Sandy Springs, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Distance from other adult establishments
- 400 feet
- Distance from residential zones/parks/schools
- 300 feet
- Distance from alcohol-licensed premises
- 50 feet
- Annual license fee
- $300 nonrefundable
- Prohibited operating hours (Mon-Sat)
- 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Minimum age on premises
- 18 years
Summary
Sandy Springs requires an annual license for any adult establishment and imposes strict spacing rules: 300 feet from residential zones, parks, schools and churches, 400 feet from any other adult establishment, and 50 feet from alcohol-licensed premises. The city police department and city manager jointly administer licensing, work permits and enforcement under Code chapter 26, article II.
No adult entertainment establishment shall be located any closer than 50 feet from any establishment authorized and licensed to sell alcoholic beverages or malt beverages or wine for consumption on the premises. ... Additional location restrictions for adult establishments are as follows:(1)An adult establishment must be located at least 300 feet from the properties listed below:a.The property line of any Suburban A, Suburban B, Suburban C, R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-3A, R-4A, R-4, R-5, R-5A, R-6, NUP, CUP, TR, A, A-L, AG-1 zoned property, or property conditioned for residential purposes; and b.The property line of any public park, public recreational fields, public recreational courts, public golf course, public playground, public playing field, government building owned and/or occupied by such government, library, civic center, public or private school, commercial day care facility or church. ... No adult establishment shall be located any closer than 400 feet from any other adult establishment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 24 | Development Code: Supplement 2 | Technical Manuals: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 26-23 sets three separate buffers that a proposed adult establishment must clear before it can open. It must sit at least 50 feet from any premises licensed to sell alcohol for on-site consumption, at least 300 feet from the property line of any residential-zoned parcel, public park, school, church, library, civic center or day care, and at least 400 feet from any other adult establishment, all measured in a straight line between the nearest public entrances or property lines. A location that meets these standards when it opens stays compliant even if a residential district is created nearby later.
Beyond siting, § 26-26 makes it unlawful to operate an adult establishment without a $300 annual license issued by the city manager, and premises licensed to sell alcohol are barred from ever holding an adult establishment license. Every worker on the premises, from bartenders to dancers, must separately obtain a police-issued work permit under § 26-25 after fingerprinting and a criminal background check; the department has 30 days to act or the permit is deemed granted. m. on Sunday, prohibit anyone under 18 on the premises, require full lighting during business hours, and require closed-off private viewing booths to remain open to view from a lighted public aisle.
Violations & Fines
The city manager can deny, suspend or revoke a license for a false statement on the application, a rule violation, or a felony/moral-turpitude conviction by an applicant, operator or owner (§ 26-33). An operator gets ten days after written notice to demand a hearing before a decision becomes final. Beyond license action, an establishment operated in violation of article II is declared a public nuisance under § 26-31, letting the city seek an injunction or abatement order in addition to any criminal prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an adult establishment in Sandy Springs also serve alcohol?
How close must an adult establishment be to a church or school in Sandy Springs?
Do employees of an adult establishment need their own permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy Springs
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Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle adult entertainment.