Little Rock, AR Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- gatherings over 20 people
- Filing window
- 5 to 180 days ahead
- Application fee
- $25, nonrefundable
- Issuing authority
- city manager, with police/public works input
- Appeal
- to Board of Directors within 5 days
Summary
Little Rock requires a city manager permit for any block party or public assembly of more than 20 people that closes or occupies a public street, with a $25 filing fee and a five-day minimum notice.
Public assembly means any meeting, demonstration, picket line, rally or gathering of more than twenty (20) persons for a common purpose as a result of prior planning that interferes with the normal flow or regulation of pedestrian or vehicular traffic or occupies any public area in a place open to the general public.
Sidewalk is any area or way set aside or open to the general public for purposes of pedestrian traffic, whether or not it is paved.
Street is any place or way set aside or open to the general public for purposes of vehicular traffic, including any berm or shoulder parkway, right-of-way, or median strip thereof.
(Ord. No. 18,569, § 4(a), 9-18-01; Ord. No. 21,006, § 1, 3-3-15)
Sec. 32-547. - Permit required. No person shall engage in or conduct any parade or public assembly unless a permit is issued by the city manager
(Ord. No. 18,569, § 4(b), 9-18-01)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83).
Full Breakdown
Any gathering of more than 20 people that occupies a public street or interferes with normal traffic flow -- including a residential block party with a road closure -- meets the city's 'public assembly' definition under Sec. 32-546 and needs a permit before it happens. Applications go to the city manager at least 5 and up to 180 days ahead (Sec. 32-549), cost a nonrefundable $25 (Sec. 32-550), and must list the exact street segment, dates, times, and expected attendance. The city manager, working with police and public works, can approve, deny, or reroute the closure, and a denial can be appealed to the board of directors.
Violations & Fines
Holding an unpermitted block party or street closure, or continuing after police declare the permit invalid, is a misdemeanor punishable under the general penalty in Sec. 1-9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to close my street for a block party in Little Rock?
How far ahead do I need to apply?
What does a block party permit cost in Little Rock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Rock
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