Johnston County, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 1,000 feet in any direction, § 6-76(b)
- Protected uses
- Dwellings, churches, schools/day cares, parks/pools
- Jurisdiction
- Unincorporated county only, § 6-72
- Nonconforming grace period
- 2 years maximum, § 6-76(c)
- Penalty
- $500.00 civil penalty, § 1-6
Summary
Johnston County bans sexually oriented businesses, including massage parlors, adult bookstores, arcades and theaters, from operating within 1,000 feet of a dwelling, church, public school, licensed day care, park, playground, pool, or another adult or sexually oriented business anywhere in the unincorporated county. Section 6-76(b) sets the buffer; an existing business gets only two years as a nonconforming use.
(b) Sexually oriented businesses. No sexually oriented business shall be permitted in any building located within 1,000 feet in any direction from: (1) A building used as a dwelling. (2) A building in which an adult business or a sexually oriented business is located. (3) A building used as a church, synagogue, or other house of worship. (4) A building used as a public school or as a state-licensed day care center. (5) Any lot or parcel on which a public playground, public swimming pool, or public park is located. (c) Nonconforming adult businesses and sexually oriented adult businesses. Any adult business or sexually oriented business lawfully operating on the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived, that is in violation of this article shall be deemed a nonconforming use. Any use which is determined to be nonconforming by application of the provisions of this section shall be permitted to continue for a period not to exceed two years.
Full Breakdown
" Section 6-76(b) prohibits placing any sexually oriented business within 1,000 feet, measured in any direction, of a dwelling, another adult or sexually oriented business, a church or house of worship, a public school or state-licensed day care, or a lot holding a public park, playground, or swimming pool. The article applies only outside town limits: Section 6-72 states it "shall apply to every building, lot, tract, or parcel of land within the county exclusive of the jurisdiction of any incorporated municipality," so Clayton, Smithfield, Selma and the county's other towns set their own rules within their limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction.
A sexually oriented business lawfully operating before the ordinance took effect is treated as nonconforming under Section 6-76(c) and "shall be permitted to continue for a period not to exceed two years," after which it must close or relocate to a compliant site; nonconforming uses cannot be enlarged, extended, or altered in the meantime. The rules exist, per Section 6-73, "to regulate adult and sexually oriented businesses" for "the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the citizenry," and Section 6-74 confirms they add to, rather than replace, any zoning setback or covenant already in place.
Violations & Fines
Article III does not set its own fine, so a sexually oriented business sited inside the 1,000-foot buffer, or a nonconforming use kept open past its two-year window, falls under Johnston County Code Section 1-6's general penalty: a $500.00 civil penalty per violation, with the county also able to pursue an injunction and order of abatement in superior court to shut down or relocate a noncompliant use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 1,000-foot buffer apply inside Clayton or Smithfield?
What counts as a sexually oriented business under this ordinance?
Can a business that predates the ordinance keep operating?
What is the penalty for violating the spacing rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johnston County
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