Permits: St. Petersburg, FL

Running a vendor market in St. Petersburg.

To run a vendor market in St. Petersburg, the organizer files a Temporary Special Event Permit at the city's Zoning Counter, plus a Police street closure permit ($30 per roadway) if a street closes. Vendors pay a $25 city business tax for events under 30 days and register for Florida sales tax; food vendors need DBPR.

Updated October 10, 2026

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For the organizer

Event permit.

Temporary Special Event Permit

The application is submitted in person at the Zoning Counter in the Municipal Services Building. It requires a site plan showing booths and tents, trash, stages, restrooms, food and beverage stations, entrances and ADA access, and flags alcohol sales and street closures for extra approvals.

Who: Organizer
From: City of St. Petersburg Planning & Zoning (Zoning Counter)
When: One-, two- or three-day temporary events in a public park, or on private property indoors or outdoors

Official page

For the organizer

Parks and public space.

Street Closure Permit

Apply at least 10 business days ahead with a map and approval from abutting property owners. Events with an approved closure must end by 11:00 PM, and the applicant places and removes the barricades. The sheet says no vending without proper City permits and licenses.

Who: Organizer
From: St. Petersburg Police Department, Special Events Unit
When: Events such as block parties or street dances that need a street closed
Fee: $30.00 for each roadway to be closed (could be higher if more barricades are needed)
Timing: At least 10 business days before the event, no exceptions

Official page

Parks & Recreation cosponsored event application

The Parks & Recreation page defines these as cosponsored events and sends applicants to Parks & Recreation Administration for the application. The page does not show fees or lead times.

Who: Organizer and vendors
From: City of St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation Department
When: Events on City parkland that charge admission, sell or vend services, merchandise, food or drinks, accept donations, or serve alcohol

Official page

For the organizer

Other rules.

Liquor liability insurance for alcohol at street closures

Proof of liquor liability insurance is required, and alcohol at the closure may require hiring off-duty police officers. The Temporary Special Event Permit form adds that outdoor alcohol sales require City police officers to be arranged before approval.

Who: Organizer
From: St. Petersburg Police Department, Special Events Unit
When: Alcohol sold or served at an event with a street closure

Official page

For your vendors

Vendor and business licenses.

St. Petersburg Business Tax Receipt (Flat25 for 30 days or less)

The business tax page lists a Flat25 class used for temporary special events lasting under 30 days, taxed at $25.00, and a 'Merchants for 30 Days or Less' category. Mobile vending applications are handled separately (see notes).

Who: Vendors
From: City of St. Petersburg Business Tax
When: Businesses and individuals accepting compensation for merchandise or services within city limits; mobile and temporary businesses need a St. Petersburg receipt regardless of business address
Fee: $25.00 for temporary special events lasting less than 30 days (Flat25)

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.

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. Each food vendor generally needs a temporary event license, and the event sponsor tells the division about the event and its food vendors in advance.

Who: Organizer and vendors
From: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants
When: Food is prepared, served or sold at an event of 30 days or less. Exemptions include existing Hotels & Restaurants licensees (one unit), some Agriculture or Health permit holders at 1-3 day events, vendors selling only popcorn, prepackaged food or beverages needing no preparation, and 1-3 day events run by religious or nonprofit organizations.
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.

Street Closure Permit: At least 10 business days before the event, no exceptions
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 St. Petersburg, 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 St. Petersburg street closure instructions (PDF) show a revision date of 08/19, so the $30 fee may have changed; confirm with the Police Department Special Events Unit at 727-893-7154.
The Parks & Recreation event application page (stpeteparksrec.org) is the city's parks site, linked from stpete.org; it gives no fees, so contact Parks & Recreation at (727) 893-7441 or stpeteparksrec@stpete.org.
The Temporary Special Event Permit form states no fee and no lead time. Ask the Zoning Counter for both.
The stpete.org business tax application page refers mobile vending (solicitor, peddler, mobile vending, canvasser) applications to the Police Department Records Division, 727-893-7536; whether event vendors need that is not stated.
Pinellas County's page says unincorporated Pinellas County businesses are not required to hold a county receipt (Ordinance 95-53) and that municipal requirements vary; no county receipt requirement for St. Petersburg vendors was found (https://pinellas.gov/occupational-licenses).
No official page found for fire marshal tent or propane rules for market organizers in St. Petersburg as of 2026-10-10; ask St. Petersburg Fire Rescue.
Florida's flea-market tax notice (TIP 99A01-27) is dated July 1999; the Department of Revenue's page for it is the only flea-market-specific operator guidance found, so confirm current practice with the Department.
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). The 1999 notice's reference to tax on space rentals therefore may no longer apply to booth fees; confirm with the Department.
Florida registration page does not state a fee; a 1999 Department notice listed a $5 registration fee, which is not repeated here because it is old.

Questions

Common questions.

Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in St. Petersburg?

Temporary Special Event Permit (City of St. Petersburg Planning & Zoning (Zoning Counter)): The application is submitted in person at the Zoning Counter in the Municipal Services Building. It requires a site plan showing booths and tents, trash, stages, restrooms, food and beverage stations, entrances and ADA access, and flags alcohol sales and street closures for extra approvals. Street Closure Permit (St. Petersburg Police Department, Special Events Unit): Apply at least 10 business days ahead with a map and approval from abutting property owners. Events with an approved closure must end by 11:00 PM, and the applicant places and removes the barricades. The sheet says no vending without proper City permits and licenses.

Do vendors need a license to sell at events in St. Petersburg?

St. Petersburg Business Tax Receipt (Flat25 for 30 days or less) (City of St. Petersburg Business Tax): The business tax page lists a Flat25 class used for temporary special events lasting under 30 days, taxed at $25.00, and a 'Merchants for 30 Days or Less' category. Mobile vending applications are handled separately (see notes).

Who handles sales tax at a market in St. Petersburg?

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. 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 St. Petersburg?

Temporary Food Service Event License (Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants): The state, not the county, licenses food vendors at temporary events. Each food vendor generally needs a temporary event license, and the event sponsor tells the division about the event and its food vendors in advance.

How far ahead should I apply in St. Petersburg?

Street Closure Permit: At least 10 business days before the event, no exceptions 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 Fort Lauderdale, FLPermits in Gainesville, FLPermits in Hialeah, FLPermits in Jacksonville, FLPermits in Miami, FLFlorida state rules: sales tax and cottage foodPermit checklist for St. PetersburgWhat 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: Zoning Counter, Municipal Services Building, One 4th Street North; Police Special Events Unit 727-893-7154

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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