Pearland, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Separation distance
- 1,000 ft from protected uses
- SOB-to-SOB spacing
- 1,000 ft apart
- License authority
- Chief of police
- Measurement
- Straight line to property line
- Governing law
- Ord. 735; §§ 5-104, 5-113
Summary
Operating a sexually oriented business in Pearland requires a city license issued through the chief of police, and the business must sit at least 1,000 feet from any church, school, day nursery, public park, hospital, residential district or lot, or another adult business.
(a) A person commits an offense if he operates or causes to be operated a sexually oriented business within one thousand (1,000) feet of: (1) A church; (2) A public or private elementary or secondary school or day nursery; (3) A boundary of a residential district...; (4) A public park; (5) The property line of a lot devoted to a residential use...; or (6) A hospital, sanitarium, nursing or convalescent home. (b) ...within one thousand (1,000) feet of another sexually oriented business.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Section 5-104 of the Pearland Code makes operating a sexually oriented business without a city license a criminal offense. Applications go to the chief of police with a scaled diagram of the premises, and every owner with a 20 percent or greater interest must sign. Section 5-113 prohibits locating such a business within 1,000 feet of a church, public or private elementary or secondary school, day nursery, public park, hospital or nursing home, a residential-district boundary, or a residential lot, and within 1,000 feet of another adult business. Distances are measured in a straight line to the nearest property line.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a city license, or within 1,000 feet of a church, school, park, residence, or another adult business, is a criminal offense prosecuted in municipal court; the chief of police may deny, suspend, or revoke the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to open an adult business in Pearland?
How far must a sexually oriented business be from a school or church?
What about an adult business open before the rule took effect?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pearland
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