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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Tell us about your event.
Permits for your market in San Francisco, CA.
To run a vendor market in San Francisco, an organizer starts with the city's event intake form, which lists the needed permits: SFMTA for street closures, Recreation and Park for parks, and a Fire Department permit for tents and cooking. Food booths need Department of Public Health temporary food permits. Vendors register their business and hold a California seller's permit.
Not shown, based on your answers: parks and public space, fire safety, tents and cooking, food vendors. See everything for San Francisco.
Event permit.
Special event street closure permit
Contact SFMTA early, submit the event intake form, then apply for the street closure permit. Food, alcohol, amplified sound, tents, stages, security and insurance each add requirements.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), with the Permit Center
- When
- Multi-block public events on a city street such as a street fair, night market or festival; a no-sales neighborhood block party has a simpler process
- Timing
- Reach out several months or more ahead depending on event size; the city says permit approvals can take 2 to 6+ months
Other rules.
Special event permit fee schedule
The street closure application fee rises as the event date gets closer, with a lower rate for small community events. The schedule also covers no-parking signs, fire fees and emergency medical plan review for events over 1,000 attendees.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- San Francisco Permit Center and partner agencies
- When
- Outdoor special events on a city street or Port property
- Fee
- SFMTA street closure application: $1,331.00 at 120+ days to $2,441.00 at 30-59 days ($166.00 to $333.00 for small community events), fiscal 2026-27
One-Time Outdoor Event permit (amplified sound or entertainment)
The Entertainment Commission issues this permit for outdoor events that include amplified sound or entertainment.
- Who
- Organizer
- From
- San Francisco Entertainment Commission
- When
- Outdoor events with amplified sound or entertainment
- Fee
- $586.00 application fee
Vendor and business licenses.
San Francisco business registration
The city says all businesses operating in San Francisco must register with the City, even small ones. Businesses that sell retail products also register with CDTFA.
- Who
- Organizer and vendors
- From
- San Francisco Treasurer & Tax Collector and Office of Economic and Workforce Development
- When
- Businesses that operate in San Francisco
Sales tax.
Seller's permit or temporary seller's permit
California requires a temporary seller's permit for anyone selling at a location for under 90 days, and each temporary sales location is registered with its own start and end dates. Registration is online through CDTFA.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA)
- When
- Vendors making retail sales of taxable goods at a market; sellers at one location for less than 90 days are treated as temporary sellers
- Fee
- Free
- Timing
- May be obtained 90 days before the business start date
Seller information for the event operator
Most sellers of new or used goods hold a seller's permit, and a seller with an existing permit still registers a sub-permit for the temporary location. Sellers give the event operator their business details and permit number in writing, and CDTFA offers form CDTFA-410-D for this. Occasional sellers and sellers with only exempt sales may not need a permit.
- Who
- Vendors
- From
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA)
- When
- Sellers at swap meets, flea markets and special events
What the rules ask of you about vendors.
Under CDTFA Publication 111, operators of swap meets, flea markets and special events may not rent space to a seller until they verify the seller holds a valid seller's permit, unless an exemption applies. Operators collect each seller's business name, address, phone, ID, items sold and permit number in writing, keep the records at least four years, and give them to CDTFA within 30 days of a written request. The page warns of a penalty of up to $1,000 per seller for missing records. Official page
When to apply.
- Special event street closure permit: Reach out several months or more ahead depending on event size; the city says permit approvals can take 2 to 6+ months
- Seller's permit or temporary seller's permit: May be obtained 90 days before the business start date
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: Office of Small Business, SpecialEventSF@sfgov.org; SFMTA street events, SpecialEvents@sfmta.com. Full page and sources for San Francisco.
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.