Clark County, IN Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning districts
- M1, M2, M3 only
- Buffer distance
- 500 ft from homes/schools/churches
- Classification
- Special Use #26 (adult entertainment)
- Approval needed
- BZA special-use hearing
- Penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day
Summary
Clark County zones massage parlors as adult entertainment: they are allowed only in the M1, M2 and M3 industrial districts and must sit at least 500 feet from homes, churches, parks, schools, libraries or municipal buildings, under Code § 156.48(H).
(H) Adult entertainment. (1) Adult bookstores, adult theaters, massage parlors and all other forms of adult entertainment as defined in § 156.05 and listed as special use #26 are permitted only in the M1 - Light Industrial, M2 - Heavy Industrial and M3 - Hazardous Waste Disposal Districts. (2) All adult entertainment businesses shall be sited a minimum of 500 feet from residences, churches, parks, schools, libraries and municipal buildings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2019 S-0: Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 31-2014, passed 12-18-2014).
Full Breakdown
U. Subsection (H)(1) confines these uses to the M1 Light Industrial, M2 Heavy Industrial and M3 Hazardous Waste Disposal Districts; they cannot locate in any residential, agricultural, conservancy or general business district. Subsection (H)(2) layers on a distance buffer, requiring at least 500 feet of separation from residences, churches, parks, schools, libraries and municipal buildings. 48(C): the operator files an application and site plan with the Plan Commission office, abutting property owners get ten days' notice by certified mail, and the Board of Zoning Appeals must approve the use at a public hearing after weighing site suitability, nuisance risk, and harmony with the County Plan before the business can lawfully operate in the qualifying industrial district.
Violations & Fines
Operating a massage parlor outside the M1, M2 or M3 districts, inside the 500-foot buffer, or without the required Special Use #26 approval violates Chapter 156. Under § 156.99(A), the Plan Commission can pursue a civil penalty up to $2,500, with each day of continued operation a separate offense under § 156.99(B), and the Plan Commission's attorney may seek an injunction to shut the use down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a massage parlor legally operate in unincorporated Clark County?
How far must a massage parlor be from a school or church?
Does opening a massage parlor require Board of Zoning Appeals approval?
What if a massage parlor opens outside M1/M2/M3 or the 500-foot buffer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
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