Henry County, GA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Threshold
- 10,000+ attendees or seating capacity
- Approval authority
- Board of Commissioners
- Insurance required
- $1M per 10,000 attendees
- Fire clearance
- County fire chief written approval
- Medical services
- Approved by EMS director
Summary
Henry County requires a special event license before anyone can hold a mass gathering of 10,000 or more people in the unincorporated county. The board of commissioners must approve every license, and the promoter has to line up security, medical services, sanitation and fire clearance before the county will issue it.
The term "special event" as used in this section shall be deemed to include automobile racing, other types of racing, exhibitions, plays, music concerts, and similar events, conducted for profit, at which there is a special need for security and crowd control. The term does not include any event at a place of business with a seating capacity of less than ten thousand (10,000) persons, or an event for which less than ten thousand (10,000) persons are to be admitted. The license fee for holding a special event shall be as established by the board of commissioners. No license for a special event shall be issued without approval of the board of commissioners.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 3-15-1 defines a special event as automobile racing, other racing, exhibitions, plays, concerts and similar for-profit events with a special need for security and crowd control, but only when the venue's seating capacity is 10,000 or more, or 10,000 or more people are expected to be admitted; below that threshold the license requirement does not apply. The license fee is set by the board of commissioners, and no license issues without the board's approval. 00 of coverage for every 10,000 persons attending the event. This licensing scheme sits in Chapter 3-15 (Amusements), Article I, dating to an ordinance of June 17, 1980.
Violations & Fines
The mass gathering article does not set a separate dollar fine of its own; operating a special event without the required board-approved license is enforced as a violation of the licensing prerequisite, and the board of commissioners can withhold or condition approval on the security, medical, sanitation, fire and insurance sign-offs required by Sec. 3-15-1(c). Failure to secure any one of the five approvals blocks issuance of the license entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every festival in Henry County need a special event license?
Who approves a Henry County mass gathering license?
How much liability insurance does a promoter need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Henry County
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