Special Events
Special Event Organizer Requirements
Various organizations and City departments sponsor special events or provide support to event organizers. Additional permits to hold an event on private property, city property, city parks or public school property are required for all event organizers. Please contact the below Departments for additional information.
- Seven Venues (757) 664-6880 www.norfolk.gov/sevenvenues
- Responsibility: Various Town Point Park and Ocean View Beach Park events
Seven Venues Open Air Event Permit Guidelines
- Festevents (757) 441-2345 https://festevents.org
Festevents food and retail vending online application
- Downtown Norfolk Council (757) 623-1757 www.downtownnorfolk.org
- Responsibility: Various events in Downtown Norfolk
https://www.downtownnorfolk.org/
- Parks and Recreation (757) 441-5834 prpermitting@norfolk.gov
- Responsibility: All Community Park events
- City Planning (757) 664-6565 https://www.norfolk.gov/planning
- Responsibility: Events on private property
Special Event Private Property Guidelines
Requirements:
To participate in special events in the City of Norfolk, the following are required:
- Treasurer Approval Norfolk City Code Section 24-25.10
- Zoning; If you are applying for a SPECIAL EVENT BUSINESS LICENSE, be sure to enter “SPECIAL EVENT” in the address field.
- Special Event Business License/ Or Active City of Norfolk Business License
- Applications are required yearly / Cost: $50
Special Event Business License Requirements
Anyone participating in commercial activity during a Special Event is required to apply for and obtain a Special Event Business License. A special event constitutes a separate business activity outside of a regular course of business and is usually of an entertainment, educational or lifestyle enrichment purpose.
The license will be valid for participation in other special events throughout the City of Norfolk. Each vendor should contact the event organizer directly with questions on how to vend at the specified event. Once the vendor has completed the organizers process, they must then obtain a special event business license. Each license will be categorized as a food or non-food vendor.
Starting 2025: Business owners that have an ACTIVE City of Norfolk business license will NO LONGER NEED A SPECIAL EVENT LICENSE to participate in special events. You may present your regular business license to participate. Any gross receipts attributed to the special event should be reported in the businesses yearly totals. Any fiduciary gross receipts such as admission tax or food and beverage tax attributed to the special event should be reported in the businesses monthly totals.
How to Apply:
Applications Accepted Via:
- Online: Special Event Business License Application
- In-Person/USPS/Drop Box: 810 Union Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
Make checks/money orders payable to: Norfolk City Treasurer
To ensure business licenses are in hand the day of the event, all applications must be submitted, and payments received 7 business days prior to the scheduled event.
Additional Information:
- If a business charges a fee for entertainment and/or amusement, that business is required to collect and remit a 10% admissions tax due to the City of Norfolk.
- If a business sells prepared foods, they are required to collect and remit the 6.5% meal tax which is due to the City of Norfolk.
- All admission taxes and meal taxes are due on the 20th of the month following the month in which the event took place.
For Organizers:
- Please read the Festival Organizer Letter and use the Vendor Information Sheet (this is an excel document you will need to download and save) when submitting a vendor list to the Commissioner of the Revenue.
For Vendors:
- Please read the Festival Participant Letter for additional information on the special event licensing.