If you want to be a topless/nude dancer and the management at your prospective club decided to take you on, you will be given a signed application for the license. NO club in San Diego will let you work for more than 2-3 days after auditioning if you do not have a license. The application will be accpeted at the San Diego police station in downtown (Broadway and 14th street) at 8:30 a.m. sharp, on Tusdays and Thursdays ONLY. Be prepared to stay until noon.

The license costs $92 total ($60 in cash or money order payable to the City Treasurer, and an additional $32 in money order or cashier's check ONLY payable to the Department of Justice.) You will also need a government-issued picture ID like a driver's license or passport to be admitted at the licensing office. If you are not a US citizen, you will need to bring in your INS work card or greencard in addition to your photo ID.

When you check in at the police station's lobby (no later than 8:30 a.m.) you will be given a pass which you will take along with your completed application, photo ID, $60 in cash, and $32-money-order to the licensing office. The application will be accepted at the licensing office after you pay the required fees (keep the reciept.) You will also fill out two fingerprint forms before going to another building with your reciept and 2 fingerprint forms. After you have your fingerprints taken, you will take the 2 forms back to the licensing office and have your photo and thumb-print taken the way you would at the DMV.

You will then be asked to return to the station for an orientation at 11:00 a.m. At this point, you are free to do whatever you want for about 2 hours. It's best that you bring a friend or another dancer along to the station when you go get your license. Time will really drag by if you have to wait alone and you will be VERY bored. There will be other dancers at the station (possibly from your club) - you could go with them to a nearby restaurant or the mall. You can arrange to meet other dancers from your club before going to the station.

When you are back at the station for the orientation, you and the other dancers will be asked to go with a police officer (most likely a female) to a conference room, where you will be given some instructions. The officer will explain in detail what you can and cannot do legally as an exotic dancer at a club OR a private party in San Diego. The whole thing will take about 30 minutes after which you will need to sign a form agreeing to abide by the rules. The officer will then give you your licnese, and you are free to go home.

BTW, the orientation will not be required in the future (I don't know when exactly.) You will just be required to sign and initial a form which lists all the rules and regulations that the police officer would normally explain at the orientation. This will save you some time.

I hope this helps.

Summer