Frequently Asked Questions: General Vendor Licenses

Beginning January 15, 2027, NYC law increases the number of General Vendor licenses DCWP can issue to non-veterans from 853 Citywide (White) General Vendor licenses to:

• 3,478 Citywide (White) General Vendor licenses
• 7,875 Non-Manhattan (Green) General Vendor licenses

There continues to be no limit on the number of licenses that can be issued to veterans or their surviving spouses or domestic partners.

If you are a veteran or a surviving spouse or domestic partner of a veteran, you can review the license application checklist and apply online. 

If you are not a veteran or their surviving spouse or domestic partner, you will have to receive an offer letter from DCWP indicating you are eligible to submit a license application. DCWP mails offer letters to eligible people on the waitlist based on license availability and priority numbers.

The 2016 General Vendor Waitlist is closed to new applicants.

DCWP will begin accepting applications for the new 2026 General Vendor Waitlists from November 2 to 5:00 p.m. December 16, 2026. There will be two waitlists:

• 2026 Citywide (White) General Vendor Waitlist for an opportunity to apply for a license allowing vending in all five boroughs.
• 2026 Non-Manhattan (Green) General Vendor Waitlist for an opportunity to apply for a license allowing vending in all boroughs except Manhattan.

DCWP sent offer letters to eligible 2016 General Vendor Waitlist applicants in late July/early August 2026.

• If you received an offer to apply, please apply by October 29, 2026 to be considered for one of the new General Vendor licenses available in 2027.
• If your application is approved, DCWP will issue either a Citywide General Vendor license or a Non-Manhattan General Vendor license based on availability and your 2016 waiting list priority number.
• If you do not apply by the deadline or your application is denied, you will lose your priority number on the 2016 General Vendor Waiting List.

If you are not on the 2016 Waitlist, DCWP will be accepting applications for the 2026 General Vendor Waitlists from November 2 to 5:00 p.m. on December 16, 2026. You can apply online or by mail. In limited cases, you can apply in person.

Please monitor DCWP for more information.

DCWP sent offer letters to eligible waitlist applicants in late July/early August 2026. If you did not receive an offer letter by August 15, 2026, please send an email with your name and 2016 General Vendor Waitlist priority number to HIC-GVUnit@dcwp.nyc.gov or call 311 and ask to speak with a DCWP representative about the General Vendor License.

If your General Vendor license application is approved, DCWP will issue either a Citywide (White) General Vendor license or a Non-Manhattan (Green) General Vendor license based on availability and your 2016 waiting list priority number. If you receive a Non-Manhattan license, you will automatically be assigned a new priority number and placed on a waiting list for a Citywide license.

You must submit a completed waitlist application and a copy of your photo ID during the waitlist application period of November 2 and 5:00 p.m. on December 16, 2026 to be considered for the 2026 waitlist(s). If you are submitting by mail, it must be postmarked by December 16, 2026.

Note that there is no age requirement for submitting a waitlist application, but when DCWP sends an offer letter to you to apply for a General Vendor license, you must be at least 18 years old.

You may apply to join either or both General Vendor waitlists if you do NOT have two or more convictions for possessing or selling stolen property or trademark counterfeiting pursuant to NY Penal Law sections 165.40, 165.45, 165.50, or 165.71 within two years of your application date.

No. On the waitlist application, you can indicate if you would like to be on the Citywide and/or Non-Manhattan waitlists.

No. At the end of the 2026 waitlist application period, DCWP will review materials and remove duplicate or incomplete applications.

Individuals who previously engaged in street vending in NYC may be asked to provide proof of past street vending activity and be given higher priority numbers.

If you applied for both waitlists, you will have a different priority number for each waitlist.

No. Any duplicate applications will be removed from the pool before a priority number is issued.

You cannot:

• Transfer your waitlist position to another individual.
• Have someone transfer a waitlist position to you.

At the end of the 2026 waitlist application period, DCWP will review the applications and assign a priority number to each applicant for each waitlist they applied for. DCWP plans to mail applicants their priority number(s) in February 2027. You may also look up your waitlist priority number online at nyc.gov/BusinessToolbox in February 2027.

Reminder: Being on the waitlist(s) does not mean you hold a license to engage in street vending activity. DCWP will notify you when and how you can apply for a General Vendor license based on availability and your 2026 waitlist priority number.

DCWP will send you an offer letter to apply for a General Vendor license based on license availability and your 2026 priority number. Instructions will be outlined in your offer letter but in general you must submit a completed license application, supporting documents, and fees within 90 days of the date DCWP sends the offer letter.

If you miss the deadline or your license application is denied, you will lose your priority number on the 2026 General Vendor Waitlist.

You may receive two offer letters, however you can only hold one General Vendor license, either the Citywide or Non-Manhattan license. Based on license availability and your priority number on each waitlist:

• If you receive an offer to apply for a Citywide General Vendor license and your application is approved, DCWP will remove you from the Non-Manhattan General Vendor Waitlist.
• If you receive an offer to apply for a Non-Manhattan General Vendor license, you remain on the Citywide General Vendor Waitlist. If you are issued a Non-Manhattan General Vendor license and later receive an offer to apply for a Citywide General Vendor license, you can:
  • Apply for a Citywide General Vendor license and once approved, you will have to surrender your Non-Manhattan license. OR
  • Keep your Non-Manhattan General Vendor license and give up your Citywide General Vendor waitlist priority number.

It is important that you use the Contact Information Update Form to notify DCWP if your contact information changes after you submit your 2026 waitlist application. If you do not submit your license application within the time allowed, DCWP’s offer to apply will be void and you will lose your place on the waitlist. 

You can ask questions about the general vendor license and waitlist by:

• Email at HIC-GVUnit@dcwp.nyc.gov
• Call (212) 487-4075

You can also connect with the Office of Street Vendor Services at the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) for support in multiple languages:

• Call the Small Business Hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC (888-727-4692) and ask for “Street Vendor Services” 

• Visit one of the NYC Business Solutions Centers for support with your application. Each center is open Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM.

• • The Bronx: 400 East Fordham Road, 7th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458
  • Brooklyn: 9 Bond Street, 5th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201
  • Lower Manhattan: 14 Wall Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10005
  • Upper Manhattan: 361 West 125th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10027
  • Washington Heights: 560 West 181st Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10033
  • Queens: 90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor, Jamaica, NY 11435
  • Staten Island: 120 Stuyvesant Place, 3rd Floor, Staten Island, NY 10301

• Find more information about street vending in NYC