Running a vendor market in Leesburg.
In Leesburg, organizers of events on Town streets, sidewalks or parks submit a Special Event Permit Proposal ($50) to Parks and Recreation at least 45 days ahead with $1 million of insurance. Vendors generally need a Leesburg business license, food vendors need a Loudoun County health permit, and Virginia temporary sales tax certificates (ST-50) apply.
Updated
Event permit.
Special Event Permit Proposal
The organizer submits the proposal to the Special Events Committee, which also weighs the need for police, traffic control or street closures. The checklist requires a site plan, a public safety plan, a copy of the notice sent to residents and businesses, and insurance naming the Town as additional insured. Food vendors may need a temporary food permit and alcohol vendors an ABC license.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- Town of Leesburg Parks and Recreation, Special Events Committee
- When
- Outdoor events inviting the public on Town streets, sidewalks, parks or other public areas; the application's examples include festivals, car shows, street dances and sidewalk sales. Events wholly on private property are not covered on the pages read.
- Fee
- $50 non-refundable proposal fee; insurance of $1,000,000 naming the Town as additional insured
- Timing
- Submit at least 45 days before the event
Vendor and business licenses.
Town of Leesburg business license (BPOL)
New licenses are based on estimated gross receipts through year end and run for the calendar year. Ask the Finance Department whether a short-term event vendor needs one.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Town of Leesburg Finance Department
- When
- Most businesses operating in the Town of Leesburg are required to hold a business, professional and occupation license. The page does not describe a temporary or one-day vendor license or say whether a vendor at a Town-permitted event is covered by the organizer's permit.
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
Food vendors.
Temporary Food Permit
Vendors complete the Temporary Food Vendor Application and Information Packet through the Health Department each year, and event coordinators send event details to the department by completing the Event Coordinator Registration Form. The page does not state permit fees. Call 703-777-0234.
- Who
- Organizer and vendors
- From
- Loudoun County Health Department
- When
- Temporary food vendors operating up to 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event
- Timing
- Vendors: at least 10 calendar days before the event; event coordinators: at least 30 days before the event
When to apply.
- Temporary Food Permit: Vendors: at least 10 calendar days before the event; event coordinators: at least 30 days before the event
- Special Event Permit Proposal: Submit at least 45 days before the event
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 Leesburg, 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.
Where the sources are unclear.
- Loudoun's Commissioner of the Revenue tax sheet (https://www.loudoun.gov/DocumentCenter/View/116458) says special event vendors may need a Loudoun County business license if the event is not in one of the county's seven incorporated towns. Leesburg is one of those towns, so the Town's own licensing applies; confirm with the Town.
- The same sheet quotes County ordinance 840.035, which requires an event organizer to file a vendor list with the Commissioner of the Revenue at least 14 days before the event; the sheet does not say whether this applies inside incorporated towns. Confirm with the Commissioner at 703-777-0400.
- The Commissioner's sheet says Loudoun event sales are attributed to locality code 51107.
- 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.
- Leesburg's pages do not describe a temporary or one-day vendor business license or its fee; ask the Town Finance Department (bl@leesburgva.gov). The Town's Special Events Policy was not read; Events staff phone 703-777-1368.
Common questions.
Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Leesburg?
Special Event Permit Proposal (Town of Leesburg Parks and Recreation, Special Events Committee): The organizer submits the proposal to the Special Events Committee, which also weighs the need for police, traffic control or street closures. The checklist requires a site plan, a public safety plan, a copy of the notice sent to residents and businesses, and insurance naming the Town as additional insured. Food vendors may need a temporary food permit and alcohol vendors an ABC license.
Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Leesburg?
Town of Leesburg business license (BPOL) (Town of Leesburg Finance Department): New licenses are based on estimated gross receipts through year end and run for the calendar year. Ask the Finance Department whether a short-term event vendor needs one.
Who handles sales tax at a market in Leesburg?
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 Leesburg?
Temporary Food Permit (Loudoun County Health Department): Vendors complete the Temporary Food Vendor Application and Information Packet through the Health Department each year, and event coordinators send event details to the department by completing the Event Coordinator Registration Form. The page does not state permit fees. Call 703-777-0234.
How far ahead should I apply in Leesburg?
Temporary Food Permit: Vendors: at least 10 calendar days before the event; event coordinators: at least 30 days before the event Special Event Permit Proposal: Submit at least 45 days before the event
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: Leesburg Parks and Recreation Events 703-777-1368
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.tax.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/taxforms/retail-sales-and-use/any/st-50-any.pdf
- https://www.loudoun.gov/food
- https://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/parks-recreation/events/how-to-hold-an-event-in-leesburg
- https://www.leesburgva.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/45870/639215233915930000
- https://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/finance/taxes-fees/business-taxes
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