City Sidewalk Dining Permitting

Outdoor sidewalk dining in front of your business requires an permit from The City of New Haven. The permit is $150 per year and must be renewed annually.

Click here for the sidewalk dining application.

Event Permitting

Have your own idea for an event in Downtown New Haven? Take a look at the permits list and descriptions below to identify the permits necessary. The City of New Haven’s Event Planning Guide is the perfect place to start, as most permitting has moved away from physical permits to online in 2020.

Contact Francesca Vignola with any questions.

CITY OF NEW HAVEN’S EVENT PLANNING GUIDE

Special Events Permit  |  City of New Haven, Building Department

• Click here for Permit Requirements

• Used for street closure requests

• Must be coupled with Street Petition, 50% of businesses and properties on the effected street must sign off on street closure date & details. View sample petition here

• Must obtain approval letter from alder(s) associated with street closure district
  Click here to find your alder

• Depending what is occurring on your closure, you may require other permits such as a Vending License (for sale of retail goods), Food Cart/Truck Permit, etc. If selling food without a cart/truck, the business will require a Temporary Food Service permit, below.

• Fee required

Temporary Food Service |  City of New Haven, Health Department

• For existing brick & mortar restaurants without catering permits to serve food and drink outside of physical business; food is cooked within restaurant and brought to be served anywhere outside of the restaurant location

• Can be waived if business holds an annual catering license with the Health Department

• Fee required

Special Events Permit |  City of New Haven, Parks & Rec Department

• Use for events in public parks & plazas

• Must attend Parks Commission meeting to discuss your event

• Requests for activities on the Green also use this permit; a monthly meeting of the Proprietors of the Green will generally need to be attended (Parks Dept. will advise you on that)

• Fee required

Temporary Liquor Service  |  State of Connecticut

• Click here for Permit Requirements/FAQ

• For serving and selling liquor outside of a licensed brick & mortar establishment during special events, may be limited to nonprofits only

• Includes outdoor locations

• Before submitting for consideration, the application requires signatures from (in this order):

1. Zoning Department

2. Town Clerk

3. Fire Marshall

4. Office of the Police Chief
   (includes applicant background check of permit holder)

• Fee required