Which permits does your market need?
Pick your city or county, tell us whether you'll have food, use public space, or set up tents and cooking, and get the permits that apply to you and your vendors, with fees, deadlines and official links. Covers 225 US cities and counties.
Updated
Tell us about your event.
Permits for your market in Fairfax County, VA.
For a market on private property in Fairfax County, VA, the organizer applies to Zoning for a special event administrative permit in the PLUS portal. Food vendors need a Health Department temporary food establishment permit, vendors report Virginia sales tax, and sellers may need county business or solicitor licensing. Confirm with each office.
Not shown, based on your answers: parks and public space, fire safety, tents and cooking, food vendors. See everything for Fairfax County.
Event permit.
Special Event Administrative Permit (Tier-One or Tier-Two)
The property owner, or someone with the owner's written permission, applies electronically through the PLUS portal. Shorter one-day events can use a Tier-One permit, and larger or longer events use Tier-Two.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development, Zoning Permits Section
- When
- Temporary outdoor events on private property that are open to the public, such as festivals, fairs and open-air markets; events on County, Park Authority or school property are not required to get this permit
- Fee
- $140 for Tier-One; $285 for Tier-Two; credit card payments carry a 2.35% service charge
Vendor and business licenses.
Solicitors License (Fairfax County Code Chapter 31)
The county says anyone selling from a temporary location needs this license. Applicants apply in person at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 127, with a notarized application, two forms of ID and payment. Ask the county whether vendors at a permitted market are covered.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Fairfax County Department of Cable and Consumer Services
- When
- Individuals who sell goods or services door-to-door or from a temporary location in the county; fresh farm food products, newspapers, and licensed real estate or insurance sales are exempt
- Fee
- $35 total ($20 permit plus $15 Virginia State Police background check)
Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL)
The county says all business owners are subject to BPOL, with no minimum receipts threshold, and new businesses register within 75 days of starting. Renewal is due March 1 each year. The county's page does not say how itinerant or event-only sellers are treated.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration
- When
- Business owners operating in Fairfax County, including home-based businesses
- Fee
- $0 for receipts of $10,000 or less; $30 for $10,001 to $50,000; $50 for $50,001 to $100,000; rates vary by business type above that
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
Collect your vendors' permits with their applications.
Make the vendor licenses, sales tax registration and food permits above required documents on your application, and check them before you approve anyone.
Check with the office.
This checklist summarizes official government pages read on 2026-10-10. It isn't legal advice; rules, fees and deadlines change. Special events contact: Zoning Permits Section, 703-222-1082, dpdzoningpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov. Full page and sources for Fairfax County.
Common questions.
What permits do I need to host a vendor market?
Usually an event permit from the city or county, licenses and sales tax registration for vendors, and temporary food permits for anyone selling food. Parks, streets, tents and cooking can add more. Pick your city above to see the exact list.
Do I need a permit for a pop-up market on private property?
It depends on the city. Some only require permits on public property; others, like zoning temporary-use permits, apply anywhere. The checklist shows what each city's official pages say.
How far ahead should I apply for an event permit?
Often 30 to 90 days. The median deadline across 111 places in our study is 45 days, and 43 want 60 or more.
Permits sorted? Run the event on bzar.
Free for organizers: vendor applications with required documents, booth payments, tickets and check-in.