The Woodlands, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Business permit
- Class I SOBP required
- Employee permit
- Class II SOBP + badge
- Setback
- 1,500 ft from protected uses
- Massage parlors
- Prohibited countywide
- Violation
- Class A misdemeanor
Summary
A sexually oriented business anywhere in unincorporated Montgomery County, including The Woodlands, needs a Class I permit from the Sheriff, must sit 1,500 feet from homes, schools, churches and parks, and every worker needs a Class II permit and badge.
A county by order of the commissioners court may adopt regulations regarding sexually oriented businesses as the county considers necessary to promote the public health, safety, or welfare.
Full Breakdown
The Woodlands is unincorporated, so Montgomery County's Sexually Oriented Business Regulations govern, adopted by the Commissioners Court under Local Government Code Chapter 243. Section V requires a valid Class I SOBP for the business and a Class II SOBP plus badge for every employee, operator and owner. Section VIII bans any location within 1,500 feet of a child care facility, school, dwelling, hospital, public building, park or church, one mile from a penal institution, and blocks a fourth Class I enterprise within 2,000 feet of two existing ones. Massage parlors are prohibited outright and cannot receive a permit. The Sheriff issues, conditions, suspends and revokes permits.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a Class I SOBP, or letting staff work without a Class II permit, is a Class A misdemeanor and exposes the enterprise to a County Attorney suit to enjoin operation under LGC Section 243.010. Running a massage parlor draws a civil penalty up to $1,000 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues the permit for a Woodlands adult business?
How far must an adult business be from a school or home?
Can you open a massage parlor in The Woodlands?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in The Woodlands
Texas rules heatmap·Compare The Woodlands to another location·View the Texas business licensing & operations overview
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Adult Entertainment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Montgomery County handle adult entertainment.