San Diego County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning approval
- Administrative Permit from Director, § 6930
- Residential buffer
- 500 feet from family-residential zoning
- Sensitive-use buffer
- 600 feet from church, school, park
- Establishment buffer
- 1,000 feet from another such use
- Business license
- Separate Sheriff's license, County Code § 21.1803
Summary
Unincorporated San Diego County requires an Administrative Permit before any adult entertainment establishment opens, and the Director must deny it if the site is within 500 feet of family-residential zoning, 600 feet of a church, school, playground or park, or 1,000 feet of another such establishment.
The application for an Administrative Permit for an adult entertainment establishment shall be approved unless said establishment is within 500 feet of any area zoned so as to permit the family residential use type as a primary use by right, or within 600 feet of any church, school, public playground, or park or within 1,000 feet of another such adult entertainment establishment. No Variance shall be approved for an adult entertainment establishment to deviate from these distance standards. Establishment of a residential use, church, school, public playground or park located within the aforementioned distance restrictions subsequent to the filing of an application for a permit for an adult entertainment establishment shall not render the adult entertainment establishment a non-conforming use.
3. In the event that an Administrative Permit for an Adult Entertainment Establishment is appealed and the court has not decided the validity of the denial within thirty days after the petition is filed, the Director shall issue a temporary permit for an Adult Entertainment Establishment. The temporary permit shall remain in effect only until the court has rendered its opinion concerning the validity of the denial. Court challenges shall be governed by California Code of Civil Procedure § 1094.8. (Repealed and reenacted by Ord. No. 8015 (N.S.) adopted 12-04-91) (Amended by Ord. No. 9469 (N.S.) adopted 6-12-02) (Amended by Ord. No. 9745 (N.S.) adopted 12-14-05)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-141: Administrative: Current through Ord. No. 11007 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26 | Regulatory: Current through Ord. No. 11008 (N.S.), effective 7-24-26).
Full Breakdown
Before opening, an operator must obtain an Administrative Permit under Zoning Ordinance section 6930 and a separate Adult Entertainment Establishment License from the Sheriff under County Code section 21.1803. The Director notifies owners within a 1,000-foot radius of the site and must approve the permit unless the parcel falls within 500 feet of family-residential zoning, 600 feet of a church, school, playground or park, or 1,000 feet of another adult entertainment establishment, measured property line to property line. No variance from these distance standards is allowed. The Sheriff's license separately requires a signed application, government ID, and disclosure of any sexually related convictions.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the Sheriff's license or the Administrative Permit is unlawful in the unincorporated area; the County can deny, suspend or revoke either license, and an unpermitted establishment is treated as a public nuisance subject to abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the County grant a variance from the distance rules?
Is the zoning permit the only approval needed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego County
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