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Stanislaus County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Spacing buffer
500 feet from residential zones, schools, churches, parks
Permit authority
Planning Director, ministerial 60-day review
Hours allowed
6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. only
Application fee
Set by Board of Supervisors resolution
Appeal path
Chapter 21.112 planning appeals process

Summary

Stanislaus County requires a permit from the Planning Director before any adult business can open in the unincorporated area, and bars new adult businesses from locating within 500 feet of residential zones, schools, churches, parks or other public buildings under County Code § 21.68.030. Businesses inside Modesto, Turlock, Ceres and the county's other cities fall under those cities' own codes instead.

City-specific rules exist: Modesto has its own adult entertainment rules that differ from Stanislaus County's county-level regulations. If you live in Modesto, check the city-specific page instead.

Adult businesses shall not be located within five hundred feet of any of the following whether or not located within the unincorporated areas of the county: 1. Any real property located in the following districts: R-A (rural residential), R-1 (low-density residential), R-2 (medium-density residential), R-3 (multiple family residential), P-D (planned development), C-1 (neighborhood commercial), H-1 (highway frontage), LM (limited industrial), P-1 (planned industrial), H-S (historical site), or equivalent zoning in any other jurisdiction. 2. Any public or private school. 3. Any church, chapel, or other publicly recognized place of worship. 4. Any park or building used by the public and owned by a public entity. 5. Any residence and curtilage in any zoning district... No adult business shall commence operation until an application for an adult business permit is approved by the Planning Director or designee following the procedures set out in the following sections.

View official code

Full Breakdown

050). 060). 070(A)-(B)). 070(C),(E)). 030 keep adult businesses at least 500 feet from residentially zoned property, schools, churches, parks, other public buildings, any residence, recreation areas and theaters, whether those uses sit inside or outside the unincorporated area. m. A county business license is required in addition to the adult business permit, and permits cannot be transferred to a new owner without a new application and approval.

Violations & Fines

Operating without an approved adult business permit, locating within the 500-foot buffer, or violating the performance standards, extended hours, unscreened signage, unlit grounds, missing age-restriction postings, or housing a resident on-site, is a code violation the county can enforce through the Planning Director's permit-revocation authority and through Stanislaus County's general code-enforcement process, which can pursue citations, civil penalties and abatement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How close can an adult business be to a school in Stanislaus County?
Not closer than 500 feet. Section 21.68.030 bars adult businesses from locating within five hundred feet of any public or private school, whether the school sits inside or outside the unincorporated county, along with the same buffer from churches, parks, residentially zoned property and other public buildings.
Does Stanislaus County require a special permit for adult businesses?
Yes. Section 21.68.050 requires an adult business permit approved by the Planning Director before operation begins, on top of the standard county business license required under § 21.68.040(B)(8). The application must include a site plan, notarized owner consent and a 1,500-foot vicinity map, reviewed ministerially within 60 days under § 21.68.070.
What hours can an adult business operate in unincorporated Stanislaus County?
Section 21.68.040(B)(7) limits operating hours to 6:00 a.m. through 2:00 a.m. Outside that window the business must be closed, and the county treats hour violations as a performance-standard breach subject to the same enforcement as an unpermitted location.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Stanislaus County

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All Stanislaus County rules

California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview

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Adult Entertainment in Cities Across Stanislaus County

Modesto, CA