Waco, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- City building official
- License fee
- $350 initial; $150 renewal
- Separation distance
- 600 feet
- Prohibited zones
- R, O, C-1, M districts
- Penalty
- Class A misdemeanor
Summary
Operating a sexually oriented business in Waco requires a city license from the building official, and the establishment must sit at least 600 feet from homes, schools, churches, parks, and any other adult business. It is barred outright from R, O, C-1, and M zoning districts.
A person commits an offense if he causes or permits the establishment of a sexually oriented business, as those terms are defined in section 20-2, and such is located within: (1) Six hundred feet of any lot used for residential purposes ... or within 600 feet of an R zoning district; (2) Six hundred feet of any premises of a public or private, elementary or secondary school, institution of higher learning, church, park or public playground; (3) Six hundred feet of any other sexually oriented business; or (4) Any R, O, C-1 or M district.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 88).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 20 makes it unlawful to operate any adult bookstore, adult cabaret, adult motion picture theater, nude model studio, or sex paraphernalia store without a sexually oriented business license, filed in person with the building official. The initial license costs $350 and renews at $150 annually. Under zoning section 28-946, the business cannot be within 600 feet of a residence, an R district, a school, church, park, playground, or another adult business, and is prohibited in all R, O, C-1, and M districts. Distances run in a straight line between the closest exterior walls. Hours are restricted: the business must stay closed between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Violations & Fines
Each violation is a Class A misdemeanor, and every day the violation continues is a separate offense; the city may also seek civil injunctions and abate the premises as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to open an adult business in Waco?
How far must a Waco adult business be from a school or home?
Where are adult businesses allowed in Waco?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waco
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