Permits: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Running a vendor market in Fort Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale's event permit pages could not be read for this entry, so confirm the outdoor event permit with the City's Special Events office. Vendors need City and Broward County business tax receipts, food vendors need a Florida DBPR temporary event license, and sellers register for Florida sales tax with the Department of Revenue.

Updated October 11, 2026

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For the organizer

Event permit.

Outdoor Event Permit (online application)

Anyone planning to host an outdoor event starts the process by submitting the city's online outdoor special event permit application, and the Parks and Recreation events staff follow up. The same page offers a Block Party Planning Kit and online application for neighbors, and an Events Explorer showing permitted events and road closures.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation
When: Outdoor events the city treats as needing a permit; the page says permits are required for certain events and does not list the thresholds. Neighborhood street gatherings use the separate Block Party program.

Official page

For your vendors

Vendor and business licenses.

City Business Tax Receipt (plus Broward County receipt)

Fort Lauderdale requires an annual business tax receipt, separate from Broward County's local business tax receipt; most businesses keep both. Renewal runs July 1 through September 30 each year, and from October 1, 2026 applicants must first get zoning approval through a Certificate of Use.

Who: Vendors
From: City of Fort Lauderdale, Community Services (Business Tax)
When: Anyone engaging in commerce from a local base in Fort Lauderdale, including home-based businesses, mobile vendors and food trucks. The page does not say whether one-day event vendors are covered.

Official page

For your vendors

Sales tax.

Sales and use tax dealer registration

Vendors who sell taxable goods or services must register with the state as a sales and use tax dealer to collect, report and remit tax. Registration must be done before starting business, and the page does not describe a separate temporary or special-event registration. The Department states Florida's general state sales tax rate is 6%, plus any county surtax.

Who: Vendors
From: Florida Department of Revenue
When: Any vendor selling taxable goods or services in Florida, including at markets and events
Timing: Register before you begin conducting business in Florida

Official page

For your vendors

Food vendors.

Temporary Food Service Event License

The state, not the county, licenses food vendors at temporary events: inspectors issue the license at the event after a passing inspection, and the vendor pays by cashier's check or money order. Sponsors must email the division the type of food service, event time and location, vendor list and each vendor's license number. Food prepared in a private home or under the Cottage Food Law is not allowed.

Who: Organizer and vendors
From: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants
When: Food vendors at a temporary food service event of 30 days or less advertised to the public; exemptions include some permitted vendors, popcorn and prepackaged items, and 1-3 day events hosted by churches or nonprofits
Fee: $91 for a 1-3 day event; $105 for a 4-30 day event; $456 annual
Timing: Event sponsors notify the division no less than three business days before the event

Official page

Organizer duty

What the rules ask of organizers about vendors.

Florida's Department of Revenue says anyone selling taxable goods at a flea market must be registered as a sales tax dealer and collect and remit tax directly. Under that notice, market operators keep collecting tax on space rentals but are no longer required or authorized to remit vendors' sales tax.

Official page

Timeline

When to apply.

Sales and use tax dealer registration: Register before you begin conducting business in Florida
Temporary Food Service Event License: Event sponsors notify the division no less than three business days before 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL?

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.

The Parks and Recreation special events page does not state permit fees, lead times, insurance minimums or which events need a permit; ask the events staff at (954) 828-4349 or (954) 828-5348.
The City's parks.fortlauderdale.gov site returns HTTP 403 to automated fetchers, so the special events page was read in a browser; the event application PDFs on fortlauderdale.gov (HTTP 403/404) were not read, so tent, fire, insurance and public-space rules were not verified.
The business tax pages do not address temporary or one-day event vendors; ask the Business Tax office or the Special Events office what applies to vendors at a permitted event.
Florida's flea-market tax notice (TIP 99A01-27) is dated July 1999 and is the only flea-market-specific operator guidance found, so confirm current practice with the Department of Revenue.
Florida repealed the state sales tax on rent or license fees for real property for periods starting October 1, 2025 (Department of Revenue TIP 25A01-04), so the 1999 notice's reference to tax on space rentals may no longer apply to booth fees; confirm with the Department.

Questions

Common questions.

Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Fort Lauderdale?

Outdoor Event Permit (online application) (City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation): Anyone planning to host an outdoor event starts the process by submitting the city's online outdoor special event permit application, and the Parks and Recreation events staff follow up. The same page offers a Block Party Planning Kit and online application for neighbors, and an Events Explorer showing permitted events and road closures.

Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Fort Lauderdale?

City Business Tax Receipt (plus Broward County receipt) (City of Fort Lauderdale, Community Services (Business Tax)): Fort Lauderdale requires an annual business tax receipt, separate from Broward County's local business tax receipt; most businesses keep both. Renewal runs July 1 through September 30 each year, and from October 1, 2026 applicants must first get zoning approval through a Certificate of Use.

Who handles sales tax at a market in Fort Lauderdale?

Sales and use tax dealer registration (Florida Department of Revenue): Vendors who sell taxable goods or services must register with the state as a sales and use tax dealer to collect, report and remit tax. Registration must be done before starting business, and the page does not describe a separate temporary or special-event registration. The Department states Florida's general state sales tax rate is 6%, plus any county surtax. For organizers: Florida's Department of Revenue says anyone selling taxable goods at a flea market must be registered as a sales tax dealer and collect and remit tax directly. Under that notice, market operators keep collecting tax on space rentals but are no longer required or authorized to remit vendors' sales tax.

Do food vendors need a separate permit in Fort Lauderdale?

Temporary Food Service Event License (Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants): The state, not the county, licenses food vendors at temporary events: inspectors issue the license at the event after a passing inspection, and the vendor pays by cashier's check or money order. Sponsors must email the division the type of food service, event time and location, vendor list and each vendor's license number. Food prepared in a private home or under the Cottage Food Law is not allowed.

How far ahead should I apply in Fort Lauderdale?

Sales and use tax dealer registration: Register before you begin conducting business in Florida Temporary Food Service Event License: Event sponsors notify the division no less than three business days before the event

Keep reading.

Permits in Cape Coral, FLPermits in Gainesville, FLPermits in Hialeah, FLPermits in Jacksonville, FLPermits in Miami, FLPermits in Orlando, FLFlorida state rules: sales tax and cottage foodPermit checklist for Fort LauderdaleWhat 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.

Every fact on this page comes from these official pages, checked on 2026-10-11. Details change; tell us at hello@bzar.app if something here is out of date.

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