BILLIARD ROOMS

Columbus City Codes tit. 5, ch. 551

in effect

Columbus City Codes § 551.01 Definitions.

551.01 - Definitions. Unless a different meaning is clearly indicated by the context in which the word is used, when used in this Chapter: (a) "Billiards" shall mean any of the several games played on a table surrounded by an elastic ledge or cushions, with balls which are impelled by a cue, and shall include all forms of the game known as pool, except that form of pool known as skill pool defined as one of the several types of pinball games. (b) "Billiard room" shall mean any public place wherein the game of billiards is permitted to be played. (Ord. 53-59; Ord. No. 0768-2024, § 3, 3-18-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 551.02 License required.

551.02 - License required. No person, society, partnership, club, firm or corporation shall open, conduct, maintain, operate or be employed in a billiard room within the city unless such person, society, club, firm or corporation shall have first been duly licensed by the city for such purpose and shall have obtained a permit therefor; provided, however, that the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to private residences and schools. (Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.03 Application; fees.

551.03 - Application; fees. Every person, society, club, firm or corporation desiring to open or maintain a billiard room must make application to the License Section for a license therefor on such form prescribed and provided by the License Section. The application shall be filed at least thirty (30) days prior to the issuance of such license and shall be accompanied by the payment of fees therefor as follows: (a) For a license to open, conduct, maintain, or operate a billiard room, one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00); (b) Provided, however, that no fee or fees required by the provisions hereof shall be required of organizations not operating such billiard rooms for profit. All monies received by way of license fees shall be paid into the General Fund of the city. (Ord. 454-87; Ord. 868-03 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 0768-2024, § 3, 3-18-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 551.04 Requirements of applicant.

551.04 - Requirements of applicant. No person shall be granted a license hereunder unless the person is: (a) A resident of Franklin County. (b) Eighteen (18) years of age or over. (c) Of good moral character. (d) Known not to associate with persons of bad moral character. (e) Has not been convicted of a felony, within five (5) years prior to application, or who, if convicted and sentenced to prison, has not been released from prison within five (5) years prior to application. (f) Has not been convicted of gambling offenses, sex crimes, involving moral turpitude within five years prior to application, and if sentenced to any place of detention for such offense has not been released at least five (5) years prior to application. Provided, however, that any person who has been convicted of more than one sex offense shall not be granted a license. (Ord. 1080-75; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021; Ord. No. 0768-2024, § 3, 3-18-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 551.05 Application information.

551.05 - Application information. Every applicant for a license shall file with the license section a written application stating the full name and address, including street and number of the applicant, or if more than one person, or if an association or firm, the full names of all parties interested, and their addresses, including street and number. If the applicant is a club, society or corporation, the application shall contain a complete list of the officers of such club, society, or corporation, with their names and addresses, including street and number, and shall also give the state in which said club, society or corporation is organized, and the names of one or more persons whom the said club or society, or corporation, desires to designate as its manager or managers, person or persons in charge, with their addresses. The application shall also state the following: (a) The premises where the billiard room is to be conducted, including the street and number. (b) The age of the applicants in the case of individuals, and the age of the manager and officers in the case of a club, society or corporation. (c) The applicant or manager meets all of the qualifications set forth in C.C. 551.04. (d) Whether the applicant has ever been engaged in operating a billiard room, and when, where and how long in each place within five years then last past. (e) The name of the owner of the premises in which the billiard room is located and the complete address of such owner. The application shall be signed by the applicant or applicants, or, in the case of a club, society or corporation, the application shall be signed by the manager or any of its officers. (Ord. 1419-82.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.06 False application statements.

551.06 - False application statements. The making of any false statement in the application required in this chapter shall be sufficient grounds for the revocation of any license authorized in this chapter and shall further subject the person or persons making such false statements to the penalties set forth herein. (Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.07 Photographs of licensee and employees.

551.07 - Photographs of licensee and employees. Every person who applies for a license as set forth in this chapter and every person employed by a licensee shall, as and when directed, report to the Columbus police department to be fingerprinted and shall obtain two (2) passport-size photographs. Each such licensee or employee of such licensee shall at all times when in the place of business known as a billiard room have prominently displayed in said billiard room, the photograph required hereby with the license number of the license issued hereunder and the expiration date of said license attached thereto. (Ord. 53-59; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 551.08 Posting license.

551.08 - Posting license. Every license issued hereunder to any person, society, club, firm or corporation for the opening, conducting, maintaining, or operating of a billiard room shall be posted on the wall of the billiard room where it may be clearly seen at all times. (Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.09 Transfer of license or permit.

551.09 - Transfer of license or permit. (a) No license or permit issued hereunder shall be transferable from one person to another during the pendency of a prosecution for the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. In the event of a transfer of a license hereunder, the transferee and employees shall qualify as required by and in every respect to comply with the terms of the provisions of this chapter. Any such transfer shall be subject to approval by the Director. (b) No license or permit issued hereunder shall be transferable from one location to another until an application for transfer has been approved by the Director. (Ord. 53-59; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021; Ord. No. 0768-2024, § 3, 3-18-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 551.10 Term of license.

551.10 - Term of license. All licenses issued hereunder shall be in force and effect from January 1 to December 31 of the year in which issued. (Ord. 868-03 § 1 (part); Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.11 Investigation of applicant; applicant rejection.

551.11 - Investigation of applicant; applicant rejection. The license section shall cause an investigation to be made as to the character and fitness of the applicant or applicants or the officers of the club, society or corporation, or of the person who is to have the general management of the business. The application shall be rejected in accordance with C.C. 501.05 if the license section shall find: (a) Any of the persons named in the application not of good moral character, or; (b) That any of said persons have previously been connected with any pool room where the license has been revoked, or; (c) Where any of the provisions with reference to pool rooms have been violated, or; (d) If the pool room place, sought to be so licensed, does not comply in every way with regulations, ordinances and laws applicable thereto, or; (e) If at any time within one year prior to the date of said application the said place for which application is made shall have been conducted as a pool room and the sale or giving away of any intoxicating liquors took place or were permitted upon such premises, or; (f) If within such time such place was used, frequented or resorted by any riotous, noisy or disorderly persons, or by gamblers or common prostitutes, or; (g) If any breach or disturbance of the peace was permitted therein, or; (h) If any riotous, noisy or disorderly conduct on such premises was permitted by the proprietor thereof when it was within the proprietor's power to prevent it. (Ord. 1419-82; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 551.12 Effective dates; places limited; existing licensees.

551.12 - Effective dates; places limited; existing licensees. Effective one year after date of passage of Ordinance 53-59, passed January 12, 1959, there shall at no time be more than thirty (30) places of business known as billiard rooms within the city; provided, however, that all holders of licenses or permits to operate billiard rooms within the city upon the date of passage hereof, shall upon showing satisfactory compliance with all requirements set forth in all of the provisions of this chapter within thirty (30) days of the passage hereof unless otherwise specified herein, be licensed according to the provisions hereof. (Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.13 Location of places; card playing.

551.13 - Location of places; card playing. No billiard room shall be opened, maintained or operated within one thousand (1000) feet of any other such establishment or within one thousand (1000) feet of a separately operated card room in the city, provided, however, that all billiard rooms in operation at the date of passage of Ordinance 53-59, passed January 12, 1959, may remain in their present locations, but nothing herein shall prohibit or be construed as prohibiting the playing of cards in a billiard room. (Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.14 Specifications and requirements.

551.14 - Specifications and requirements. All billiard rooms licensed hereunder shall conform to the following specifications and requirements: (a) The billiard room shall be open to view from the street, or from a location open and accessible to the public, at both the front and rear of the building. (b) There shall be a rear or side entrance from either of which a clear view may be had of the interior of the billiard room. (c) There shall be a front entrance which shall remain unlocked during the hours of operation of the billiard room. (d) There shall be a clear glass in the windows and doors of each billiard room at least 18″ × 24″ in size and placed between 4½ and 6 feet above the ground. (e) There shall be no screen, blind, partition or other obstruction to clear vision through the establishment from front to rear during open hours. (f) There shall be no warning signal, device, system or arrangement which is used, or could be used, to make occupants and employees of the billiard room aware of the approach or presence of inspectors or police officers. (g) Not more than 10 percent of the floor space shall be partitioned off for toilet facilities and in no case shall a space greater than one hundred square feet be partitioned off for toilet facilities. (h) No game of or with dice of any description shall be played in a licensed billiard room. (i) All billiard rooms shall be on the ground floor of the building in which located. (j) Provided, however, that all billiard rooms in operation at the date of the passage of Ordinance No. 53-59, passed January 12, 1959, may continue in operation at their present respective location even though such present location be on other than ground floor. (k) All billiard rooms shall provide wash rooms and toilet facilities and shall be kept in a clean, healthful and sanitary condition approved by the board of health. (1) Except in the case of billiard rooms operated and maintained by organizations not for profit, there shall be no less than three (3) tables in any one billiard room now licensed, as required herein. Provided, however, that those billiard rooms which were licensed prior to January, 1960, and cannot comply with the three (3) table requirements for the 1960 and subsequent licenses due to lack of physical space and now have not less than two (2) tables may be authorized a license for the operation of a billiard room with two (2) tables. (Ord. 385-60.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.15 Hours of operation.

551.15 - Hours of operation. All licensed billiard rooms may be open and in operation during and only during the hours from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily, except on Sunday, on which day of each week, no billiard rooms shall be open between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. (Ord. 556-65.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.16 Operating other businesses.

551.16 - Operating other businesses. Nothing herein shall prohibit the maintenance and operation of other legitimate businesses in connection with the maintenance and operation of billiard rooms except such as are prohibited by the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 53-59.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.17 Minors under eighteen.

551.17 - Minors under eighteen. No owner or keeper of a billiard parlor, or owner or keeper of a billiard table at any other public place shall permit a minor under the age of eighteen years to play billiards or pool, or be and remain in such parlor or public place. Provided, a minor under eighteen years of age, when accompanied by either parent or legal guardian may be permitted to play both billiards and pool, or be and remain in such parlor or public place. And provided further that an adult person, who is in charge of a group of minor children under the age of eighteen years, may bring such group into a billiard or pool parlor for the purpose of permitting them to play both billiards and pool and such group may be permitted to play both billiards and pool or be in and remain in such a parlor or public place so long as they remain under, the supervision and control of such adult person. (Ord. 1257-65; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 551.19 License revocation and appeal.

551.19 - License revocation and appeal. Any license granted or issued under the terms of this chapter may be revoked at any time by the license section on satisfactory proof: (a) That gambling or other violation of the laws or ordinances of this city or state is suffered or permitted to take place on the premises of said billiard room; (b) Of facts or circumstances for which an application for a license could have been denied or rejected under the provisions of Chapters 501 and 551 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959. Whenever such license is revoked, the person, society or club to whom the same was issued shall have the right to appeal as provided in Chapter 505 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959. (Ord. 1419-82.)

Columbus City Codes § 551.20 Severability clause.

551.20 - Severability clause. If any portion of this chapter, or any section or part of a section is declared to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such declaration of invalidity shall be limited to that portion, section, or part of a section declared invalid. Any such declaration or invalidity shall not affect or impair the remainder of the chapter, and to this end the objectionable provisions are severable. (Ord. No. 0768-2024, § 3, 3-18-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 551.99 Penalties.

551.99 - Penalties. Any person, society, club, firm or corporation who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) or imprisoned for not more than sixty days, or both. For a second or subsequent offense under the provisions hereof, any such person, society, club, firm or corporation shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisoned not more than six months, or both such fine and imprisonment. In addition to any such fines or imprisonment, any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be sufficient grounds for the revocation of any license authorized hereunder. (Ord. 53-59.)

Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT5BURELICO_CH551BIROFetched: 10/27/2026