Permits: Fairfax (City), VA

Running a vendor market in Fairfax (City).

In the City of Fairfax, VA, a special events permit from Parks and Recreation is required at least 90 business days ahead, and Zoning issues a Temporary Use Permit for temporary events. Food vendors need a Fairfax County Health Department temporary food permit, vendors report Virginia sales tax, and sellers need City licensing. Confirm with each office.

Updated October 10, 2026

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For the organizer

Event permit.

Special Events Permit

The organizer submits a complete application with the non-refundable fee and an emergency action plan with proof of insurance. Submitting does not guarantee approval, and the City may charge for police, fire or public works services.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation
When: Special events such as fairs, festivals, concerts, shows, sales and carnivals; the page also lists City outdoor venues (Veteran's Amphitheater, Old Town Square) available to rent
Fee: $50 for non-profits and $100 for for-profit/business groups (application fee, no venue); venue rental is extra: $100 for the first 2 hours plus $25 per additional hour
Timing: No later than 90 business days prior to the event

Official page

Special Events - Temporary Use Permit

This zoning permit allows an event of not more than 10 days in a six-month period and is applied for through the City's permit portal. The page itself does not state a fee, but the City's FY 2026 fee schedule lists a nonresidential Temporary Use Permit.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Fairfax Planning/Zoning (Community Development and Planning)
When: Temporary special events such as car shows, carnivals, circuses, festivals, fairs and fireworks shows; the page does not say whether it applies only to private property
Fee: $210.00 each (Temporary Use Permit, Nonresidential, per the FY 2026 adopted schedule of rates and levies)

Official page

For the organizer

Fire safety, tents and cooking.

Fire Prevention Code (FPC) Permit

The City requires an FPC permit when a Fire Marshal inspection is performed. The application is a PDF form, and the page points event organizers to Code Administration for specifics on tents and other event hazards.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Fairfax Code Administration / Fire Marshal's Office
When: Activities that require a Fire Marshal inspection; the page does not list tents, cooking, propane or generators specifically

Official page

For your vendors

Vendor and business licenses.

Non-Charitable Canvassing, Peddling or Soliciting Permit

The City says this permit is required to sell merchandise from temporary stalls. Applicants submit a Solicitor Permit Application (PDF on the page) to the Police Department, which lists 703-385-7924. The page does not state a fee; the City's fee schedule shows a peddler's license figure.

Who: Vendors
From: City of Fairfax Police Department
When: Door-to-door sales, event promotion, or selling merchandise from temporary stalls within City limits; charitable organizations, religious institutions and political parties are excluded
Fee: Not stated on the permit page; the FY 2026 schedule lists Peddler's License at $20.00 per year (see notes for a conflicting $30 figure)

Official page

Business License (BPOL)

New businesses apply within 30 days of starting operations, and licenses expire December 31 with renewal due by March 1. The FY 2026 rate schedule charges nothing under $10,000 in prior-year gross receipts, retail sales are taxed per $100 of receipts with a $30 minimum, and peddlers, solicitors and itinerant merchants pay a flat fee.

Who: Vendors
From: City of Fairfax Commissioner of the Revenue
When: Every person operating a business, profession or trade in the City; the City pages do not address event-only or itinerant sellers directly
Fee: Retail sales: $0.20 per $100 gross receipts, $30 minimum; Peddlers, Solicitors & Itinerant Merchants: $30.00 flat fee per calendar year or part thereof; no tax if gross receipts are under $10,000

Official page

For your vendors

Sales tax.

Temporary Sales Tax Certificate/Return (Form ST-50)

Occasional sellers report and pay the sales tax they collected at an event on Form ST-50, due by the 20th of the month after the event. The form tells sellers who attend 3 or more shows a year to register for a permanent Virginia sales tax account. The rate is 6% in the Northern Virginia localities it lists, and the extra regional 0.7% is not charged on food bought for human consumption.

Who: Vendors
From: Virginia Department of Taxation
When: Vendors without a permanent Virginia sales tax account who sell taxable goods at an event

Official page

For your vendors

Food vendors.

Temporary Food Establishment Permit (TFEP)

The event coordinator registers the event in the county's PLUS portal and lists the participating food vendors with a layout map showing toilets and waste disposal. Each vendor then applies online and is subject to inspection; the county's packet says it assesses a one-time $40 fee per vendor that is valid for the calendar year. Permitted Fairfax County restaurants pay no additional application fee.

Who: Organizer and vendors
From: Fairfax County Health Department, Environmental Health Services
When: Vendors preparing and serving food at a temporary event in the City of Fairfax, which the Fairfax County Health Department covers; events of up to 14 consecutive days
Fee: $40 one-time fee per vendor, valid for the entire calendar year within Virginia (per the Health Department's requirements packet)
Timing: The completed application and fee must be received at least ten (10) days prior to the event

Official page

Timeline

When to apply.

Special Events Permit: No later than 90 business days prior to the event
Temporary Food Establishment Permit (TFEP): The completed application and fee must be received at least ten (10) days prior to the event

On bzar

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.

For vendors

Selling at markets in Fairfax (City), VA?

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.

Check with the agency

Where the sources are unclear.

Peddler's license fee conflict: the FY 2026 adopted schedule lists a 'Peddlers, Solicitors & Itinerant Merchants' business license flat fee of $30.00 per calendar year and, separately, a 'Peddler's License' of $20.00 per year. Confirm which applies with the Commissioner of the Revenue or the Police Department (703-385-7924).
The City fee schedule (a budget document, not a permit page) also lists a 4.00% Meals Tax on all meals; ask the Commissioner of the Revenue how it applies to food vendors at events.
The Health Department packet (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/health/sites/health/files/assets/documents/pdf/temporaryeventguidelines43.2.pdf) says Fairfax County Health Department permits cover temporary events in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax and Falls Church.
No official page found for a City of Fairfax promoter duty about vendor sales tax lists as of 2026-10-10; ask the City Commissioner of the Revenue.
The Temporary Use Permit page does not state a lead time or whether it covers public property; ask Zoning at zoning@fairfaxva.gov or 703-385-7820.
Event-count threshold: the ST-50 form says sellers at 3 or more shows a year must register for a permanent account, while Virginia Tax's festival-season vendor tips page (https://www.tax.virginia.gov/news/vendor-tips-fall-festival-season) says sellers at 3 or fewer events can use ST-50 and sellers at more than 3 events must register. Confirm with Virginia Tax at (804) 367-8037.
A 1992 Virginia Tax Commissioner ruling (https://www.tax.virginia.gov/laws-rules-decisions/rulings-tax-commissioner/92-91) says an event organizer may obtain a single temporary sales tax registration covering all sellers at the event; this is an option, not a requirement, and the ruling is old, so confirm with Virginia Tax.
The Special Events page requires proof of insurance and an emergency action plan but does not state an insurance minimum; ask Special Events at Specialevents@fairfaxva.gov.

Questions

Common questions.

Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Fairfax (City)?

Special Events Permit (City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation): The organizer submits a complete application with the non-refundable fee and an emergency action plan with proof of insurance. Submitting does not guarantee approval, and the City may charge for police, fire or public works services. Special Events - Temporary Use Permit (City of Fairfax Planning/Zoning (Community Development and Planning)): This zoning permit allows an event of not more than 10 days in a six-month period and is applied for through the City's permit portal. The page itself does not state a fee, but the City's FY 2026 fee schedule lists a nonresidential Temporary Use Permit.

Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Fairfax (City)?

Non-Charitable Canvassing, Peddling or Soliciting Permit (City of Fairfax Police Department): The City says this permit is required to sell merchandise from temporary stalls. Applicants submit a Solicitor Permit Application (PDF on the page) to the Police Department, which lists 703-385-7924. The page does not state a fee; the City's fee schedule shows a peddler's license figure. Business License (BPOL) (City of Fairfax Commissioner of the Revenue): New businesses apply within 30 days of starting operations, and licenses expire December 31 with renewal due by March 1. The FY 2026 rate schedule charges nothing under $10,000 in prior-year gross receipts, retail sales are taxed per $100 of receipts with a $30 minimum, and peddlers, solicitors and itinerant merchants pay a flat fee.

Who handles sales tax at a market in Fairfax (City)?

Temporary Sales Tax Certificate/Return (Form ST-50) (Virginia Department of Taxation): Occasional sellers report and pay the sales tax they collected at an event on Form ST-50, due by the 20th of the month after the event. The form tells sellers who attend 3 or more shows a year to register for a permanent Virginia sales tax account. The rate is 6% in the Northern Virginia localities it lists, and the extra regional 0.7% is not charged on food bought for human consumption.

Do food vendors need a separate permit in Fairfax (City)?

Temporary Food Establishment Permit (TFEP) (Fairfax County Health Department, Environmental Health Services): The event coordinator registers the event in the county's PLUS portal and lists the participating food vendors with a layout map showing toilets and waste disposal. Each vendor then applies online and is subject to inspection; the county's packet says it assesses a one-time $40 fee per vendor that is valid for the calendar year. Permitted Fairfax County restaurants pay no additional application fee.

How far ahead should I apply in Fairfax (City)?

Special Events Permit: No later than 90 business days prior to the event Temporary Food Establishment Permit (TFEP): The completed application and fee must be received at least ten (10) days prior to the event

Keep reading.

Permits in Alexandria, VAPermits in Arlington County, VAPermits in Fairfax County, VAPermits in Falls Church, VAPermits in Fauquier County, VAPermits in Fredericksburg, VAVirginia state rules: sales tax and cottage foodPermit checklist for Fairfax (City)What event permits cost across US citiesCollecting vendor insurance and permitsHow to host a vendor eventVendor application form template

Sources

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: Special Events, Specialevents@fairfaxva.gov, 703-385-7949 or 703-385-1710

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.

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