Application for escort bureau license; contents; required fees.
Peoria, Ariz., City Code § 11-26
in effectSec. 11-26. Application for escort bureau license; contents; required fees.
(a) An applicant for an escort bureau license shall file an application with the Police Department accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee paid to the Finance Department described in Section 11-35.
(b) The application shall contain the following information about the applicant, any person financially interested in the activity to be licensed, any authorized local agents, the designated agent, and any manager of the business:
(1) The full legal name, business trade names or styles, business phone number, legal form of applicant, current residential phone number, and current residential or legal address.
(2) Each residence and business address for the five-year period immediately preceding the date of filing of the application and the inclusive dates of each such address.
(3) Written proof in the form of a current driver's license with picture, or other current picture identification document issued by a governmental agency, that the individual has reached the age of eighteen years.
(4) Height, weight, color of eyes and hair and date of birth.
(5) One digital photograph taken by the city at the time of application.
(6) The business, occupation or employment history for the five-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of the application.
(7) Information as to whether such individual or business has ever been refused any similar license or permit or has had any similar license or permit issued to such individual or business in the City of Peoria or elsewhere revoked or suspended, and the reason or reasons therefor.
(8) All prior criminal convictions, excepting minor traffic offenses, and warrants issued for the arrest of the applicant.
(9) Fingerprints.
(10) If the applicant is a person other than an individual, the applicant shall designate one of its officers, members or partners to act as its designated agent. The designated agent shall complete and sign all application forms required of an applicant under Sections 11-20 through 11-38.
(11) A description of any service to be provided together with a declaration that the services to be provided shall not involve those of a sexually-oriented escort or escort bureau.
(12) The name, identification card number and all other names under which the escort is providing services for the escort bureau for each person employed as an escort.
(13) All telephone numbers that the escort bureau is using or under which the escort bureau is doing business or advertising.
(14) All business names, trade names or fictitious names under which the escort bureau is doing business or advertising.
(c) The Police Department shall have a reasonable period of time in which to investigate the application and background of the applicant and process the application through various City departments.
(d) The Police Department shall grant the license upon the following circumstances:
(1) The required fees have been paid.
(2) The application conforms in all respects to the provisions of Sections 11-20 through 11-38.
(3) The applicant has not recklessly or knowingly made any false or misleading material statement in the application, for a period of one year after making the false or misleading statement.
(4) That neither the applicant, if an individual, nor any person financially interested if a corporation, nor any of the partners, including limited partners, nor the holder of any profit interest, nor the manager or other person principally in charge of the operation of the existing or proposed escort bureau, nor the designated agent, nor any individual employed or contracted with to be an escort or to provide escort services has been convicted of, pleaded nolo contendere to or guilty to any felony, or to a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, within five years prior to the issuance of the license. This Section shall be inapplicable to an individual whose civil rights have been restored in accordance with law, unless the conviction involves a criminal violation of Sections 11-20 through 11-38.
(5) The applicant has not had a license similar to the one issued pursuant to the provisions of Sections 11-20 through 11-38 issued by another authority, suspended or revoked within the five- year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of the application.
(6) The escort bureau is in compliance with all applicable laws of the City of Peoria, Maricopa and Yavapai Counties, and State.
(7) The applicant, manager, designated agent, or other person principally in charge of the operation of the business is at least eighteen years of age.
(8) The applicant has not had a license issued pursuant to Sections 11-20 through 11-38 suspended or revoked within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of filing of the application.
(9) Subject to paragraphs (10) and (11) of this Subsection (d), the applicant has not been convicted of any of the following offenses under Arizona law or any offense committed under the laws of another state which would constitute one of the following offenses described in A.R.S. Title 13, Chapters 14, 32, 35 and 35.1, as amended:
A. Indecent exposure.
B. Public sexual indecency; public sexual indecency to a minor.
C. Sexual abuse.
D. Sexual conduct with a minor.
E. Sexual assault.
F. Sexual assault of a spouse.
G. Molestation of child.
H. Continuous sexual abuse of a child.
I. Enticement of person for purpose of prostitution.
J. Procurement by false pretenses of person for purposes of prostitution.
K. Procuring or placing persons in house of prostitution.
L. Receiving earnings of prostitute.
M. Causing spouse to become prostitute.
N. Taking child for purpose of prostitution.
O. Detention of persons in house of prostitution for debt.
P. Keeping or residing in house of prostitution.
Q. Pandering.
R. Transporting persons for purpose of prostitution or other immoral purpose.
S. Child prostitution.
T. Production, publication, sale, possession and presentation of obscene items.
U. Coercing acceptance of obscene articles or publications.
V. Furnishing obscene or harmful items to minors.
W. Public display of explicit sexual materials.
X. Films, photographs or motion pictures of minors.
Y. Obscene or indecent telephone communications to minors for commercial purposes.
Z. Sale or distribution of materials harmful to minors through vending machines.
AA. Commercial sexual exploitation of a minor.
BB. Sexual exploitation of a minor.
CC. Portraying adult as minor.
DD. Admitting minors to public displays of sexual conduct.
EE. Attempt, solicitation, conspiracy or facilitation to commit any of the foregoing offenses.
(10) No person shall be licensed for the following periods of time if such person has been convicted of any offenses specified in paragraph (9) of this Subsection (d):
A. If there is only one (1) misdemeanor conviction, a period of two (2) years after the later of the date of conviction or the date of release from confinement imposed for such conviction.
B. If there are two (2) or more misdemeanor convictions within a five (5)-year period, a period of five (5) years after the later of the date of the last conviction or the date of release from confinement imposed for any such conviction.
C. If there is a felony conviction, a period of five (5) years after the later of the date of conviction or the date of release of confinement imposed for the conviction.
(11) The fact that a conviction specified in paragraph (9) of this Subsection (d) is being appealed shall have no effect on the disqualification of the applicant.
(e) The Police Department shall deny the license application if all of the requirements set forth in Subsection (d) of this Section have not been met. In the event of denial, the applicant shall be notified pursuant to Section 11-24. The applicant may appeal such denial pursuant to Section 11-24.
(f) The Police Department may require each applicant, any person financially interested in the activity to be licensed, any authorized local agents, the designated agent, and any manager of the business to furnish a full set of fingerprints to enable the Police Department to conduct a criminal background investigation. The Police Department shall submit the person's completed fingerprint card to the Department of Public Safety. The person shall bear the cost of obtaining the person's criminal history record information. The cost shall not exceed the actual cost of obtaining the person's criminal history record information. Criminal history records checks shall be conducted pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-1750, and Public Law 92-544. The Department of Public Safety is authorized to exchange the person's submitted fingerprint card information with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a National Criminal History Records Check.
(Ord. No. 2017-27, § 26, 6-13-17)
Source: City of Peoria, Arizona, City Code and Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/peoriaaz/latest/peoria_az/0-0-0-50337Fetched: 11/8/2026