What Is the Age Requirement for a Strip Club in Toronto?
By Staff, Published on 6/21/20, 8:07 PM
In Toronto, the age requirement for a strip club is the same as for consuming alcohol, which is currently 19 in Ontario.
While it's true you can work as a server in a bar at 18, according to Ontario's SmartServe rules, most strip clubs will not allow people into the club under 19 years old, either as customers or staff.
The reason for this is strip clubs in Ontario are heavily regulated. Liquor license inspectors tend to take a dim view of an environment where monitoring each patron (e.g. to prevent one person ordering a drink on behalf of their underage friend) is difficult. In addition to a liquor licence requirements, strips club owners, managers and dancers need to be licenced. This makes them leerier of allowing younger customers into the club.
Do You Have to Order a Drink? Must It Be Alcohol?
No licensed establishment (strip club or otherwise) can force you to buy an alcoholic drink, however, owners are allowed to set policies like a two-drink minimum for customers. At strip clubs, the non-alcoholic drinks will usually be priced as much as alcoholic drinks.
Working as a Stripper
The one age exception is for strippers. Dancers can apply for a licence at 18 years.
To get an annual licence, the fee for an Adult Entertainment dancer licence is $417.75 (as of 2020).
The licence lasts for one year from the date it was issued, and the renewal fee is currently $294.11.
You'll be required to undergo a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check which must be submitted within 280 days (about a year).
Two pieces of Canadian government-issued identification is required, Ontario Health Cards are not accepted.
So yes, the strip club legal age for a strip club in Toronto depends if you're on the stage (18) or off the stage (19).