment establishments to the C-3 and M-2 zoning districts and requires at least 1,000 feet from schools, churches, parks, libraries, and other adult businesses, or 300 feet from residential zones.
Adult entertainment establishment in the C-3 and M-2 districts. Structures for such use shall not be located nearer than one thousand (1,000) feet to:
(a)Any school, religious facility, park, playground, or library property;(b)Any other adult entertainment establishment;(c)Any residentially zoned property which fronts on the same street or which contains any school, religious facility, park, playground, and library; otherwise, the minimum distance from such structures to a residential zone shall be three hundred (300) feet. For the purposes of this paragraph, distances shall be measured on a straight line: (1) from the adult entertainment establishment to the nearest point of the property named in (a) or (c) above; or (2) between the establishment named in (b) above.
(21)Coin-operated amusement devices, accessory in the C-1, C-2, C-3, PH-1, PH-2, PH-3, RT-1, DT-1, and DT-2 districts. No more than six (6) coin-operated amusement machines shall be allowed as an accessory use at any business establishment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31 | Zoning: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
The Hampton Zoning Ordinance permits adult entertainment establishments only in the C-3 (General Commercial) and M-2 (General Industrial) districts. Structures housing this use must sit at least 1,000 feet from any school, religious facility, park, playground, library, or other adult entertainment establishment, and 1,000 feet from residential property fronting the same street or containing one of those uses: otherwise a 300-foot residential buffer applies. Distances are measured in a straight line from the nearest property line. The ordinance does not create a separate 'sexually oriented business' permit; the district confinement and spacing rules are what the city enforces.
Violations & Fines
Locating or operating an adult entertainment establishment outside the C-3/M-2 districts, or inside the required buffer distance, is a zoning violation the zoning administrator can enforce through denial of occupancy or a stop-work order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an adult entertainment business locate in Hampton's C-1 or C-2 commercial districts?
How is the required buffer distance measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hampton
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