St. Louis County, MO Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Distance from schools/churches/parks
- 1,000 feet
- Distance from residential zoning
- 300 feet
- Distance from other adult businesses
- 1,000 feet
- Adult-merchandise presumption threshold
- 25% of retail value
- Governing provision
- SLCRO § 1003.167, item 18
Summary
St. Louis County keeps adult businesses 1,000 feet from churches, schools, libraries, parks, and other adult uses, and 300 feet from residential zoning.
An adult business shall not be located within one thousand (1,000) feet of the property line of any church, school, library, or park, nor within three hundred (300) feet of any property zoned "R" Residence District or "NU" Non-Urban District, nor within one thousand (1,000) feet of two (2) other such uses. An adult business is any business which offers its patrons goods of which a substantial portion are adult oriented items or services relating to such items. Any business where more than twenty-five (25) percent of the retail value of merchandise offered for sale consists of adult oriented items shall be presumed to be an adult business. No adult business shall advertise, display or promote adult oriented items so that they are visible from outside the premises.
19. Marijuana dispensary and marijuana consumption facilities hours of operation shall be limited to 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.
20. Measurement of the distance between self-storage facilities shall be done along a straight line from the property line of the subject parcel to the property line of the closest then existing self-storage facility, as determined by the Director of Planning.
21. Marijuana facility measurement requirements:
a. In the case of a freestanding marijuana facility, the distance between the facility and an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or place of worship shall be measured from the external wall of the facility structure closest in proximity
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Under the zoning ordinance's miscellaneous regulations, an adult business cannot locate within 1,000 feet of the property line of any church, school, library, or park, within 300 feet of any "R" Residence or "NU" Non-Urban zoned property, or within 1,000 feet of two other adult businesses. The ordinance defines an adult business as one where a substantial portion of goods sold are adult-oriented items, with a rebuttable presumption applying once adult-oriented merchandise exceeds 25 percent of retail value by dollar amount. Storefronts also cannot display or advertise adult-oriented items visibly from outside the premises. This is a zoning-based spacing and location control, not a licensing scheme, and it is enforced through the Department of Planning's zoning administration process for unincorporated St. Louis County.
Violations & Fines
Operating an adult business in violation of the spacing rule, or displaying adult-oriented merchandise visible from outside, is a zoning code violation enforceable by the Department of Planning through zoning enforcement action, including denial or revocation of occupancy approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close can an adult business be to a school in St. Louis County?
Can an adult store display adult items in its windows?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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