Sahuarita, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

Section 5.30.040 makes it unlawful to operate a sexually oriented business without a valid license, unlawful to employ anyone lacking a sexually oriented business employee license, and unlawful for an employee to work without one, except for limited repair or maintenance work. The chapter covers adult arcades, bookstores, cabarets, motels, motion picture theaters, theaters, escort agencies and nude model studios, each defined in § 5.30.020. A license issues for a single classification under § 5.30.030, and an establishment offering more than one classification needs a separate license for each.

Applicants apply to the town clerk under § 5.30.050 with a floor-space diagram, and the town clerk must approve or deny an employee license within 30 days and a business license within 45 days under § 5.30.060. The town clerk must deny a business license if the applicant is under 18, has been denied or had a license revoked in the preceding 12 months, is overdue on town taxes, fees or fines, has a specified criminal conviction, lacks health, fire or building department sign-off, or if the premises sit within 1,500 feet of any residential zone, single- or multiple-family dwelling, family-oriented entertainment business, religious use, park, school, or another sexually oriented business, existing or one that would qualify if located in town.

Licenses require annual renewal, and denial, suspension, nonrenewal or revocation may be appealed under §§ 5.30.120 and 5.30.130. A licensee must notify the town clerk of any change of location or employment under § 5.30.140, and the sale or transfer of an interest voids the license absent advance town clerk approval under § 5.30.150. Occupational licenses fall under ARS § 9-842 per § 5.30.290.