Racine County, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Spacing
- 1,000 ft between establishments
- Per parcel
- one adult establishment max
- Permit decision
- issued or denied in 30 days
- Signage
- one flat wall sign only
- Residential quarters
- not allowed on premises
Summary
Racine County requires a permit for adult establishments and bars any two from operating within 1,000 feet of each other, with hours, signage, and window rules under Chapter 20's zoning code.
(11) Spacing requirement: No more than one (1) adult establishment may be located on any one (1) parcel and the location of any one (1) adult establishment shall be at least one thousand (1,000) feet from the establishment of any other adult establishment. This distance shall be measured from the public entrance of one (1) adult establishment to the public entrance of the other adult establishment.
(12) Display windows prohibited: All points of access into structures containing adult establishments and all windows or other openings shall be located, constructed, covered, or screened in a manner which will prevent a view into the interior.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
Racine County requires a zoning permit before opening an adult establishment, issued or denied by the zoning administrator within 30 days of a complete application. No more than one adult establishment may sit on a single parcel, and each must keep at least 1,000 feet from every other adult establishment's public entrance. The code also caps operating hours to match local bars and taverns, limits signage to one flat wall sign, bans display windows into the interior, and prohibits any residential quarters on the premises. Violating any permit condition is grounds for revocation.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a valid permit, exceeding the one-per-parcel or 1,000-foot spacing limits, or violating any permit condition is a code violation and grounds for the zoning administrator to revoke the adult establishment permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart must adult establishments be in Racine County?
Who decides whether to grant the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Racine County
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