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Sex Shop, Cinema and Adult Entertainment Licensing

Introduction

You’ll need a licence if you’re going to operate a sex shop or cinema.

You’ll also need a licence if you’re going to provide a live sexual performance or display of nudity in front of a live audience unless it hasn’t:

  • taken place on more than 11 occasions within 12 months
  • lasted for more than 24 hours
  • begun within 1 month of the end of any previous occasion

Applying

To apply for a licence, you must:

  • be 18 or older
  • have lived in the UK for at least six months before submitting your application

You must not be refused  a licence within the last 12 months.

Fee

You’ll need to pay:

  • £4,522 for a licence
  • £701.20 to renew an existing licence
  • £809.40 to make a change to an existing licence
  • £31 to transfer an existing licence
  • £15.50 to request a copy of your licence if it has been lost, stolen or damaged