Adult Entertainment Businesses
San Diego Municipal Code § 141.0601
in effect§141.0601 Adult Entertainment Businesses
(a) This section regulates the following adult entertainment businesses.
(1) Adult body painting studios: Any business that provides the service of applying paint or other substance, whether transparent or nontransparent, to or on a human body whether the body is wholly or partially nude in terms of specified anatomical areas.
(2) Adult stores: Any business that devotes more than 15 percent of the total display, shelf, rack, table, stand, or floor used for the display of merchandise for sale or rent to the display of books, magazines, periodicals or other printed matter, photographs, films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides, tapes, records, DVDs, CD-Rom, or other forms of visual or audio representations that are characterized by an emphasis upon depicting or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas or instruments, devices, or paraphernalia that are designed for use in connection with specified sexual activities.
(3) Adult cabarets: Any nightclub, bar, restaurant, or similar business that features live performances or features films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides, or other photographic reproductions that are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing specified sexual activities or by exposure of specified anatomical areas on more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period.
(4) Adult out-door theaters: Any premises and appurtenant facilities that are primarily used for the presentation of motion pictures, films, theatrical productions, or other forms of visual productions to persons in motor vehicles or on outdoor seats, where the material being presented is distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing, or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas for observation by patrons on more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period.
(5) Adult massage businesses: Any premise and appurtenant facilities that are primarily used for massage, alcohol rub, fomentation, body scrub, body shampoo, electric or magnetic treatment, or similar treatment or manipulation of the human body is administered, unless the treatment or manipulation is administered by a medical practitioner, chiropractor, acupuncturist, physical therapist, or similar professional person licensed by the State of California. Adult entertainment businesses do not include massage businesses that provide only specialized massage services that are operated in accordance with Section 141.0613.
(6) Adult mini-motion picture theaters: Any business with a seating capacity of more than 5 but less than 50 persons where films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides, or similar photographic reproductions are regularly shown and where the material shown is distinguished or characterized by an emphasis upon depicting or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas for observation by patrons on more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period.
(7) Adult model studios: Any business open to the public where figure models who display specified anatomical areas are provided to be observed, sketched, drawn, painted, sculptured, photographed, or similarly depicted by persons other than the proprietor and who pay a consideration or gratuity. Adult model studios do not include any school of art that is operated by an individual, firm, association, partnership, corporation, or institution that is authorized under the California Education Code to issue or confer a diploma.
(8) Adult motels: Any motel or similar business offering public accommodations that provides patrons with closed-circuit television transmissions, films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides, or other photographic reproductions on more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period where the material is distinguished or characterized by an emphasis upon depicting or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas for observation by patrons.
(9) Adult motion picture theaters: Any business with a seating capacity of 50 or more persons where motion pictures, video cassettes, slides, or similar photographic reproductions are shown on more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period and where the material is distinguished or characterized by an emphasis upon depicting or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas for observation by patrons.
(10) Adult peep show businesses: Any place to which the public is permitted or invited where devices that display still or moving images are maintained in a peep booth, as defined in Municipal Code Section 33.3302, where the images are available for observation for more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
(11) Adult sexual encounter businesses: Any business, other than a hotel, motel, or similar business offering public accommodations that provides a place where two or more persons may congregate, associate, or consort in connection with specified sexual activities or the exposure of specified anatomical areas. Adult sexual encounter businesses do not include businesses where a medical practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, or similar professional person licensed by the State of California engages in sexual therapy.
(12) Adult theaters: Any theater, concert hall, auditorium, or similar business either indoor or outdoor, that regularly features live performances that are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on specified sexual activities or exposure of specified anatomical areas for observation by patrons on more than 7 calendar days within any 56-consecutive-day period.
(b) Adult entertainment businesses are permitted as a limited use in the zones indicated with an “L” in the Use Regulations Tables in Chapter 13, Article 1 (Base Zones) subject to the following regulations.
(1) Adult entertainment businesses shall not be established or enlarged if the structure housing the business would be located within 1,000 feet of any of the following:
(A) Another structure housing an adult entertainment business;
(B) The property line of a residentially zoned property; or
(C) The property line of a church, a school, a public park, or a social service institution.
(2) The public health, safety, and welfare shall be preserved and protected by applying the provisions of this section in the following descending order of importance:
(A) Proximity to other adult entertainment businesses;
(B) Proximity to schools;
(C) Proximity to churches;
(D) Proximity to public parks;
(E) Proximity to residential zones; and
(F) Proximity to social service institutions.
(Amended 2-22-2000 by O-18749 N.S.; effective outside of the Coastal Overlay Zone on 2-22-2000; effective within the Coastal Overlay Zone on 5-8-2001; amended 11-20-2000 by O-18890 N.S.)
(Amended 6-18-2013 by O-20261 N.S.; effective 7-19-2013.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter14/Ch14Art01Division06.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/28/2026