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Fee waiver for an event permit
Application fee waivers are available for event permits from the Entertainment Commission: One Time Indoor Event Permit, One Time Outdoor Event Permit, and Sound Truck Permit.
See below the types of event permit fee waivers that are available.
To request the fee waiver, answer the fee waiver questions in the event permit application. In some cases, you will need to provide documents in the application.
Nonprofit organization or neighborhood association
A nonprofit organization or neighborhood association that is organizing a free, open-to-the-public event may request a fee waiver for an event permit.
In the permit application, you will be required to upload the total event budget and a letter on your organization’s letterhead describing the mission of your organization, its benefit to the community, and how your event is free and open to the public. If your event spans multiple dates, include the total combined budget for all dates in the permit application. We will review your materials and will follow-up to let you know the decision.
First Year Free program
To use this fee waiver, your business must be participating in the Treasurer & Tax Collector’s First Year Free (FYF) program. Your business must have received a confirmation email from the SF Treasurer & Tax Collector (TTX) saying that your business has been approved for the FYF program. The FYF program waives permit fees for certain small businesses in their first year of operation. Learn more at https://sftreasurer.org/business/first-year-free.
Tip: You will need to give us your Business Account Number (BAN) when you fill out the permit application.
Event that has received a City grant
The City grant funding must be dedicated to the event that is the subject of the permit application, and not for past events or for the organization overall. Funds from the City include grants from a City agency like Grants for the Arts or Office of Economic and Workforce Development. It also includes “addback” funding from Supervisors’ offices and “regranted” City funds from other organizations.
In the permit application, you will need to provide documentation showing these funds were awarded from the City agency, like an official grant award letter or grant agreement, or email confirmation from the City official awarding the grant.
Outdoor Event Fee Waiver Program managed by SFMTA
The Entertainment Commission event permit fee can be waived if your event has already received notification from SFMTA Special Events that your street-closure event has been approved for the Outdoor Event Fee Waiver Program. The program is available to nonprofits and other community-based organizations or businesses with less than $5 million in annual gross revenue that meet certain criteria. Learn more at https://www.sfmta.com/fee-waiver-program.
Individual with financial hardship
You may request a fee waiver if you - the individual organizing the event - gets some kind of public assistance, or if paying the permit fee would not leave you enough money to live on.