Permits: Salt Lake City, UT

Running a vendor market in Salt Lake City.

To run a vendor market in Salt Lake City, the organizer needs a Special Event Permit from the city's event permit office when the market uses public property. Vendors need a city business license and a Utah special event sales tax license, and food booths need a Salt Lake County Health Department temporary food permit.

Updated October 11, 2026

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For the organizer

Event permit.

Special Event Permit

The organizer applies to the city's event permit office, which coordinates review with departments such as Parks, Police, Fire, Transportation and the Salt Lake County Health Department. The city warns that holding an event without a final permit can put future permit requests at risk and can be charged as a Class B misdemeanor.

Who: Organizer
From: Salt Lake City Event Permits office
When: Events, demonstrations, film shoots and block parties on Salt Lake City public property such as parks, roads, sidewalks and plazas. Activity held only on private property does not need this permit.
Fee: $151.00 application fee (the instructions page lists $137.00; see notes)
Timing: Apply between 364 days and 30 days before the event; 3 to 6 months ahead is recommended for larger or first-time events

Official page

For the organizer

Other rules.

Event liability insurance

The city's instructions call for a policy naming Salt Lake City Corporation as additional insured, issued by a Utah-licensed insurer rated A- or better.

Who: Organizer
From: Salt Lake City Event Permits office
When: Many special events; the requirement depends on the event
Fee: $1,000,000 per occurrence with a $2,000,000 general aggregate

Official page

Alcohol at an event: DABS local consent and single event permit

The event needs state DABS approval, and Salt Lake City Business Licensing supplies the local consent through a single event application. The permit instructions page asks for alcohol events to apply earlier than other events.

Who: Organizer
From: Salt Lake City Business Licensing; Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services
When: Events serving or selling beer or alcohol, on public or private property
Timing: Single event applications at least 17 days before the event; at least 60 days before for alcohol on the special event permit

Official page

For your vendors

Vendor and business licenses.

Salt Lake City business license

The city says any business engaged in business in Salt Lake City, even temporarily, must hold a valid license, and applications are online only. Applicants need Utah Commerce registration and a state sales tax number if applicable. The pages read describe no separate short-term market vendor license; ask Business Licensing.

Who: Vendors
From: Salt Lake City Finance, Business Licensing
When: Any business that sells goods within city limits, permanently or temporarily

Official page

For your vendors

Sales tax.

Temporary Sales Tax License and Special Return (TC-790C)

Each vendor needs a Special Event Taxpayer ID, which is given to each event promoter, and the Tax Commission issues the event-specific license and return once the promoter submits the participant list. The vendor files the return and pays within 30 days after the event ends, using the tax rate where the event takes place.

Who: Vendors
From: Utah State Tax Commission, Special Events Unit
When: Vendors with taxable sales at a one-time event or an event running six months or less, such as festivals, swap meets and art shows

Official page

For your vendors

Food vendors.

Temporary food permit (daily, three-day, extended or seasonal)

Permits come as daily, three-day, extended (up to 14 non-consecutive days at multiple events) and seasonal (up to 9 months at one location). The county calculates the fee after you apply and charges a late fee if the application arrives within seven days of the event.

Who: Organizer and vendors
From: Salt Lake County Health Department, Food Protection
When: Any food service offered to the public at an event, whether sold or free; every food vendor needs its own permit
Timing: Get the permit at least one week before the event

Official page

Organizer duty

What the rules ask of organizers about vendors.

Utah's Tax Commission says the promoter of an organized special event must collect each vendor's name, address, phone, Special Event Tax ID, SSN, EIN or sales tax account number, product and email, and send the participant list (form TC-791) so the Commission can issue vendors' event licenses. As of April 2025 vendors need a Special Event Taxpayer ID to take part, and local licensing offices may check vendors' sales tax numbers.

Official page

Timeline

When to apply.

Special Event Permit: Apply between 364 days and 30 days before the event; 3 to 6 months ahead is recommended for larger or first-time events
Alcohol at an event: DABS local consent and single event permit: Single event applications at least 17 days before the event; at least 60 days before for alcohol on the special event permit
Temporary food permit (daily, three-day, extended or seasonal): Get the permit at least one week 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 Salt Lake City, UT?

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 Salt Lake City event permit page lists a $151.00 special event application fee while the permit instructions page lists $137.00; confirm the current fee with the Event Permits office.
The Salt Lake County temporary food page states no dollar amounts; the late fee amount and permit fees were not shown. Ask the Health Department at 385-468-3845.
The Tax Commission page lists a Special Events Unit contact at 801-297-6303.

Questions

Common questions.

Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Salt Lake City?

Special Event Permit (Salt Lake City Event Permits office): The organizer applies to the city's event permit office, which coordinates review with departments such as Parks, Police, Fire, Transportation and the Salt Lake County Health Department. The city warns that holding an event without a final permit can put future permit requests at risk and can be charged as a Class B misdemeanor.

Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City business license (Salt Lake City Finance, Business Licensing): The city says any business engaged in business in Salt Lake City, even temporarily, must hold a valid license, and applications are online only. Applicants need Utah Commerce registration and a state sales tax number if applicable. The pages read describe no separate short-term market vendor license; ask Business Licensing.

Who handles sales tax at a market in Salt Lake City?

Temporary Sales Tax License and Special Return (TC-790C) (Utah State Tax Commission, Special Events Unit): Each vendor needs a Special Event Taxpayer ID, which is given to each event promoter, and the Tax Commission issues the event-specific license and return once the promoter submits the participant list. The vendor files the return and pays within 30 days after the event ends, using the tax rate where the event takes place. For organizers: Utah's Tax Commission says the promoter of an organized special event must collect each vendor's name, address, phone, Special Event Tax ID, SSN, EIN or sales tax account number, product and email, and send the participant list (form TC-791) so the Commission can issue vendors' event licenses. As of April 2025 vendors need a Special Event Taxpayer ID to take part, and local licensing offices may check vendors' sales tax numbers.

Do food vendors need a separate permit in Salt Lake City?

Temporary food permit (daily, three-day, extended or seasonal) (Salt Lake County Health Department, Food Protection): Permits come as daily, three-day, extended (up to 14 non-consecutive days at multiple events) and seasonal (up to 9 months at one location). The county calculates the fee after you apply and charges a late fee if the application arrives within seven days of the event.

How far ahead should I apply in Salt Lake City?

Special Event Permit: Apply between 364 days and 30 days before the event; 3 to 6 months ahead is recommended for larger or first-time events Alcohol at an event: DABS local consent and single event permit: Single event applications at least 17 days before the event; at least 60 days before for alcohol on the special event permit Temporary food permit (daily, three-day, extended or seasonal): Get the permit at least one week before the event

Keep reading.

Permits in Provo, UTUtah state rules: sales tax and cottage foodPermit checklist for Salt Lake CityWhat 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: Event Permits office: 801-972-7815, eventpermits@slcgov.com (9 AM-5 PM Monday-Friday)

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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