How Do I Apply for a Street Use Public Space Vending Permit?

Instructions for Applying for a Street Use Public Space Vending Permit

Follow these steps to apply for a permit to vend food or flowers on a Seattle public street, sidewalk, or plaza, or in the authorized Stadium Event Vending area. This process helps ensure that your vending impacts to the public meets Street Use's requirements for uses of the right-of-way with minimal impacts to the traveling public and existing infrastructure. You can learn about types of vending permits on the SDOT Vending webpage. This guide applies to the following permit types:

• Curb Space Vending
• Sidewalk/Plaza Vending
• Stadium Vending
• Temporary Event Vending
• Trial Vending
• First Amendment Vending
• Route Vending

Documents You'll Need to Start Your Application

Before you start, gather these documents. What you will need varies by the type of permit you are applying for. Some are available on the Street Use Permitting Checklists, Forms, and Templates page. Acceptable file types include PDF, JPEG, or PNG. The initial documents frequently required are:

• Current Vending Unit Photo
• Site Plan: A site plan is a plan view drawing or an illustration of a site as if looking straight down from above. A site plan shows the vending site and existing conditions in relation to each other. We use the site plan to understand the proposed location and how the vending may affect use of the right-of-way. For Route Vending, submit the route map.
• Seattle Business License: A Seattle business license grants you permission to operate a business in Seattle.
• Seattle Fire Marshal Permit: A Fire Marshall permit grants you permission to use propane.
• Seattle King County Food Business Permit or an Exemption: A public health food permit grants you permission to sell food or beverages that are not exempt from health permitting. Each mobile vending unit you operate is required to have its own health permit on the SDOT vending record.
• Access Affidavit (only applicable in the Stadium and Event Center Vending Area): A document that confirms the adjacent private property owner gives permission if vending will impact their access.
• Letter of Authorization (conditionally required): A signed document that gives permission from the business owner to another party (like the applicant) to manage the permit.
• Any additional documents specific to your project. A reviewer will notify you if additional materials are needed.

Additional Information You'll Need to Start Your Application

Before you start, determine your site address. The address is called Project Address on the application form.

• Existing Site - For an existing site:
       If you are using an open slot, use the address from the Vendor Bulletin - or -
       If you are renewing a current permit, use the address from that permit.
• New Site - For a new site, use the address of the property directly adjacent to your site.
• Route Vending - If you are a route vendor, use 700 5^th Ave.

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, select Permits – Street Use.
3. Expand the Short-Term Use section by clicking on it.
4. Scroll down and click Vending.

Step 3: Provide Your Project Location

1. On the Location Information page, enter the location where you want to vend. For best results, only enter the Street No. and Street Name when searching.
   • Street No. (required): Enter the house or building number.
   • Street Name (required): Enter the name of the road. For a numbered street, such as 700 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 or company who owns the vending business.
• Financially Responsible Party (FRP): The person or company handling costs for the permit.
• Onsite Contact: The person available if we need to speak with somebody onsite.
• 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.

   Note: If the Applicant or Financially Responsible Party is different from the Owner, a Letter of Authorization will be required later.

2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 5: Provide Vending Site Information

1. On the Project Information page, fill in:
   • Project Name: Enter the name of your vending business.
   • Project and Location Description (required): Describe your vending unit including where you want to locate it, what you’ll sell, and when you want to sell.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 6: Provide Related Information

1. On the Related Information page, optionally use this section to tell us about what else is related to your application.
   • Enter your Curb Space Number, if known.
   • If you wish to vend from more than one curb space and you know the curb space numbers, enter them in Curb Space Number and Curb Space Number 2.
   • Enter your Vending Unit and Vehicle Dimensions, if applicable.
2. Skip the Permit Priority section.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 7: Provide Vending Site Information

1. On the Use Information page, scroll down and click Add a Row.
2. A popup window prompts you to provide the vending site information. Fill in the fields. Fields will vary based on the permit type selected. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help.
   • Use Code Description (required): Select your permit type.
   • Use Code: Auto populates based on the permit type selected.
   • Vending Site Id (optional): For an existing site, use the VENDID from the Vending Site Map. For example, "100044."
   • Vending Site Name: Auto populates based on the VENDID provided.
   • Side of Street (required): Select the side of the street you will be vending on.
   • Use Area (required for Sidewalk/Plaza or a Stadium Vending permit): Enter the number of square feet that you will need to vend (length of space times width of space). For example, for a 5’ x 4’ food cart, include the square feet needed by the cart (5’ x 4’ = 20 square feet) and the space where the vendor will operate (an additional 5’ x 3’ = 15 square feet) for a total of 35 square feet.
   • Mobility Type (required): Select where in the right-of-way you will be vending. For example, "Parking Lane" or "Sidewalk."
   • Closure Type (required): Select the type of closure of the right-of-way. Use these guidelines to help you:
     • Partially Closed and Accessible: Choose this for sidewalk, plaza, or stadium vending.
     • Reroute of Public: Choose this for curb space vending.
     • Open to Public: Choose this for route vending.
   • Use Start Date (required): Select the day you wish to start vending.
   • Duration (Days) (required for a Temporary Curb Space Vending or a First Amendment Vending permit): Enter the number of continuous calendar days from start to finish for your vending on this day of the week.
   • Day of the Week (required): Select the day of the week. You will be able to add another day later in the process.
   • Start Time (required): Enter the time in a 24 hour format that you wish to start vending on the day of the week you selected. For example, if you want to start at 10 AM, enter 10:00.
   • End Time (required): Enter the time in a 24 hour format that you wish to stop vending on the day of the week you selected. For example, if you want to end at 2 PM, enter 14:00.
   • Expired Date: Auto populates based on Use Start Date and Duration.
3. Click Submit.
4. The pop-up form closes and you are returned to the Use Details section. The vending information you just added is visible.

5. Repeat steps to add another day.

   Note: Add one row for each day you wish to vend at this site.

   Exception: Stadium and Event Day permits only need one row.

6. Once all the days you wish to vend are added, click Continue to proceed. 

Step 8: Attach Required Documents

On the Documents page, you'll see the list of required documents. Document requirements vary based on your type of vending. Some documents are required at application, and some are required later during the review process. For all permit types, you must submit a site plan and a photograph of your vending unit.

1. To upload a document, 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 your site plan, 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 "Site Plan" 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.
6. Click Continue to proceed.
   • If you see a red Attention message, that means you either have not selected the correct Document Type, and/or have missed a required document.
   • If a document is missing, go back to step 1 in this section and upload the missing document.
   • If you selected the wrong Document Type on a document that you have already saved, upload the document again and pick the Document Type that matches the Condition in the Attention message. You may also add a description explaining that you are uploading the document a second time with the correct Document Type.

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 SUVEND0000000.
• 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.

Need Help?

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