Lawton, OK Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Business-to-business buffer
- 1,000 ft (7-13-1-1304A)
- Sensitive-use buffer
- 500 ft from schools, parks, churches, homes
- License required
- Adult business license, Section 7-13-1-1307
- Closing hours
- 12:01 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Age minimum
- Applicants must be 21 or older
Summary
Lawton keeps adult businesses, sexually oriented businesses and massage parlors apart from each other and from sensitive uses. Section 7-13-1-1304 bars any adult business from locating within 1,000 feet of another adult business or within 500 feet of a school, park, religious institution or residential zone, and Article 7-13 requires a separate adult business license before opening.
A.It shall be unlawful for any person to establish or cause or permit to be established an adult business within one thousand (1000) feet of another adult business, or within five hundred (500) feet of any school, public park or recreation area, public building with programs for minors, residential zone or religious institution.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Article 7-13 of the Lawton City Code regulates adult businesses, sexually oriented businesses and massage establishments together under one licensing and locational scheme. Section 7-13-1-1304(A) states it shall be unlawful for any person to establish or cause or permit to be established an adult business within one thousand feet of another adult business, or within five hundred feet of any school, public park or recreation area, public building with programs for minors, residential zone or religious institution. Section 7-13-1-1305 measures that distance in a straight line between entrances for business-to-business spacing, and between property lines for spacing to protected uses, excluding street right-of-way from the count.
Section 7-13-1-1307 separately requires an adult business license from the city before anyone may operate, and it is unlawful for entertainers, servers, masseurs, escorts or managers to knowingly work at an unlicensed adult business. m. Licenses run one year from issuance under Section 7-13-1-1308, and Section 7-13-1-1309 disqualifies applicants under 21, those with a revoked license elsewhere in the past five years, or those convicted of specified criminal acts.
Violations & Fines
Establishing an adult business within 1,000 feet of another adult business or 500 feet of a school, park, church or residential zone violates Section 7-13-1-1304 and can block licensing. Operating without the Section 7-13-1-1307 adult business license, staying open between 12:01 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., or failing to post required minors-prohibited signage under Section 7-13-1-1306 can each trigger license suspension or revocation under Section 7-13-1-1320.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a Lawton adult business be from a school or church?
Can two adult businesses operate near each other in Lawton?
Does Lawton require a special license for adult businesses?
What hours must Lawton adult businesses stay closed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawton
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