San Antonio licenses sexually oriented businesses under San Antonio Municipal Code Chapter 21 and zones them through Unified Development Code Section 35-373, requiring annual permits, manager screening, and 1,000-foot buffers from churches, schools, parks, residences, and other SOBs.
SAMC Chapter 21 Article IX and UDC Section 35-373 implement Texas Local Government Code Chapter 243 to regulate sexually oriented businesses including adult arcades, bookstores, cabarets, and theaters. The San Antonio Police Department issues annual operator and employee permits after fingerprinting and disqualifying-offense checks. Zoning prohibits any SOB within 1,000 feet of churches, public or private schools, public parks, residential property, or another SOB. Interior layout must keep sightlines open from the manager station, ban enclosed viewing booths, and maintain a six-foot stage separation from patrons. Minors under 21 cannot enter. The Fifth Circuit upheld San Antonio's distance-based scheme under the secondary-effects doctrine. Code Enforcement and SAPD Vice handle compliance inspections.
Operating without a Chapter 21 permit, locating within 1,000 feet of a protected use, allowing performer-patron contact, admitting minors, or installing closed booths produces citations, padlock orders, license revocation, and Class A misdemeanor charges with fines up to $4,000.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio noise ordinance quiet hours are 10 PM–6 AM Sun–Thu and 11 PM–6 AM Fri–Sat (City Code Ch. 21, Art. III). Residential cap 63 dB(A) day / 56 dB(A) n...
San Antonio, TX
All possession, sale, use, transport, and manufacture of fireworks is prohibited within San Antonio city limits and within 5,000 feet of those limits, per th...
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio has no city ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays. Property owners may install yard decorations year-r...
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio has no city ordinance specifically regulating inflatable holiday displays (giant Santas, snowmen, pumpkins). Inflatables are permitted on residen...
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio has no city ordinance specifying installation or removal dates, brightness limits, or amplified audio rules for residential holiday light display...
San Antonio, TX
Built-in outdoor kitchens in San Antonio require multiple permits through the Development Services Department: a Residential Improvements building permit, a ...
See how San Antonio's adult entertainment rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.