Frequently Asked Questions

A Special Events Permit is required for public or private event activity on public or private property that has impact to surrounding neighborhood or requires substantial public services, including:

  1. Any event planned to be held in a park or other public place that meets the following criteria:
    1. The activity is reasonably expected to cause or result in more than fifty people gathering in a park or other public place; and
    2. reasonably expected to have a substantial impact on the park or other public place; and
    3. requires the provision of substantial public services; and
    4. The event will require the temporary closure or exclusive use of a public place or waterway; OR
  2. Any event planned to be held on private property that meets the following criteria:
    1. Is reasonably expected to cause or result in more than five hundred (500) people gathering; and
    2. Is reasonably expected to have a substantial impact on public or neighbors; and
    3. Is reasonably expected to require the provision of substantial public services; OR
  3. Any other planned event in a park, other public place, or private property if the event organizer requests the City to provide any public services in addition to those that would normally be provided by the City in the absence of the event.

If you have questions about whether or not your event requires a Special Event Permit, contact the Special Events Office at 206-684-8017 or specialeventsoffice@seattle.gov

Special Event Application forms are online here.  Follow the instructions to complete and submit the Special Event Application to our office.
If you have questions about the forms or the process, contact our office at:
Special Events Office
specialeventsoffice@seattle.gov
206-684-8017
700 5th Ave, Suite 5752
Seattle, WA 98124

Event planners should give themselves as much time as possible by submitting their applications as soon as event plans are known. Even as much as one or two years in advance is not too early.

The application process generally takes at least three months or more depending on the complexity of the event, extent of community notification, and the number of departments that require review.

The Special Events Committee expedites the permit application process for proposed time-sensitive constitutionally protected free speech events.

Special events should not be advertised until the Preliminary Permit is issued.

90 days in advance of the event date
Submit your Special Event Application at least 90 days in advance of the event date. Applications submitted later are subject to late fees. 

60-90 days in advance of the event date
The Special Events Office will communicate with you and initiate communication between you and Committee representatives.  If there are no objections to the activity from the Committee, the Special Events Office will issue Preliminary Permit approval of the event conditional on all organizer and departmental tasks, permissions, licensing, permits, and other items being met.

30-60 days in advance of the event date
Neighbor communication, notification, and sign offs are due.  Vendor lists are due.  Insurance documents are due.  Permit fee payment is due.  Vendor lists are due.  All other applications for permits/licenses are due

15-30 days in advance of the event date
Once all items are complete from the organizer, Committee representatives, and permitting departments, the final Special Event Permit is issued.

Special Event Permit fees are assessed in a fee-for-use structure with three categories:  Application Fee, Administrative Fee, and Police Department Fee.  Payment of the Special Event Permit Fee is due prior to the event date.

To assist event organizers with advance cost planning, the Special Events Office created the Fee Estimator and Fee Estimator Instructions document available online here.  If you have any questions about the billing process or how to pay, contact the Special Events Office at (206) 684-8017 or specialeventsoffice@seattle.gov.  Link to Fees.

Application Fee
Applies to all Community, Parade, Commercial, Athletic, and Citywide events
Due with Application submission.  The  Application Fee is non-refundable and payable prior to application distribution to the Special Events Committee.  The Application Fee is waived for Constitutionally Protected Free Speech events.

Administrative Fee
Applies to all Community, Parade, Commercial, Athletic, and Citywide events*
The Administrative Fee is based on (1) the footprint in public right-of-ways (excluding Parks and Seattle Center) measured by the type of street, number of streets, and length of time streets are occupied/closed to the public and/or use of a public waterway; (2) the number of commercial vendors attached to the event (excluding vendors on Parks and Seattle Center property); and (3) the number of alcohol sales areas at the event.

Police Department Fee
Applies only to Commercial and Athletic Events*
Commercial and Athletic event organizers are required to pay hourly per officer (two hour minimum) for Seattle Police Department officers providing traffic control or safety/security services at the event.  Number of officers and amount of officer time is determined in advance by the Special Events Committee in consultation with Seattle Police Department and event organizer.

Other Fees
Event organizers also pay related costs directly to City departments and other agencies including but not limited to Parks Use fees, SDOT Lost Revenue fees, Fire Department fees, licensing fees, King County Metro or Health fees, and hourly staff/inspection fees.  Late fees may also be assessed to applications submitted within 90 days of the event date.

Discounts
For annual events taking place in materially the same time, place, and manner as the previous year, a 25% discount will be applied to the right-of-way portion of the Administrative Fee (not applicable to vendor, alcohol, or police department fees).

Other Costs
Permit, license, and other fees may also be charged directly by Parks & Recreation, Department of Planning & Development, Department of Transportation, Seattle Center, King County Health, King County Metro, Washington State Liquor & Cannabis Board, or other agencies with permit fees or cost recovery charges.

Late Fees

Applications are due 90 days before the event begins. Late applications are subject to late fees. The application fee is increased to $160. The administrative fee is increased to be 120 percent of the administrative fee calculated as if the event's application were submitted on time.

*Administrative or Police Department Fees may be assessed to Constitutionally Protected Free Speech Events for any commercial activity not intrinsically intertwined with the free speech message that is part of the event.

The Special Events Committee is comprised of over 20 government agencies including Police, Fire, Health, Metro, Parks, Liquor Enforcement, who are ordained by law to review and regulate events coordinated through the Special Event permit process.  Full list with contact information is available online here.

The Special Events Committee meets every month at the Seattle Municipal Tower in downtown Seattle.  Full meeting calendar is available online here.

The Special Events Committee reviews event requests based on time, place, manner, and safety.  Event requests can be declined by one or a combination of all criteria.  Below are some primary reasons for declines.  Contact the Special Events Office for more information.

  • Date conflict with another event
  • Location conflict (overlapping footprint, abutting footprint) with another event
  • Seattle Police Department or other agency resources are not available
  • No appropriate location for event activity is identified
  • Surrounding construction or other impacts are too great to host an event in the area
  • Event location or date conflicts with the City's Holiday or other moratoriums

The City's Special Events Chair will inform you if you are required to present in person at a Special Event Committee Meeting.  Committee meetings are held monthly at the Seattle Municipal Tower in downtown Seattle.

You may need to appear if you are a new promoter, if wish to stage a new and/or complex event, if there are major changes to your event from previous years, if substantial public resources are required for your event, or if you have been cited for deficiencies in previous events. At this meeting, the Committee will inform on what is required to obtain your permit; for example, number of barricades, security requirements, health requirements for food handling, traffic control plans, etc.

The Special Events Committee is comprised of government agencies including Police, Fire, Health, Metro, Parks, Liquor Enforcement, ordained by law to review and regulate events coordinated through the Special Event permit process.

Be prepared to answer questions about your event including specifics on your site set up, security plans, number of volunteers, portable restrooms, parking and traffic plans, neighborhood communication, and other key elements of the event.  Additionally, the City's Special Events Chair or Coordinator will inform on specific items that will be reviewed as needed.

You may be asked to bring key planners with you to the presentation, such as alcohol service providers, safety and security managers, staging or other key vendors.

The City's Special Events Chair or Coordinator will also inform you on what specific documents to submit for the presentation.  In general, submit or bring any information that was not attached to your application (i.e., news release, public notification, new maps or layout, etc.)

If you are able to submit digital copies 5 days prior to the presentation date, the Special Events Office will provide copies for Committee members.  Otherwise, bring 25 copies of your materials for distribution to the Committee members.

Demonstrations that meet the definition of a special event (see "Do I need a Special Event Permit?" above) require a Special Events permit.  If you meet those definitions, complete and submit the Special Event Application. 

The Application Fee is waived for all constitutionally protected free speech events.  Free speech events that have commercial activity that is not inextricably intertwined with the message of the activity may be assessed Administrative Fees or actual cost recovery fees.

City Parks:  A Parks Use Permit may be required to assemble in, pass through, or terminate a parade in a park. If you want to conduct a rally or protest in a park, call the Park Scheduling Office to determine if anyone else is using the site where you want to protest. Parks & Recreation charges a fee for all constitutionally protected free speech activity permitted in a City Park.  Parks Use Applications are online here.

Seattle Center:  Permission from Seattle Center is required to assemble in, pass through, or terminate a march on Seattle Center campus.  Additional fees may apply.  Contact and other information is online here.

Private or Non-City Property:  You must obtain permission for your activity directly from the property owner.  Contact the Special Events Office if you do not have contact information for other government agencies.

If you want to demonstrate at someone else's event, exactly when and where you can demonstrate depends on the event organizer's permit. If they have reserved exclusive use of an area, you may request a permit to demonstrate at a nearby area. The Special Event Office can help you schedule and locate your demonstration/event.

No.  The company or individual organizing the event is responsible for obtaining and setting up any required barricades, signs, or other traffic control devices. These items can be rented from various suppliers.

A Parks Use Permit is always required for event activity in a City Park.  You will also need a Special Events Permit if:

    1. The activity is reasonably expected to cause or result in more than fifty people gathering in the park; and
    2. The activity is reasonably expected to have a substantial impact on the park or in the neighborhood outside the park; and
    3. The activity requires the provision of substantial public services;  OR
    4. The activity includes alcohol sales; OR
    5. You request the City to provide any public services in addition to those that would normally be provided by the City in the absence of the event.

The City requires $1M General Liability Insurance coverage naming City of Seattle as insured for all Special Events.  Additional coverage is required for pyrotechnics, alcohol service, bouncy houses, exotic animals, and other activity.  Complete information on insurance requirements is available online here.

Insurance may be purchased from any independent insurance agent or broker. Insurance must be filed with the Special Events Office and the City's Risk Manager no less than 30 days prior to the event.

For more detailed information, contact Risk Management.

The Special Events Office maintains a list of special event permitted through the Special Events Permit process available online here.

A list of all events in Seattle is available on the Citywide Event Calendar here.

If you have questions about event conflicts on specific dates you are considering for your event, contact the Special Events Office directly.

Special Events

Address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5752, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94708, Seattle, WA, 98124-4708
Phone: (206) 684-8017
Fax: (206) 684-7025

The City of Seattle plays a strong role in helping event planners bring people together safely and successfully in both city-wide and neighborhood events.