Introduction
When you think of a sex shop, you probably imagine an illicit corner filled with adult toys and lingerie. However, there’s a whole other side to selling sex toys – namely getting a store licence. Even if you’re planning on displaying your wares out of the back room of your home and only selling in-house (and if so, why), it’s still likely that your local council will require that you get a licence from them before opening up shop. In this guide we’ll look at what happens when you apply for a license for selling adult products such as sex toys, lube and drugs. We’ll also discuss what documentation is required and how long each step takes – so let’s get started!
The 11 steps of the process
The 11 steps of the process are as follows:
- Get yourself prepared – make sure you have all your documents and information ready to hand in when you visit the council’s office.
- Visit the council’s office – this is where they’ll do all their research on your application, so it’s important that you’re there with them all day long! The local council will also be able to answer any questions that might come up during this process.
- Fill out and submit your application form – once everything is ready for submission, head over to their offices where they’ll be able to guide you through filling out the forms themselves (and maybe even give them back if needed). If necessary, ask about what documents need signing off by other parties before submitting your own paperwork; this includes people who don’t live near London but want access too—they might need letters from friends living abroad who vouched for their character traits as well as proof of income or savings accounts showing how much money they can afford themselves without needing welfare payment assistance from government agencies like Jobcentres Plus etc…
Step 1: Getting yourself prepared
Before you can apply for a sex shop licence, there are a few things that you’ll have to do. First and foremost, you need to make sure that your business is legally considered a sex shop by the laws of your state or province. This means that it has to sell erotic materials (like vibrators) in order to be considered a legal establishment.
Next, it’s important that you get all of the required paperwork ready before applying for the license—and yes, this takes time! It takes at least two weeks before any application can be submitted; however, if everything goes smoothly then there shouldn’t be any problems with processing times once they arrive back at our offices here at Sex Shop Licensing Ltd..
Step 2: Where to get a legal consultation
Now that you’ve decided to hire a lawyer, it’s time to find one. There are many resources available online that will help you find a good lawyer and make sure they’re licensed in your state. Some of these include:
- The Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) – LRS is an online directory of lawyers who work in specific areas, such as criminal defense or bankruptcy law. You can search by practice area and location, as well as get information about their background and education. If there aren’t any results for your search criteria, try searching again with different keywords or adding more specific details like what kind of case type (criminal defense/family law) or general geographic area (statewide).
- State Bar Associations – These associations provide information on how each state’s bar association regulates lawyers’ conduct and provides guidelines for licensing requirements so that consumers know what they need when choosing one from the list below:
Step 3: Visiting the local council’s office
Now that you’ve decided to open your own sex shop, it’s time to apply for a licence.
The council will want to know your business plan, financial status and personal background before they issue the licence. If they don’t feel that you’re suitable for running a sex shop then they won’t issue one!
Step 4: Filling in and submitting your application form
The application form is on the council’s website, so all you need to do if you want to submit your application is fill in the details and submit it. If you don’t have access to a computer, they’ll be happy to send it by post (make sure you include enough postage).
If they need more information—whether it’s because they want confirmation of who owns the business or some other reason—the council will contact you directly with an update about what’s happening next. You can also check back periodically via email when there are updates about how things are going or if there have been any delays in processing applications for other reasons (for example, if someone else submitted an incomplete application before yours did).
The council only has one meeting scheduled per month where applicants present their business plans and tax records but this isn’t mandatory; however, if we think that would help us decide whether to grant or refuse your licence then we’ll ask for an appointment at least two weeks before then so we can discuss things first hand rather than just relying on printed material alone.”
Step 5-7 – Awaiting for more information from the council.
The council will contact you to discuss your application. They may ask for more information and/or a site visit to the premises where the sex shop will be located. A member of the council may also request details about your business plan.
You’ll need to prepare a presentation with slides, which should include:
- Your name, address, telephone number and email address
- The types of goods sold in your store – eg magazines, DVDs etc., (not toys)
- How much space do you have available at this time? (e.g., if there are only 2 shelves available and another 4 are needed) * How many staff members do we expect working at any given time? What kind of training do they have received from their employer/schools etc.?
Step 8-9 – More documents required for submission
You’ll need to submit the following documents:
- A copy of your lease or tenancy agreement.
- A copy of your business plan.
- A copy of your risk assessment.
- A copy of your security plan (and any other policies required by law).
- A fire safety policy if there is one in place at all times when open for business (including emergency exits and emergency procedures).
Step 10 – The final council meeting to discuss your application
Your application will now be discussed by the council. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.
If you have been granted a licence, it will be issued by post to your home address within seven days of their decision to grant your application. If you are successful in this step, then congratulations! You can now start selling sex toys legally!
Although it can be a lengthy process, getting a sex shop licence is doable.
- Although it can be a lengthy process, getting a sex shop licence is doable.
- You will need to be patient and organised.
Conclusion
The process of applying for a sex shop licence can be a lot to take in, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the legal world. However, the effort will pay off when you get your licence and start selling products to customers.
