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Johnson County, KS Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

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

Key Facts

License authority
County clerk, approved by county commission
Spacing rule
1,000 ft from school/church/day care
Spacing rule
1,000 ft from another adult business
Business license fee
$250 per year
Max penalty
$1,000 fine or 6 months jail

Summary

Johnson County requires a county-issued license for any adult entertainment business and bars locations within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, day cares, or another licensed adult business.

City-specific rules exist: Overland Park, and Olathe have their own adult entertainment rules that differ from Johnson County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

The applicant's premises is located within 1,000 feet of any other adult entertainment enterprise for which there is a license issued. Measurements shall be made in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures or objects, from the nearest point on the property line of the applicant's enterprise to the nearest point on the property line of such other adult entertainment business.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Resolutions: Supplement 14).

Full Breakdown

Unincorporated Johnson County requires a separate adult entertainment business license from the county clerk, plus individual licenses for every manager, entertainer, and server. The board of county commissioners denies a license if the premises sits within 1,000 feet of a school, church, or licensed child care center, measured property line to property line, or within 1,000 feet of another licensed adult entertainment business. The sheriff's office runs a background investigation and fingerprints applicants before the board acts.

Violations & Fines

Operating, working, or hiring at an unlicensed adult entertainment business is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $250 to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a new adult entertainment business open next to an existing one?
No. County code bars any licensed premises within 1,000 feet of another licensed adult entertainment business, measured property line to property line.
Who investigates adult entertainment license applications?
The county sheriff's department fingerprints applicants and investigates backgrounds, while the planning director checks zoning, building, health and fire code compliance.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Johnson County

All Johnson County rules

Compare Johnson County to another location·View the Kansas business licensing & operations overview

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