How Do I Apply for a Block Party or Play Street Permit?

Instructions for Applying for a Block Party or Play Street Permit 

Follow these steps to apply for a Block Party or Play Street permit. 

What You'll Need to Start Your Application

Before you start, gather these documents. Most are available on the Street Use Permitting Checklists, Forms, and Templates page.

• Letter of Authorization: A signed document that gives permission from the property owner to another party (like the Applicant) to manage the permit.
• Street Closure Template: A document that identifies the impacted streets and where road closure related signs will be placed.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Log in or Register

1. Go to the Seattle Services Portal.
2. Log in:
   • If you already have an account, log in with your credentials.
   • If you don’t have an account, register for a new account before proceeding.

Step 2: Start Your Application

1. Click on the Home tab in the portal.
2. Under Create New, click Permits – Street Use.
3. Expand the Short Term Use section by clicking on it.
4. Click Block Party/Play Street.

Step 3: Provide Your Event Location

1. On the Location Information page, enter the nearest address of the event. For best results, only enter the Street No. and Street Name when searching. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk.
   • Street No.: Enter the nearest house or building number.
   • Street Name: Enter the name of the road. For a numbered street, such as 5th Ave, only enter "5".
2. Click Search. If prompted, select the correct address or parcel number and click Select.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 4: Provide Contact Information

On the Contacts page, provide contact details for:

• Applicant: You, the person filling out this application.
• Owner: The person who owns the event, not the property. Typically, this person is the same as the Applicant.
• Financially Responsible Party (FRP): Block parties are free, but we require a Financially Responsible Party. This person will be responsible for paying any permit-related costs in the rare instance where concerns or complaints require an inspection.
• Onsite Contact: The person available if we need to speak with somebody onsite during the event.
• Optionally, add additional contacts like an Authorized Agent in the Additional Contacts section.

1. To add a contact:
   • Click Myself to auto-populate the contact information from your Seattle Services Portal user account. 
   • Click Someone Else to find an existing contact. If the person or organization isn’t found, click the “Person or organization not listed? Add them here." link.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 5: Provide Your Event Details

1. On the Project Information page, fill in the fields. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk.
   • Project Name: Enter a short title for your event including the permit type, the street name, and the date or day of the week. For example:
     • "Block Party - 5th Ave - 7/21/25" or
     • "Play Street - 5th Ave - Fridays."
   • Project and Location Description: Describe the proposed event. Be detailed and specific about your plans and what activities and structures will be in the right-of-way. For example:
     • "Block party on S Holden between 31st and 32nd Ave S, with three tables and ten chairs, biking, singing, dancing, food and crafts on 6/21/20" or
     • "Play Street on NE … Fridays from noon to 5 pm."
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 6: Provide Related Information

1. The Permit Priority is Standard.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 7: Provide Event Use Information

1. On the Use Information page, scroll down and click Add a Row.
2. A pop-up window prompts you to provide event information. Fill in the fields. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help.
   • Use Code Description: Defaults to "Block Party/Play Street."
   • Use Code: Auto-populates based on the event.
   • Side of Street: Defaults to "Both Sides."
   • Mobility Type: Defaults to "Other + Parking + Travel Lane(s)."
   • Closure Type: Defaults to "Reroute of Public."
   • Use Start Date: Select the start date for your event.
   • Duration (Days): Enter the number of calendar days for your event.
     • For one-time events, enter "1" day.
     • For recurring events, enter the total number of calendar days beginning with the first event and ending with the last event.
   • Day of the Week: Select the day of the week of your event. If your event occurs on multiple days of the week, enter the event details for the first day. You may add a row for each additional day when you return to the Use Details page.
   • Start Time: Use a 24-hour clock to indicate the time you will close the street to start setup for your event.
   • End Time: Use a 24-hour clock to indicate when you will fully reopen the street after cleanup of your event.
   • Planned Number of Attendees: Enter the number of people you expect to attend your event.
   • Expired Date: Automatically calculates based on duration entered.
3. Click Submit.
4. The pop-up form closes, and you are returned to the Use Details section. The event date you just added is visible.
5. To add another event date, repeat the steps.
6. Once all the event dates are added, click Continue to proceed.

Step 8: Attach Required Documents

On the Attachments page, attach the required documents. Some documents are required at application, and some are provided later during the review process.

1. If you have a document to upload:
   1. Click Select under the Upload Documents section.
   2. Select your document:
      1. Click Select in the File Upload popup.
      2. Select your document, for example "Street Closure Template," and click Open.
      3. Click Done in the File Upload popup.
   3. Select your document type:
      1. In the Document Type dropdown, select the document type that matches the document you uploaded. For example, select "Street Closure Template" as your document type when uploading the matching document.
      2. Optionally, enter the Description of the document.
   4. Click Save and wait for the upload to complete. Note: It may take a few minutes for your document to fully upload.
   5. Repeat steps for each additional document required. When prompted, select the document type that matches the document you are uploading.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 9: Review and Submit

1. On the Review page:
   • Verify that all information is correct.
   • Make edits as needed by clicking Edit in the relevant sections.
2. Scroll to the bottom. Agree to the certification statement by checking the box.
3. Click Continue to submit.

Step 10: Confirmation Displays

A Thank You page displays along with your application’s Record Number.

• Your record number has a format of SUFUN0000000.
• Keep this number for future reference.

Congratulations! Your application has been submitted for review. The Street Use team will contact you if additional information is required. For questions or updates, email [e-mail] and include your Record Number in the subject line.

You can log into the Seattle Services Portal at any time to track the status of your application.

Step 11: Review Permit and Street Closure Instructions

When your permit issues, an email is sent to the contacts on the application.

1. Log into the Seattle Services Portal.
2. Review the following documents under the Attachments tab of your permit:
   • Permit: This is the permit for your block party or play street.
   • Street Closure Checklist and Plan: These are instructions on how to set up the street for your event.

IMPORTANT: The event owner is responsible to obtain and set up any required street closure barricades, signage, and no-park signage. You can find more information at our webpage.

Need Help?

Visit the Seattle Services Portal help center, email [e-mail], or call [phone].