Adult Entertainment - business guide
Businesses offering adult-oriented services must obtain proper municipal licensing. This includes businesses offering or engaging in the activities of a date, escort, exotic entertainer or model.
Examples of businesses that do require municipal licensing:
Do
- Dates or escorts
- Dating or escort agencies
- Introduction services
- Exotic entertainers
- Nude or semi-nude dancers
- Exotic entertainment agencies
- Nude or semi-nude modelling or model studios
To speed up the business licence approvals process, customers with a myID business account can receive a digital copy of their business licence via email. Customers applying for a new business licence or renewing an existing licence can use this service. To learn more about the benefits of a myID business account, please visit myID business account (calgary.ca).
Rules and regulations
Minimum age requirement
Applicants must be a minimum 18 years of age to apply for these licence types.
Bikini/topless waitress
These activities are not considered exotic entertainers unless they are providing entertainment for patrons, such as dancing.
Wrestlers (Mud, Jell-O, Oil)
These activities all fall within the exotic entertainer licence type.
Hours of operation and location
Escort agencies, exotic entertainment agencies and model studios are not permitted to operate between 2:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. Escort agencies, exotic entertainment agencies and model studios are not permitted to be in residential areas.
Additional licence regulations
When applying for a licence, all escorts, exotic entertainers and models must:
- Provide proof of employment from their licensed agency.
- Complete a statutory declaration.
- Live in Calgary.
- Present two pieces of identification (one must be government-issued photo identification).
Fees
For business licence fees, see the Business Licence Fee Schedule. The business licence fee schedule is broken down by licence type. If your business requires multiple licence types, the highest category fee will be charged.
These fees do not include the costs related to required permits to meet land use approval, or any third-party approvals or inspections that may be required to obtain your licence.
Apply
Prepare your application
Once you know how and where your business will operate, you’re ready to apply.
For a smooth application, make sure you know the following information:
- Business Activities
- Location of Business
- Fee payment at the time of application*
- Ownership
- Name of Business
- Contact information for the business and owner
- If you are applying online, a myID account
You will be contacted by a file manager to review your application and provide you with next steps.
Required
| Licence type | Land use | Police | Fire | Health | Provincial | AMVIC | ID card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date or escort | |||||||
| Dating or escort service | |||||||
| Exotic entertainer | |||||||
| Exotic entertainment agency | |||||||
| Model | |||||||
| Model studio |
Land use approval
All businesses in Calgary require land use approval. Each space in a building has its own specified, approved use that cannot be changed without an approval, permit or both.
To view the allowable uses within a land use district, refer to the Land Use Bylaw. To determine the land use district of a property, visit myProperty.
You can also refer to Commercial, industrial and mulit-residential for more information, or contact our Planning Services Centre at 403-268-5311 to investigate land use approval for your business.
Calgary Police Services approval
This licence type requires recommendation by the Calgary Police Service through the Police Information Checks unit. Approval is completed by the Calgary Police Service and is initiated on your behalf through your business licence application. Please note that previous police checks cannot be used as a substitute for this approval process.
You are required to provide two pieces of valid, government issued identification, one of which must contain photo identification (ID).
You can show your ID:
- In person at the Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor
800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Calgary, AB
- By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca
- By fax: 403-537-3034
Please reference your Business ID (BID) in the email or fax.
Please note: for licenses requiring a statutory declaration or a City-issued ID card, proof of identification must be shown in person.
This approval generally takes about two weeks.
Acceptable forms of government issued photo identification include:
- driver’s license
- passport
- Alberta photo identification card (issued through registry offices)
- firearms license
- Nexus card
- permanent resident card
- Secure Certificate of Indian Status card (federally issued)
- aviation document booklet
- certified refugee protection claimant document
(For youth between the ages of 12 to 15 years old who cannot provide any of the listed photo identification options, a student photo ID will be considered).
Acceptable forms of government issued identification include:
- provincial health care card
- birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- immigration documentation (includes valid document issued by Immigration and citizenship Canada)
- citizenship card
- citizenship certificate
Fire Prevention Bureau approval
Photo Identification cards
If your business type requires an ID card, you must apply in person at the Planning Services Centre:
- Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor
800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Calgary, AB
Two (2) pieces of valid, government issued ID are required, one of which must include photo identification. The Calgary Police Service outlines acceptable forms of identification. Be prepared to have your photograph taken at the Planning Services Centre, where your municipal photo ID card will be created.