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.
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Permits for your market in Greenbelt, MD.
In Greenbelt, MD, any special event on City park property needs a City permit limited to Greenbelt residents, and the park rules bar selling items, tents, food trucks and generators, so parks do not suit a vendor market. Selling in the City needs a City peddler permit, plus County food permits and Maryland trader's and sales tax licenses.
Not shown, based on your answers: parks and public space, food vendors. See everything for Greenbelt.
Event permit.
Special Event permit on City park property
Apply in person on the Recreation form; applications are accepted from January 1 for the calendar year, no reservations are made on national holidays, and the named applicant is liable for the event. Insurance may be required for special uses.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- City of Greenbelt Recreation Department
- When
- Any special event held on City park property. Permits are limited to Greenbelt residents, and the park rules prohibit selling or offering items for sale, food trucks, tents and other structures, generators, amplified music and alcohol, so a commercial market is not permitted under them.
- Timing
- Permits must be received at least 5 business days before the event
Special Event Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit
Apply in the Momentum permit portal with a site plan showing all structures and the Special Event Temporary Use Procedures Checklist. The owner's business must be registered and in good standing with Maryland. Fees include a structures fee and a technology fee, and expedited review fees apply to late filings (see the DPIE Fee Schedule).
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE)
- When
- Temporarily using a space for an event other than its approved use. Parades, bike rides and walks with no tents, stages, inflatables, generators, ticket sales, food trucks or on-site food, and community meetings of 50 or fewer, are exempt from this permit but still need county approval for road closures and police traffic control. Greenbelt is inside Prince George's County; the County page read does not say whether this permit applies within municipalities, so ask DPIE and the City.
- Timing
- Submit 45 days before the event, and no less than 3 weeks before; later applications are not guaranteed review and carry expedited review fees
Vendor and business licenses.
Peddler, hawker and vendor permit (City Code Chapter 10, Article II)
A person must register and get a permit from the City Manager before selling. Nonprofit, religious, civic and charitable groups register but the fee is waived, and sales on street rights-of-way follow hours and display rules.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- City of Greenbelt, City Manager
- When
- Selling goods, wares or merchandise in or on City streets and highways, or house to house. The City's park rules also bar selling in parks without a City permit. The code PDF read is undated and the page does not say how it applies to a market on private property.
- Fee
- $25 per organization for one year, plus $5 for each extra salesperson; $75 more for a fixed roadside location (agricultural produce only)
Commercial License
Non-residential structures must be licensed and inspected every year, starting with a Commercial Property License Application before the inspection.
- Who
- Organizer and vendors
- From
- City of Greenbelt Planning & Community Development
- When
- Non-residential structures in Greenbelt, such as a building that would host an indoor market. Not a license for individual temporary sellers.
Trader's License (or Exhibitor's Affidavit)
The Comptroller's license bureau says a trader's license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court is required, along with a sales tax account, and the license year runs May 1 to April 30. A copy of the license or affidavit must be shown to the promoter before the show and displayed during it. Fees are not listed on this page.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Montgomery County, Clerk of the Circuit Court (statewide rules enforced by the Comptroller's License Bureau)
- When
- Anyone selling goods in Maryland other than a grower or manufacturer. Exhibitors at a show do not need their own trader's license when the show is promoted by an exempt entity the Comptroller lists (for example a church, government agency or volunteer fire department), or when they give the promoter an Exhibitor's Affidavit saying they get under 10 percent of annual income from like goods at the show. Either way they must not have done more than three shows in the previous 365 days.
Transient Vendor License (roadside or temporary sales)
The Comptroller issues this license free of charge for 90 days, but the seller must first hold a Maryland sales and use tax license and a business license for the county where they will operate. Selling without it can bring a stop-sale order or criminal citation.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Comptroller of Maryland
- When
- Sellers who make taxable sales from a vehicle or from a roadside or temporary location they do not own. The Comptroller says it does not apply to exhibitors at fairs, trade shows and flea markets.
- Fee
- Free; valid for 90 days
Sales tax.
Temporary Sales and Use Tax License (30 days)
A vendor emails the event date, name and location plus business details to the Comptroller's temporary license desk (or calls 410-767-1543 or 410-767-5462) and collects the 6 percent or 9 percent Maryland sales and use tax, as the Comptroller states. Vendors at three or more events a year should register for a permanent license through Maryland Tax Connect.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Comptroller of Maryland
- When
- Vendors without a permanent Maryland sales and use tax license who sell at one-time events such as craft shows and fairs. Maryland has one statewide rate and no local sales taxes.
- Timing
- Temporary license is valid for 30 days
Flea market and show sales are taxable
The Comptroller says sales at flea markets are subject to the 6 percent sales and use tax like other retail sales, and a seller must hold a license before collecting it. A 30-day permit is available by phone from the Special Events Section at 410-767-1543 or 410-767-1531; frequent sellers should get a permanent license through the Combined Registration Application.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- Comptroller of Maryland
- When
- Vendors at flea markets and similar markets, including nonprofits and private individuals (casual and isolated sales under $1,000 and a few other sales are exempt).
What the rules ask of you about vendors.
A show promoter may not let an exhibitor take part unless the exhibitor has given a photocopy of a valid Trader's License or an Exhibitor's Affidavit before the show. Exhibitors must display it, and the promoter must forward all Exhibitor Affidavits to the Comptroller's State License Bureau within seven days after the show. Non-compliance is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $100 or up to 30 days in jail. Official page
When to apply.
- Special Event permit on City park property: Permits must be received at least 5 business days before the event
- Special Event Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit: Submit 45 days before the event, and no less than 3 weeks before; later applications are not guaranteed review and carry expedited review fees
- Temporary Sales and Use Tax License (30 days): Temporary license is valid for 30 days
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: Greenbelt Recreation, 99 Centerway: 301-397-2200; Community Development: 301-345-5417. Full page and sources for Greenbelt.
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.
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