Madison regulates adult-oriented businesses under MGO Ch. 23.07 with location, licensing, and operations standards. State law allows local zoning but bars complete bans of constitutionally protected expression.
MGO Ch. 23.07 defines adult bookstores, adult theaters, and sexually oriented entertainment establishments and requires a city license plus zoning approval. These businesses are restricted to certain industrial and limited commercial zones and must maintain buffer distances from schools, churches, parks, residential districts, and other adult businesses. Hours are limited, signage is restricted, and on-site alcohol service is prohibited. Performers and operators are subject to background checks. The ordinance balances First Amendment protections recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court with the city's interest in addressing secondary effects.
Operating without a license or in a prohibited zone can mean closure, fines up to $1,000 daily, and license revocation; alcohol violations trigger separate ALRC action.
See how Madison's adult entertainment rules stack up against other locations.
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