Olympia, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Initial application fee
- $2,400.00, nonrefundable, plus background check fees
- Annual application fee
- $750.00
- Manager or entertainer application fee
- $150.00, nonrefundable
- License term
- One year; not assignable
- Closed to the public
- 2:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., except adult motels
- Permitted zones
- General Commercial (GC) and High Density Corridor-4 (HDC-4) only
- Spacing between adult businesses
- 1,000 feet under OMC 18.06.060
Summary
In the City of Olympia, Washington, an adult oriented business needs a business license under OMC 5.02 plus the added licensing in Chapter 5.16, and its managers and entertainers need their own licenses. The initial application fee is $2,400.00 and the annual fee is $750.00. Separate Unified Development Code rules fix where these businesses can locate.
It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in business in the City without first obtaining a license pursuant to the provisions of OMC 5.02. Any additional licensing or permitting requirements of this Chapter 5.16 shall also apply.
A. It shall be a condition of the issuance or continuation of a business license that all requirements of this chapter be met.
B. It is unlawful for any entertainer, employee, or manager to knowingly work in or about or to knowingly perform any service or entertainment directly related to the operation of an unlicensed adult oriented business.
C. It is unlawful for any entertainer to perform in an adult oriented business unless such person is the holder of a valid license from the City to do so.
D. It is unlawful for any manager to work in an adult oriented business unless such person is the holder of a valid license from the City to do so. It is unlawful for any owner or manager to allow any entertainer to perform in an adult oriented business without a valid license from the city to do so.
Full Breakdown
OMC 5.16.040 makes it unlawful to engage in business in the City of Olympia, Thurston County, Washington, without a license under OMC 5.02, and Chapter 5.16 requirements apply on top of that. It is also unlawful for an entertainer or manager to work in an adult oriented business without a valid City license, and for an owner or manager to let an entertainer perform without one.
No license is issued to anyone under 21, except that 18-year-olds can be licensed for adult cabarets or adult book stores or motion picture theaters where no intoxicating liquors are served (OMC 5.16.050). The application goes to the Director of Administrative Services and covers fingerprints for each person party to the application, a professionally prepared scaled sketch of the interior, color photographs, and disclosure of any conviction within the preceding four years (OMC 5.16.060). The nonrefundable initial application fee is $2,400.00 and the annual application fee is $750.00, plus background check fees. A manager's or entertainer's application carries a nonrefundable $150.00 fee.
The Director grants or denies a business application within thirty days of filing unless a good reason supports up to a thirty day extension (OMC 5.16.080). The license is valid for one year, is not assignable, and must be posted in a conspicuous place at or near the entrance (OMC 5.16.100). An applicant overdue on City taxes, fees or fines, or convicted within ten years of a felony involving adult oriented businesses, is denied.
Adult cabarets must have a stage platform at least twenty four inches above patron seating, separated by at least six feet from patron areas, with a continuous barrier railing at least three feet high (OMC 5.16.110). No adult oriented business premises, except adult motels, can be open to the public between 2:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (OMC 5.16.170).
Location is a zoning question under OMC 5.16.020. Under OMC 18.06.060(B), adult oriented businesses are limited to the General Commercial (GC) and High Density Corridor-4 (HDC-4) zones and must sit 1,000 feet from another adult business.
Violations & Fines
OMC 5.16.220 makes any violation of Chapter 5.16 a civil infraction, with each day a separate infraction and the monetary penalty assessed under OMC Chapter 4.44, Uniform Civil Enforcement. Failing to supplement application information within thirty days of a change is grounds for suspension of a license (OMC 5.16.060). Under OMC 5.16.230, an adult oriented business run contrary to Chapter 7.48A RCW is declared a public and moral nuisance, and the City Attorney can bring an abatement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must an adult oriented business be from schools and parks in Olympia?
Who issues the license and how long does the review take?
How do I appeal a license denial in the City of Olympia?
What age is required to hold an adult business license in Olympia?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Olympia
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