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 Virginia Beach, VA.
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.
Not shown, based on your answers: parks and public space, food vendors. See everything for Virginia Beach.
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
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
What the rules ask of you 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. Official page
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
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: 757-385-4800 (Events@vbgov.com). Full page and sources for Virginia Beach.
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.