Running a vendor market in Virginia Beach.
To run a vendor market in Virginia Beach, the organizer applies for an outdoor event permit from the Special Events and Film Office. The Commissioner of the Revenue offers a Community Event License covering registered vendors, food vendors need a Virginia Department of Health temporary food permit, and vendors without a Virginia account use sales tax form ST-50.
Updated
Event permit.
Outdoor Event Permit
Applications are made through the city's online event permit system and are reviewed with city and state departments. No fee amount appears on the page.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- City of Virginia Beach Special Events & Film Office
- When
- Festivals, entertainment and cultural events, parades and similar activity on public property, whether for-profit or nonprofit; private-property events can also need one
- Timing
- Final applications due 60 days before the event or first load-in date; private-property requests no later than 90 days before the event
Outdoor event permit requirement
The city's outdoor event page says gatherings on public streets or public property need a permit and points to the Special Events & Film Production Office and Parks & Recreation permitting for details.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- City of Virginia Beach
- When
- Events on public streets, rights-of-way or public property; on private property when outdoor activity exceeds normal use as judged by the zoning administrator
Parks and public space.
Commercial Rental Permit (city parks)
Commercial users of park space secure a rental permit in advance. The page does not state fee or insurance amounts.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, Park Event Permitting
- When
- Commercial activity in a city park for which a fee is collected
- Timing
- Secure the permit no less than 30 days before the event
Vendor and business licenses.
Community Event License
The organizer applies once, and the license covers the business license requirement for all registered vendors and merchants at the event instead of each temporary vendor needing an individual itinerant merchant license. The fee is based on how many vendors take part.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue, Business License Division
- When
- Community events run by local civic, religious, educational or charitable groups; otherwise vendors typically hold their own business licenses
Sales tax.
Temporary Sales Tax Certificate/Return (Form ST-50)
Event vendors without a Virginia account report and pay the tax on the ST-50 return, due by the 20th of the month after the event. A seller who attends 3 or more shows a year must instead register for a permanent sales tax account.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Virginia Department of Taxation (Virginia Tax)
- When
- Vendors at a show or event who are not permanently registered for Virginia sales tax; sellers at fairs and flea markets cannot rely on the occasional sale exemption
Food vendors.
Temporary Food Establishment permit
Each vendor submits the TFE application with the fee. The event coordinator also submits an Event Coordinator Application and reports event dates, vendor count and the toilets and handwash stations provided.
- Who
- Organizer and vendors
- From
- Virginia Department of Health (local health department)
- When
- Food vendors at temporary events, unless they hold a permanent VDH food permit or qualify for an exemption (such as farmers market vendors selling only their own farm products)
- Fee
- $40 application fee
- Timing
- At least 10 calendar days before the event
What the rules ask of organizers about vendors.
Virginia sales tax rules for fairs and flea markets say the Department of Taxation may authorize a sponsor or operator to remit the tax collected by the vendors at the event; an operator who wants that arrangement must apply to the Department in writing. The rule does not require a vendor list.
When to apply.
- Outdoor Event Permit: Final applications due 60 days before the event or first load-in date; private-property requests no later than 90 days before the event
- Commercial Rental Permit (city parks): Secure the permit no less than 30 days before the event
- Temporary Food Establishment permit: At least 10 calendar 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 Virginia Beach, 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.
- The ST-50 PDF read for this page is the version for events on or after October 1, 2020 (revision 03/20). Virginia Tax publishes a newer version for events from July 2023, and tax rates by region have changed, so check current rates before quoting any. No rates are listed here.
- Virginia Tax's sales tax rule for fairs and flea markets: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title23/agency10/chapter210/section570/
- The Virginia Beach permit-event-types page includes application windows dated 2024 for 2025 and 2026 events, so it may be out of date; confirm current deadlines with the Special Events Office, 757-385-4800 (Events@vbgov.com).
- The Community Event License page does not state its fee or deadlines. Contact the Business License Division, 757-385-4515 (Business@vbgov.com). No official page read says what vendors need at a market run by a for-profit organizer.
- VDH temporary food applications go to the local health department; no Virginia Beach-specific page was read.
Common questions.
Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Virginia Beach?
Outdoor Event Permit (City of Virginia Beach Special Events & Film Office): Applications are made through the city's online event permit system and are reviewed with city and state departments. No fee amount appears on the page. Outdoor event permit requirement (City of Virginia Beach): The city's outdoor event page says gatherings on public streets or public property need a permit and points to the Special Events & Film Production Office and Parks & Recreation permitting for details.
Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Virginia Beach?
Community Event License (Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue, Business License Division): The organizer applies once, and the license covers the business license requirement for all registered vendors and merchants at the event instead of each temporary vendor needing an individual itinerant merchant license. The fee is based on how many vendors take part.
Who handles sales tax at a market in Virginia Beach?
Temporary Sales Tax Certificate/Return (Form ST-50) (Virginia Department of Taxation (Virginia Tax)): Event vendors without a Virginia account report and pay the tax on the ST-50 return, due by the 20th of the month after the event. A seller who attends 3 or more shows a year must instead register for a permanent sales tax account. For organizers: Virginia sales tax rules for fairs and flea markets say the Department of Taxation may authorize a sponsor or operator to remit the tax collected by the vendors at the event; an operator who wants that arrangement must apply to the Department in writing. The rule does not require a vendor list.
Do food vendors need a separate permit in Virginia Beach?
Temporary Food Establishment permit (Virginia Department of Health (local health department)): Each vendor submits the TFE application with the fee. The event coordinator also submits an Event Coordinator Application and reports event dates, vendor count and the toilets and handwash stations provided.
How far ahead should I apply in Virginia Beach?
Outdoor Event Permit: Final applications due 60 days before the event or first load-in date; private-property requests no later than 90 days before the event Commercial Rental Permit (city parks): Secure the permit no less than 30 days before the event Temporary Food Establishment permit: At least 10 calendar 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: 757-385-4800 (Events@vbgov.com)
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://cvb.virginiabeach.gov/resort-management/special-events-film/permit-event-types
- https://virginiabeach.gov/services/outdoor-event-permits
- https://parks.virginiabeach.gov/outdoors/rentals-reservations/commercial-rental-permits
- https://cor.virginiabeach.gov/businesses/community-events
- https://www.tax.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/taxforms/retail-sales-and-use/any/st-50-october-2020-and-later-any.pdf
- https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/food-safety-in-virginia/tfe/
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title23/agency10/chapter210/section570/
Collect every vendor permit in one place.
bzar is free for organizers: vendor applications with required documents, booth payments, tickets and check-in in one dashboard.