Running a vendor market in College Park.
In College Park, MD, the City does not license businesses and its pages show no special event permit for markets. Residents can get street closing permits, organizers can request City fields by form, Prince George's County DPIE and Health Department permits apply, and vendors need Maryland trader's and sales tax licenses.
Updated
Event permit.
Street Closing Permit
The application must carry signatures of at least 80 percent of the residents living on the street to be closed and is submitted to the Department of Public Services.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- City of College Park Department of Public Services
- When
- City residents using a City street for a special event such as a block party, neighborhood yard sale or soapbox derby. The page speaks only of residents, so it may not suit a commercial market.
- Timing
- File no less than 15 days and no more than 60 days before the event
Special Event Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit
Apply in the Momentum permit portal with a site plan showing all structures and the Special Event Temporary Use Procedures Checklist. The owner's business must be registered and in good standing with Maryland. Fees include a structures fee and a technology fee, and expedited review fees apply to late filings (see the DPIE Fee Schedule).
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE)
- When
- Temporarily using a space for an event other than its approved use. Parades, bike rides and walks with no tents, stages, inflatables, generators, ticket sales, food trucks or on-site food, and community meetings of 50 or fewer, are exempt from this permit but still need county approval for road closures and police traffic control. College Park is inside Prince George's County; the County page read does not say whether this permit applies within municipalities, and College Park's pages require both City and County permits for business-related permits, so ask DPIE and the City.
- Timing
- Submit 45 days before the event, and no less than 3 weeks before; later applications are not guaranteed review and carry expedited review fees
Parks and public space.
City field and recreational facility reservation (Duvall Field and others)
Apply with the electronic reservation form, which requires proof of liability insurance listing the City as additionally insured. Organized activities run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., normally not on Sundays unless approved in writing.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- City of College Park (Communications and Events Manager)
- When
- Special events, classes or organized use of City-owned recreation areas such as Duvall Field. The Concession Stand can be reserved only with a Food Handler Permit.
- Fee
- $40 per hour, per area for outside organizations and individuals; $15 per hour extra for lighting
- Timing
- Special events: submit no later than two months before the requested date
Vendor and business licenses.
No City business license; County business license may apply
The City states it does not license businesses, though some businesses need a Prince George's County business license, and it directs questions to the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 301-952-3331. It also says a Maryland trader's license is needed for buying and re-selling.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- City of College Park and Prince George's County Clerk of the Circuit Court
- When
- Businesses operating in College Park. Separate City and County occupancy permits apply to businesses with premises, not to temporary market booths.
Trader's License (or Exhibitor's Affidavit)
The Comptroller's license bureau says a trader's license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court is required, along with a sales tax account, and the license year runs May 1 to April 30. A copy of the license or affidavit must be shown to the promoter before the show and displayed during it. Fees are not listed on this page.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Montgomery County, Clerk of the Circuit Court (statewide rules enforced by the Comptroller's License Bureau)
- When
- Anyone selling goods in Maryland other than a grower or manufacturer. Exhibitors at a show do not need their own trader's license when the show is promoted by an exempt entity the Comptroller lists (for example a church, government agency or volunteer fire department), or when they give the promoter an Exhibitor's Affidavit saying they get under 10 percent of annual income from like goods at the show. Either way they must not have done more than three shows in the previous 365 days.
Transient Vendor License (roadside or temporary sales)
The Comptroller issues this license free of charge for 90 days, but the seller must first hold a Maryland sales and use tax license and a business license for the county where they will operate. Selling without it can bring a stop-sale order or criminal citation.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Comptroller of Maryland
- When
- Sellers who make taxable sales from a vehicle or from a roadside or temporary location they do not own. The Comptroller says it does not apply to exhibitors at fairs, trade shows and flea markets.
- Fee
- Free; valid for 90 days
Sales tax.
Temporary Sales and Use Tax License (30 days)
A vendor emails the event date, name and location plus business details to the Comptroller's temporary license desk (or calls 410-767-1543 or 410-767-5462) and collects the 6 percent or 9 percent Maryland sales and use tax, as the Comptroller states. Vendors at three or more events a year should register for a permanent license through Maryland Tax Connect.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Comptroller of Maryland
- When
- Vendors without a permanent Maryland sales and use tax license who sell at one-time events such as craft shows and fairs. Maryland has one statewide rate and no local sales taxes.
- Timing
- Temporary license is valid for 30 days
Flea market and show sales are taxable
The Comptroller says sales at flea markets are subject to the 6 percent sales and use tax like other retail sales, and a seller must hold a license before collecting it. A 30-day permit is available by phone from the Special Events Section at 410-767-1543 or 410-767-1531; frequent sellers should get a permanent license through the Combined Registration Application.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Comptroller of Maryland
- When
- Vendors at flea markets and similar markets, including nonprofits and private individuals (casual and isolated sales under $1,000 and a few other sales are exempt).
Food vendors.
Temporary Food Service Facility Permit
Apply and pay online in Momentum; the application is incomplete without payment. Inspectors may visit during the event and either hand over the permit there or email it beforehand. The page does not state the fee.
- Who
- Organizer and vendors
- From
- Prince George's County Health Department
- When
- People selling food or drinks at fairs, festivals, carnivals, community days, concession stands and other special events.
- Timing
- Apply and pay at least five business days before the event
What the rules ask of organizers about vendors.
A show promoter may not let an exhibitor take part unless the exhibitor has given a photocopy of a valid Trader's License or an Exhibitor's Affidavit before the show. Exhibitors must display it, and the promoter must forward all Exhibitor Affidavits to the Comptroller's State License Bureau within seven days after the show. Non-compliance is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $100 or up to 30 days in jail.
When to apply.
- Street Closing Permit: File no less than 15 days and no more than 60 days before the event
- Special Event Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit: Submit 45 days before the event, and no less than 3 weeks before; later applications are not guaranteed review and carry expedited review fees
- City field and recreational facility reservation (Duvall Field and others): Special events: submit no later than two months before the requested date
- Temporary Food Service Facility Permit: Apply and pay at least five business days before the event
- Temporary Sales and Use Tax License (30 days): Temporary license is valid for 30 days
Collect the paperwork with each application.
Ask vendors for their sales tax registration, business license, food permit and insurance certificate as required documents on your application form, so you can check them before you approve anyone. Booth fees, tickets and day-of check-in run from the same dashboard.
Selling at markets in College Park, MD?
The vendor license, sales tax and food permits above are yours to get before the event; the organizer will usually ask for copies with your application. On bzar you apply to markets and pay booth fees by card in one place, and keep your licenses, permits and insurance certificates on file to reuse on every application. Free for vendors. Join bzar free or read how to become a market vendor.
Where the sources are unclear.
- Maryland rules on sales tax, trader's licenses and promoter duties come from the Comptroller of Maryland and apply statewide. The promoter rules are written for shows and exhibitors; confirm with the Comptroller's License Bureau that your vendor market counts as a show.
- The two Comptroller sales-tax guidance pages (KB0010107 and KB0010150) load their text only in a browser, so an automated fetch returns an empty shell. Their text was read in a browser on 2026-10-10.
- Blocked: princegeorgescountymd.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated fetch on 2026-10-10 (temporary food permit and special event permit pages). The county entries here are copied from the prince-georges-county-md file, whose pages were read in a browser.
- No official College Park page found for a City special event permit for a vendor market, or for fire safety (tents, propane) at events, as of 2026-10-10; ask the Department of Public Services (240-487-3570) and the Prince George's County Fire Marshal.
- The City's FAQ page used for field reservations is titled for Duvall Field; it states the special-event timing and fee rules but does not say whether a vendor market would be approved on a field.
Common questions.
Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in College Park?
Street Closing Permit (City of College Park Department of Public Services): The application must carry signatures of at least 80 percent of the residents living on the street to be closed and is submitted to the Department of Public Services. Special Event Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit (Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE)): Apply in the Momentum permit portal with a site plan showing all structures and the Special Event Temporary Use Procedures Checklist. The owner's business must be registered and in good standing with Maryland. Fees include a structures fee and a technology fee, and expedited review fees apply to late filings (see the DPIE Fee Schedule).
Do vendors need a license to sell at events in College Park?
No City business license; County business license may apply (City of College Park and Prince George's County Clerk of the Circuit Court): The City states it does not license businesses, though some businesses need a Prince George's County business license, and it directs questions to the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 301-952-3331. It also says a Maryland trader's license is needed for buying and re-selling. Trader's License (or Exhibitor's Affidavit) (Montgomery County, Clerk of the Circuit Court (statewide rules enforced by the Comptroller's License Bureau)): The Comptroller's license bureau says a trader's license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court is required, along with a sales tax account, and the license year runs May 1 to April 30. A copy of the license or affidavit must be shown to the promoter before the show and displayed during it. Fees are not listed on this page.
Who handles sales tax at a market in College Park?
Temporary Sales and Use Tax License (30 days) (Comptroller of Maryland): A vendor emails the event date, name and location plus business details to the Comptroller's temporary license desk (or calls 410-767-1543 or 410-767-5462) and collects the 6 percent or 9 percent Maryland sales and use tax, as the Comptroller states. Vendors at three or more events a year should register for a permanent license through Maryland Tax Connect. Flea market and show sales are taxable (Comptroller of Maryland): The Comptroller says sales at flea markets are subject to the 6 percent sales and use tax like other retail sales, and a seller must hold a license before collecting it. A 30-day permit is available by phone from the Special Events Section at 410-767-1543 or 410-767-1531; frequent sellers should get a permanent license through the Combined Registration Application. For organizers: A show promoter may not let an exhibitor take part unless the exhibitor has given a photocopy of a valid Trader's License or an Exhibitor's Affidavit before the show. Exhibitors must display it, and the promoter must forward all Exhibitor Affidavits to the Comptroller's State License Bureau within seven days after the show. Non-compliance is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $100 or up to 30 days in jail.
Do food vendors need a separate permit in College Park?
Temporary Food Service Facility Permit (Prince George's County Health Department): Apply and pay online in Momentum; the application is incomplete without payment. Inspectors may visit during the event and either hand over the permit there or email it beforehand. The page does not state the fee.
How far ahead should I apply in College Park?
Street Closing Permit: File no less than 15 days and no more than 60 days before the event Special Event Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit: Submit 45 days before the event, and no less than 3 weeks before; later applications are not guaranteed review and carry expedited review fees City field and recreational facility reservation (Duvall Field and others): Special events: submit no later than two months before the requested date Temporary Food Service Facility Permit: Apply and pay at least five business days before the event Temporary Sales and Use Tax License (30 days): Temporary license is valid for 30 days
Keep reading.
Sources.
This page summarizes official government sources and isn't legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and forms change; confirm with each agency before you apply.
Special events contact: City of College Park Department of Public Services: 240-487-3570
Every fact on this page comes from these official pages, checked on 2026-10-10. Details change; tell us at hello@bzar.app if something here is out of date.
- https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/355/Residential-Permits-Licenses
- https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/departments-offices/permitting-inspections-and-enforcement/permits/special-event-permit
- https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/m/faq?cat=30
- https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/215/Business-Licenses-Permits
- https://www.marylandcomptroller.gov/businesses/new-business/business-licenses.html
- https://www.marylandcomptroller.gov/about/field-enforcement-bureau/procedural-manual/900/905-transient-vendors.html
- https://services.marylandcomptroller.gov/taxes?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0010143
- https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/departments-offices/health/environmental-health/food-safety-permits-inspections/temporary-food-service-facility-permits
- https://services.marylandcomptroller.gov/taxes?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0010107
- https://services.marylandcomptroller.gov/taxes?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0010150
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