Serving, Selling, Vendors

Expand each of the items below to find details about the City and County of Denver event requirements related to ticketing, sales taxes, serving and selling food and drinks, as well as marijuana, tattooing and piercing related guidelines.

Don't forget to refer to the event application timeline to make sure you're meeting all critical deadlines.

Admission Based Event Requirements (30 days prior to event)

attendee holds up mobile phone with ticket code on screen DEADLINE: 30 days prior to event
CONTACT: taxauditadmin@denvergov.org

Note: Admission Based Event requirements do not apply to races, runs, walks or rides.

If attendees must pay for admission to your event in any city venue including parks and streets, you may need to add a 10% FDA tax or "seat tax" to the cost of each ticket. Review the City and County of Denver Tax Guide to see if you’re event needs to pay this tax.

If your event is admission based, you will need to contact the Treasury Department at 720-913-9955 or taxauditadmin@denvergov.org before beginning ticket sales. Event organizers are responsible for collecting and submitting the seat tax to the City and County of Denver.

Admission-based events held in Denver parks must also pay a percentage of the admission revenue to the Department of Parks and Recreation. (NOTE that admission-based events are only allowed in a few Denver parks – contact the Parks Permit Office for more information.)

  • 15% of your gross ticket sales (including tickets sold within a sponsorship package) are due to the City - please contact the Treasury Department at taxauditadmin@denvergov.org or 720.913.9330 to complete an application regarding the Facilities Development Assessment Tax (“Seat Tax”)
    • If Treasury determines your activity is not exempt from the “Seat Tax”, you will pay Treasury 10% and Denver Parks and Recreation 5%
    • If Treasury determines your activity is exempt from the “Seat Tax”, you will pay Denver Parks and Recreation 15%
  • A ticket manifest must be provided to Denver Parks and Recreation no later than 72 business hours after the end of your permit
  • Denver Parks and Recreation will generate your invoice within 72 business hours. The fee deadline will be 30 calendar days from date of invoice. Your fee and payment due date to Treasury is determined and processed by their office.

Sales Tax Licensing (30 days prior to event)

vendor sells vegetables to customers at Farmers Market Stand DEADLINE: 30 days prior to event
CONTACT: 720-913-9446

You must advise all vendors who will be selling any items at your event that the appropriate Denver sales tax must be paid.

Existing brick and mortar businesses in the City and County of Denver will report event-related sales. Non-local or pop-up vendors must register for a Special Event Sales Tax account and file their sales tax return online.

More information can be found on Denver’s Treasury website (see the "Special Event Sales Tax" section at the bottom of this page) and questions about Denver City Taxes may be directed to the Treasury Department 720-913-9446.

Selling or Serving Alcohol (30 days prior to event)

Friends Cheers with Beer DEADLINE: 30 days prior to event
CONTACT: exlapplications@denvergov.org

Only non-profit organizations can apply for a Special Event Liquor Permit and all proceeds from alcohol sales must benefit that non-profit.

Liquor Permit requests must be submitted to the Department of Excise and Licenses a minimum of 30 days prior to your event date.

The non-profit Employer Identification Number (EIN) and a Certificate of Good Standing from the Colorado Secretary of State as well as a number of other supporting documents will be required to submit your application. Find related resources, including the list of required documents and the online application on the Business Licensing Center’s website.

  • Parks: If your event is held in a Denver park you will need a copy of your preliminary park permit to apply for a Special Event Liquor Permit.
  • Streets: If the event is held on a street, sidewalk, alley or plaza, approval of your Revocable Street Occupancy Permit (RSOP) is required to apply, and a copy of your RSOP will be needed for issuance a Special Event Liquor Permit.
  • Entertainment: If your event will feature entertainment as well as alcohol, a Special Event Cabaret Permit is also required. The Cabaret Permit Application is found on the Excise and Licenses website.
  • Fire Review: A fire permit invoice is required as supporting documentation which means you will need to apply for a fire permit 45 days prior to your event instead of 30 if you need a special event liquor permit. If no fire permit is needed for your event, you will need a confirmation email from the Denver Fire Department (DFD) to apply for your special event liquor permit.

Contact the Excise and License Department with any questions about the Special Event Liquor Permit or Cabaret Permit at exlapplications@denvergov.org or call 311. 

Food Vendor Approval and Licensing (30 days prior to event)

employee hands food down from a food truck window DEADLINE: 30 days prior to event
CONTACT: DDPHE at phicomments@denvergov.org and EXL at licenses@denvergov.org

Food vendors are an important part of many events. To ensure the health and safety of attendees, all food vendors are required to be properly licensed and it is the event organizer’s responsibility to ensure this. Your event may be fined if vendors are not licensed or if there are several vendors not following public health regulations.

Follow the links below to find instructions on necessary steps to obtain the license for the corresponding food business.

Restaurant Temporary – a vendor selling food from a table/tent set-up (excludes those operating under the cottage food act). Note: If a facility already has a valid restaurant temporary license, then only the event needs to be added to their license.

Retail Food Mobile License – a vendor selling from a mobile unit (Cart or truck). Note: This license can take multiple weeks to obtain so please allow yourself enough time. Inspections for this license are only on Fridays.  

A brick and mortar restaurant must obtain a restaurant temporary license to operate at an event; a brick and mortar license is not reciprocal.  To find out if a business has a valid, proper license, please utilize the Active Business Licenses spreadsheet.

NOTE on CBD: If consumable CBD is distributed or sold, a Cease and Desist may be issued to vendors who cannot prove their CBD is from an approved source or are not following regulations related to proper food storage and handling. Review the Guide for CBD Product Sales at Special Events(PDF, 277KB)   for more information.

Review additional information and resources on DDPHE’s website.

Marijuana Related Guidelines (30 days prior to event)

three CBD oil bottles with marijuana leaf labels DEADLINE: 30 days prior to event
CONTACT: Office of Special Events, Point of Contact

Marijuana consumption is not permitted on public property. There are also strict marijuana advertising restrictions at special events.

NOTE about marijuana-related product sales: If any vendors will be selling marijuana products at your event, a list of those vendors must be uploaded to your OSE application no less than 30 days in advance of your event date.

Contact your OSE Event Permitting Specialist for more information if you plan to have any marijuana related vendors, booths or sponsors at your event.

Tattoos and Body Piercing Licensing (30 days prior to event)

Tattoo artist holds ink gun in gloved hands working on a customer's skin DEADLINE: 30 days prior to event
CONTACT: reid.matsuda@denvergov.org

If your event will include vendors tattooing and/or body piercing attendees, contact Reid Matsuda at reid.matsuda@denvergov.org at the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) for licensing information.

As the event organizer, it is your responsibility to ensure all Body Artists obtain a temporary body artist license and pass inspection before operating at your event. Temporary body artist licenses must be applied for no more than 30 days prior to your event.