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Permit Types
Special Events
Special events are sidewalk and street activities that promote, advertise, or introduce a product, corporation, company or commercial entity to the public. Special events are charged and categorized by the size of the event. If you are interested in holding a special event, please read below for more information or apply here.
When hosting a special event, keep in mind the following:
- Applications must be submitted 30 days before the event
- Applications for non-promotional events, such as production parking or ropes and stanchions on the sidewalk, must be submitted 10 business days before the event
- Prior to submitting your application, we highly recommend that you scout the locations you are requesting
- We do not provide recommendations for locations
- A site plan and run of show must be submitted with your application
- Your organization must be insured for a minimum of $1 million. Additional insurance may also be required
- You may require additional permits. All other agency permits must be obtained before we can grant your SAPO permit. Examples include:
- Food vendors require a permit from the Department of Consumer Affairs
- Food giveaways require a permit from the Department of Health
- No parking signs and amplified sound, such as background music, musical permformances, or speaker program, require a permit from the New York Police Department
- Structures such as tents, canopies, stage platforms, bleachers, or inflatables over 10 feet tall require a permit from the Department of Buildings
- Vehicles greater than 55 feet in length require an over dimensional permit from the Department of Transportation
- Generators require a certificate from the New York Fire Department. When generators are over 40kw they also require a certificate from the New York Department of Environmental Protection
$290 per location per day
A special event qualifies as an extra small event if activities occur on a sidewalk or curb lane and consists only of production parking, rope and stanchion, or a red carpet walkway.
These event types will not include any commercial or branding element.
$3,100 per location per day
A special event qualifies as a small event if activities occur for a short period of time and includes, but is not limited to:
- use of the curb lane, sidewalk, pedestrian island or pedestrian plaza for placement of promotional materials; or
- an event with a commercial or promotional elements that denote guests arrival and departure at a specific venue (i.e. a step and repeat banner).
$11,000 per location per day
A special event qualifies as a medium event when it impacts pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic and requires significant set up on a sidewalk and/or curb lanes, pedestrian island or pedestrian plaza. Your event may also qualify as a medium event if it includes an obstruction such as a tent, canopy, stage platform, bleacher, or similar structure that may require a Department of Building permit.
$25,000 per location per day
A special event qualifies as a large event when it has an extensive impact on the surrounding community and vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic; uses a single pedestrian plaza; requires the full closure of a street for commercial purposes; and requires significant set-up including, but not limited to, erection of structures that may require a Department of Building permit.
$66,000 per location per day
A special event qualifies as an extra-large event when it has an extensive impact on the surrounding community and vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic, uses multiple locations, or a combination of pedestrian plazas and full street closure; requires significant set-up including, but not limited to, erection of structures that may require a Department of Building permit.
Permit Types
