Permits: Hartford, CT

Running a vendor market in Hartford.

To run a vendor market on Hartford streets or parks, the organizer applies to the City's Special Events Services, 90 days ahead for festivals or street closures. Food vendors need Hartford temporary food permits, other vendors a $25 Temporary Peddler Permit, and sellers need a Connecticut Sales and Use Tax Permit from the Department of Revenue Services.

Updated October 11, 2026

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For the organizer

Event permit.

Special Events Permit

The organizer applies through the City's recreation portal, and large or complex events such as festivals, parades and marathons go through a task force meeting. The applicant pays direct City costs for cleanup, public safety and equipment, and must carry $1,000,000 per occurrence in liability, auto and workers' compensation coverage naming the City as additional insured. Exempt: funeral processions, First Amendment activities, escort vehicles and daily farmers' markets.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Hartford Special Events Services (Office of the Chief Operating Officer)
When: Pre-planned events expecting 100 or more people at one time on City property, including parks, streets and sidewalks; the page also defines a special event more broadly as an event on city property, in a city building or on private property that needs specific city or state permits or city services
Timing: Festivals, parades, marathons, or events needing a Temporary Liquor Permit, Pyrotechnics Permit, State Capitol Police clearance or any street closure: submit 90 days before the event

Official page

For the organizer

Parks and public space.

Festival permit for exclusive use of a park (City park laws)

The City's parks law guide (a 2016 update) says a festival in a park needs a permit from the director of licensing and inspection, applied for at least 60 days before the event. Food and ice cream vending in parks needs a vending license, at $150 a year, applied for at the parks department, and no vending licenses are granted in Elizabeth, Batterson or Goodwin Parks.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Hartford Director of Licensing and Inspection; Department of Public Works Parks Division
When: Exclusive use of a City park for a festival
Fee: Park food and ice cream vending license $150 per year (2016 guide)
Timing: Festival permit application at least 60 days before the event (2016 guide)

Official page

For the organizer

Fire safety, tents and cooking.

Temporary Structure Permit (tents, generators, stages)

The Special Events page lists a Temporary Structure Permit through the Building and Trades online system, with one application allowed for several structures. A separate inspection fee is charged for inspections after business hours and on weekends. A Temporary Electrical Permit is also listed, from Licenses and Inspections.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Hartford Development Services, Licenses & Inspections (Building)
When: Events with tents, generators, stages or bounce houses; stages 30 inches or higher need railings
Timing: Must be completed 30 days prior to the event

Official page

For your vendors

Vendor and business licenses.

Temporary Peddler Permit (Itinerant Peddlers Permit)

Licenses and Inspections requires each vendor to hold its own permit, applied for in person at 260 Constitution Plaza, first floor (cash is not accepted). With multiple vendors, the event applicant may collect each vendor's name, business name, phone, address, Connecticut Sales Tax ID and email, with the fees, and hand them to the office.

Who: Vendors
From: City of Hartford Licenses & Inspections
When: Individual vendors selling at a City special event
Fee: $25
Timing: Vendor data and payment due 15 days before the special event

Official page

For your vendors

Sales tax.

Sales and Use Tax Permit

A permit is required for individuals and businesses alike regardless of how many sales are made, except for casual or isolated sales. Register online through myconneCT, display the permit at the booth or table, and note that selling without one carries fines.

Who: Vendors
From: Connecticut Department of Revenue Services
When: Anyone selling at a flea market, craft show, trade show, antique show or fair, even for one day
Fee: There is a $100 fee for registering to collect sales and use tax.

Official page

For your vendors

Food vendors.

Temporary Food Permit

The Special Events page lists the Temporary Food Permit among the other permits an event may need, applied for with Health & Human Services (860-757-4700), and the fee rises as the event gets closer. The HHS licenses page lists Temporary Food Vendors among its food licenses, applied for online.

Who: Vendors
From: City of Hartford Health & Human Services (food license portal), listed in the Special Events permit page
When: Food vendors at a Hartford special event
Fee: $75 if submitted 15-30 days in advance; $125 if 5-15 days in advance; $150 within 5 days of the event
Timing: Fees listed for applications submitted 15-30, 5-15 and within 5 days before the event

Official page

Timeline

When to apply.

Special Events Permit: Festivals, parades, marathons, or events needing a Temporary Liquor Permit, Pyrotechnics Permit, State Capitol Police clearance or any street closure: submit 90 days before the event
Festival permit for exclusive use of a park (City park laws): Festival permit application at least 60 days before the event (2016 guide)
Temporary Structure Permit (tents, generators, stages): Must be completed 30 days prior to the event
Temporary Peddler Permit (Itinerant Peddlers Permit): Vendor data and payment due 15 days before the special event
Temporary Food Permit: Fees listed for applications submitted 15-30, 5-15 and within 5 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 Hartford, CT?

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.

Blocked: hartford.gov (older city domain) refused connections; hartfordct.gov returns 403 to browser User-Agents but serves plain curl, which is how the pages were read.
The Special Events page says 'All other applications completed 60 days or less before the event date will NOT be accepted' without saying how the 60 days relates to the 90-day rule; ask Special Events Services before applying.
The Special Events page says the Special Events fee is attached to the application after the task force confirms the event, so no permit fee is listed.
The parks law guide is dated 2016; its $150 vending fee and 60-day festival deadline may have changed. The page does not say whether booth vendors at a permitted festival also need the park vending license.
Connecticut sales tax: the state page requires vendors at craft shows and flea markets to hold a Sales and Use Tax Permit even for one day (see the state entry).

Questions

Common questions.

Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Hartford?

Special Events Permit (City of Hartford Special Events Services (Office of the Chief Operating Officer)): The organizer applies through the City's recreation portal, and large or complex events such as festivals, parades and marathons go through a task force meeting. The applicant pays direct City costs for cleanup, public safety and equipment, and must carry $1,000,000 per occurrence in liability, auto and workers' compensation coverage naming the City as additional insured. Exempt: funeral processions, First Amendment activities, escort vehicles and daily farmers' markets. Festival permit for exclusive use of a park (City park laws) (City of Hartford Director of Licensing and Inspection; Department of Public Works Parks Division): The City's parks law guide (a 2016 update) says a festival in a park needs a permit from the director of licensing and inspection, applied for at least 60 days before the event. Food and ice cream vending in parks needs a vending license, at $150 a year, applied for at the parks department, and no vending licenses are granted in Elizabeth, Batterson or Goodwin Parks.

Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Hartford?

Temporary Peddler Permit (Itinerant Peddlers Permit) (City of Hartford Licenses & Inspections): Licenses and Inspections requires each vendor to hold its own permit, applied for in person at 260 Constitution Plaza, first floor (cash is not accepted). With multiple vendors, the event applicant may collect each vendor's name, business name, phone, address, Connecticut Sales Tax ID and email, with the fees, and hand them to the office.

Who handles sales tax at a market in Hartford?

Sales and Use Tax Permit (Connecticut Department of Revenue Services): A permit is required for individuals and businesses alike regardless of how many sales are made, except for casual or isolated sales. Register online through myconneCT, display the permit at the booth or table, and note that selling without one carries fines.

Do food vendors need a separate permit in Hartford?

Temporary Food Permit (City of Hartford Health & Human Services (food license portal), listed in the Special Events permit page): The Special Events page lists the Temporary Food Permit among the other permits an event may need, applied for with Health & Human Services (860-757-4700), and the fee rises as the event gets closer. The HHS licenses page lists Temporary Food Vendors among its food licenses, applied for online.

How far ahead should I apply in Hartford?

Special Events Permit: Festivals, parades, marathons, or events needing a Temporary Liquor Permit, Pyrotechnics Permit, State Capitol Police clearance or any street closure: submit 90 days before the event Festival permit for exclusive use of a park (City park laws): Festival permit application at least 60 days before the event (2016 guide) Temporary Structure Permit (tents, generators, stages): Must be completed 30 days prior to the event Temporary Peddler Permit (Itinerant Peddlers Permit): Vendor data and payment due 15 days before the special event Temporary Food Permit: Fees listed for applications submitted 15-30, 5-15 and within 5 days before the event

Keep reading.

Permits in New Haven, CTPermits in Stamford, CTConnecticut state rules: sales tax and cottage foodPermit checklist for HartfordWhat 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: Hartford Special Events Services, (860) 757-9512, specialevent@hartford.gov

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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