York County, PA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Basic reservation
- Rental permit required, § 75-3.B
- Event permit trigger
- Bounce houses, tents, rallies, fundraisers
- Max permit duration
- 60 days, never past Dec. 31
- Overnight age limit
- Under 18 needs adult, sunset to sunrise
- Waiting list rule
- First-received applications processed first
- County fee waiver
- Departments only, not individual employees
Summary
York County requires a rental permit to reserve any park-designated space, and a special events permit plus a special events agreement for bounce houses, tents, canopies, pony rides, petting zoos, rallies and fundraising events under Code § 75-3.
A rental permit is required to reserve and use a park-designated space. A special events permit and special events agreement is required to reserve and use a park-designated space for, but not limited to, the following activities: bounce houses, tents, canopies, pony rides, petting zoos, rallies, competitive and fundraising events. All special events shall also be subject to the requirements and restrictions set forth in any applicable policies and procedures as established and approved by the Director. Special events permits shall be valid for no more than 60 days of issuance, and in no event shall any permit or special events agreement be valid after December 31 of each year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 2886585; v8 updated 2021-04-21; through 04-21-2021).
Full Breakdown
York County Code § 75-3 (Use of park system) makes clear that anyone wanting exclusive or designated use of a county park space must go through the Department of Parks and Recreation. B. C). Those special events permits are capped at 60 days from issuance and can never run past December 31 of the year they were issued, so a group planning a winter event must reapply the following year. D and E, must be submitted well in advance of the requested date, and must be accompanied by the fee the Director has set.
If more reservation requests come in than there is space available, the Department works through them in the order received rather than by preference or size. D(1)). F). G, I, J). A permit can be revoked at any time by the Director, a designee, or a Park Ranger in the field for cause. M). P).
Violations & Fines
Using a park space that requires a permit without one, or charging others for unauthorized park use, is unlawful under § 75-3.K and M. Chapter 75 penalties (§ 75-39) set fines of $75 to $800 per offense plus court costs, restitution and up to 30 days imprisonment, enforced by York County Park Rangers who may issue nontraffic citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit just to reserve a pavilion in a York County park?
How long can a special events permit last in York County parks?
What happens if I leave the reserved space damaged or dirty?
Can the county revoke my park permit after it is issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the Pennsylvania special events & permits overview
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