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

Article II of chapter 6 regulates sexually oriented nonentertainment businesses, a category the code defines to include sex shops, bathhouses, massage shops, modeling studios, sexually oriented media stores, and sexually oriented motion picture theatres and arcades. Section 6-202 makes it unlawful to operate or maintain a sex shop without a city-issued sex shop license, or to keep operating one after the license is revoked or suspended, and it is equally unlawful for an employee or manager to knowingly work at an unlicensed one. Getting that license takes real vetting: the application goes first to the city clerk, then to the chief of police for an investigation and to the director of planning and development services and the fire chief to confirm the premises meets health, zoning, building, and fire code standards, all reported back within ten working days, with the governing body voting to approve or deny within 30 days of filing (Sec.

6-204). No license can issue to an applicant, or a partner, officer, or director, convicted of a felony sex offense, prostitution, indecent exposure, or a related drug offense within the preceding five years, or a related municipal violation within the preceding two years (Sec. 6-205). m. (Sec. 6-206). Separately, section 6-210 bans a massage shop, modeling studio, sexually oriented motion picture theater, or motion picture arcade booth from operating in the city at all, license or no license, and a sexually oriented media store must either bar under-18 admittance or physically separate its sexually oriented stock from the rest of the store (Sec. 6-211).