Temporary Outdoor Events & Sales Permit

Woman looking at clothes at an outdoor event

A permit is required for any temporary outdoor event or sale that is not part of a property’s normal or previously approved use.

Outdoor Events & Sales permits are governed by City ordinance Sec. 158.225 and Neighborhood Services policies 26-23 and 26-24 listed below:

How to apply

Before you apply

Temporary Outdoor Events applications must be submitted a minimum of 60 days before the first day of the event, or they will be subject to late fees.

  • Any application for an event will be automatically denied if submitted less than 21 days before the event date.

Temporary Outdoor Sales applications must be submitted a minimum of 30 days before the first day of the event, or they will be subject to late fees.

  • Any application for an outdoor sale will be automatically denied if submitted less than 14 days before the start date of the sales event.

Once you begin the application, you may save your progress(PDF, 203KB) and return later to complete it at your convenience.

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted with your Temporary Outdoor Event or Sales application:

  • Consent letter from the property owner
  • Copy of applicant’s driver’s license
  • Detailed site map or drawing (see Map Example(PDF, 236KB) and Drawing Example). Site maps must include:
    – Event/sales location
    – Adjacent roads and buildings
    – All temporary structures (tents, booths, stages, exhibits) with dimensions
    – Staging areas for visual sky displays (fireworks, drone shows, projections, light shows, etc.)
    – Event parking areas, including means of entrance/exit.
    – Dumpsters & portable restrooms
    – Utilities (generators and/or light towers)
    – Storage structures or trailers
  • Indemnification and insurance (if using public sidewalks and/or roads.)
  • Special Event Permit from the St. Lucie County Fire District for all temporary outdoor events or any temporary outdoor sale involving outdoor cooking.
  • Fire District permit if there is a tent that is 30 feet by 30 feet or larger on site.
  • Email response from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (if food is being prepared or sold), including:
    – Event time and location
    – Type of food service
    – List of all food vendor owners/operators
    – Current license numbers for all participating establishments  
  • Temporary alcohol license (if alcohol will be sold/served)
  • Approval from Port St. Lucie Animal Control (if animals or reptiles are present)
  • Mechanical ride inspection reports from the Department of Agriculture (if rides are present)
  • Noise permit from the Port St. Lucie Police Department (if a PA or sound system is used)
  • Fire District permit for fireworks sales
  • Proof of nonprofit status (if claiming nonprofit eligibility)

Application Form

Once you have all the required documents, fill out the form below to apply for a permit.

Apply for a permit

Fees

All permit fees and security deposits must be paid in full at least 7 days before the start date of the event/sale. Any event/sale with outstanding permit or deposit fees within 7 days of the event/sales start date will be subject to revocation of the approved permit.

Security deposits are refundable.

Fee Exemptions

Applications submitted by registered 501(c)(3)’s are exempt from permitting fees associated with the temporary outdoor event application. Applicants are still required to pay the application fees and submit a refundable security deposit. The applicant is responsible for submitting proof of 501(c)(3) status in their application.

Temporary Outdoor Events Fees

  • Application Fee: $100
  • Single Event Permit Fee: $300 plus $200 for each succeeding day
  • Event Series Permit Fee: $1,500
  • Weekly Event Permit Fee: $900
  • Vendor Fee: $25 per additional vendor selling goods and/or services at the event
  • Security Deposit:
    • Single Event Permit: $600
    • Event Series Permit: $3,000
    • Weekly Event Permit: $1,800
  • Late Fee:
    • Single Event Permit: $150
    • Event Series Permit: $750
    • Weekly Event Permit: $450
  • Unpermitted Outdoor Events Fee:
    • Single Event Permit: $300
    • Event Series Permit: $1,500
    • Weekly Event Permit: $900

Temporary Outdoor Sales

  • Applicaton Fee: $100
  • 1-Week Sales Permit: $200 
  • 1-Month Sales Permit: $500
  • Annual Sales Permit: $700
  • Late Fee: $200
  • Unpermitted Outdoor Sales Fee: $200
  • Refundable Security Deposit:
    • 1-Week Permit: $500
    • 1-Month Permit: $1,000
    • Annual Permit: $1,400

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the permit application deadlines?

Temporary Outdoor Events applications must be submitted a minimum of 60 days before the first day of the event. Applications submitted within 60-21 days before the first day of the event will be subject to late fees.

  • Temporary Outdoor Event applications will be automatically denied if submitted less than 21 days before the event date.

Temporary Outdoor Sales applications must be submitted a minimum of 30 days before the first day of sale. Applications submitted within 30-14 days before the first sales date will be subject to late fees.

  • Temporary Outdoors Sales applications will be automatically denied if submitted less than 14 days before the start date of the sales event.

When is an outdoor events/sales permit required?

Permits are required for any Temporary Outdoor Event or Sale that occurs on developed properties zoned for open space recreation, institutional, general commercial and planned unit development/master planned unit development.

  • Temporary Outdoor Event Permit: Required for any organized or planned gathering of persons having a common purpose, design, or goal, that is to occur on private property.
  • Temporary Outdoor Sales Permit: Required for any short-term outdoor display or sale of goods, services, or merchandise by a single vendor, that is to occur on private property.

Temporary Outdoor Event and Sales permits are not required for small scale gatherings of a business/organization’s staff, parishioners, or other group that is internal to the organization/business. The gathering must be taking place on the organization/businesses’ property, must not be advertised or open to the public in any way, must be small scale in nature, and are prohibited from having any components of a full-scale outdoor event such as tents that are 900 square feet or greater, police details requests, road or sidewalk closures, ticketing, etc.

What are the different Temporary Outdoor Event Permit types?

  • Single Event Permit: A temporary outdoor event permit that grants the applicant the ability to conduct a single event for up to seven consecutive days on a single property. (Examples: Annual 5K, Carnival, Festival, etc.)
  • Monthly Event Series Permit: A temporary outdoor event permit that grants the applicant the ability to conduct multiple temporary outdoor events as part of an organized and scheduled series; meaning the name of all events, major components of each event, event layouts, event advertising, and event scale, etc. are the same for all events included under the permit. (Examples: Monthly Car Shows. Monthly Food Truck Nights, Monthly Outdoor Concerts, etc.)
  • Weekly Event Permit: A temporary outdoor event permit that grants the applicant the ability to conduct regularly scheduled, small scale (less than 350 anticipated attendees per event), outdoor events for a maximum of 1 day per week on a single property. (Example: Weekly Farmer's Market)

What are the different Temporary Outdoor Sales Permit types?

  • Week Sales Permit: A temporary outdoor sales permit that grants the applicant the ability to conduct a single-vendor sale for up to seven consecutive days on a single property.
  • Month Sales Permit: A temporary outdoor sales permit that grants the applicant the ability to conduct a single-vendor sale for up to thirty consecutive days on a single property.
  • Annual Sales Permit: A temporary outdoor sales permit that grants the applicant the ability to conduct a single-vendor sale for a maximum of 2 consecutive days per week on a single property. An applicant is allowed a maximum of 52 such events per calendar year.

Applicants should make sure to review all policies to confirm proper permitting types and the number of events allowed for each permit type per calendar year.

Does the permit allow banners, feather flags, or other temporary signage during my event?

No. Banners, feather flags and signs in the right-of- way remain prohibited on commercial property during Temporary Outdoor Events & Sales.

Agency Contacts

Tradition Community Association (Master HOA)
Ali Griffin
10807 SW Tradition Square
Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
Email: agriffin@castlegroup.com 
Phone: 772-345-5101 

Firework & Tent Permitting - St. Lucie County Fire District
Kelly Machado
5160 NW Milner Drive
Port St. Lucie, FL 34983
Email: kmachado@slcfd.org
Phone: 772-621-3344

Event Permitting – St. Lucie County Fire District
Tanner Selph
5160 NW Milner Drive
Port St. Lucie, FL 34983
Email: specialevents@slcfd.org
Phone: 772-621-3322 (press 5)

Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (FDBPR) —  Division of Hotel and Restaurants
2601 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011
Email: dhr.info@myfloridalicense.com 
Phone: 850-487-1395

Port St. Lucie Police Department
City Hall Municipal Complex, Building C
121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd.
Port St. Lucie, FL 34984
Phone: 772-871-5000

Port St. Lucie Animal Control
1133 SW S. Macedo Blvd.
Port St. Lucie, FL34983
Phone: 772-871-5042

Florida Department of Agriculture — Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection
2005 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, FL 32399-6500
Email: FairRides@FDACS.gov
Phone: 850-410-3838