Indianapolis, IN Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- License requirement
- from the license administrator (Sec. 807-202(a))
- Annual fee
- $377 (Sec. 807-203)
- Decision window
- 45 days or auto-granted
- Hours ban
- midnight-10 a.m. and all Sunday
- Manager's station cap
- 32 sq ft
- Floor lighting minimum
- 10 foot-candles (2 in booths)
- Appeal path
- Marion Superior Court, 10-day window
Summary
Operating an adult entertainment business in Indianapolis without a license from the license administrator is unlawful under Section 807-202(a). The annual license, renewed on payment of a $377 fee, must be granted or denied within 45 days, closes automatically at midnight, and cannot reopen until 10 a.m. or at all on Sundays.
Sec. 807-202. - License required. (a)It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain or operate an adult entertainment business in the city without first obtaining a license therefor from the license administrator.(b)A license granted pursuant to this section shall be subject to annual renewal upon the written application of the applicant and a finding by the city that the applicant is in compliance with all of the provisions of this chapter. The renewal of the license shall be subject to the payment of the fee as set forth in section 807-203 of the Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 807-202(a) makes it unlawful to maintain or operate an adult entertainment business in the city without a license from the license administrator; renewal under 807-202(b) requires a written annual application and a city finding of compliance, plus the fee set in Section 807-203 ($377 per the Section 131-501 fee schedule). Applicants get a decision within 45 days: if the administrator neither grants nor denies within that window, the license issues by operation of law, and a denied applicant may operate under a conditional license while a timely judicial-review petition is pending.
Denial grounds under Section 807-205 include an unpaid license fee, delinquent city, county, or state taxes, or false or missing application information. Once licensed, the business must meet premises standards in Section 807-301: a diagram of manager's stations (capped at 32 square feet each), overhead lighting of at least 10 foot-candles at floor level in open areas (2 foot-candles minimum inside individual viewing booths), booth entranceways at least 2 feet wide and 6 feet high with no obstructing door or curtain, and booths separated by at least 12 inches.
or on any Sunday. A license may be suspended or revoked under Section 807-206 for creating a public nuisance, knowingly permitting illegal conduct on the premises, or violating the premises or operational standards, following a license administrator's hearing.
Violations & Fines
Violations trigger a license administrator's hearing under Chapter 801, Article IV, Division 2, and can lead to suspension or revocation under Section 807-206. Denials, suspensions, and revocations under this chapter skip the city's normal administrative appeal process entirely; instead, Section 807-207 sends appeals straight to Marion Superior Court, with a petition due within 10 days of the administrator's decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Indianapolis require a special license for adult entertainment businesses?
What hours can an adult entertainment business operate in Indianapolis?
How is a denied or revoked adult entertainment license appealed?
What lighting is required inside an adult entertainment business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Indianapolis
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