Cleveland, OH Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Director of Capital Projects
- Bond required
- $10,000 survey bond
- Permit term
- 12 months, renewable
- CBD hours
- 6:00 a.m.–midnight
- Other districts hours
- 6:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
- Civil penalty
- $100 per day of violation
- Criminal penalty
- Third-degree misdemeanor
Summary
Cleveland requires a Right-of-Way Occupancy Permit before any business places tables, chairs or a parklet on a public sidewalk or street. The Director of Capital Projects issues permits, which need prior City Council approval and a $10,000 bond, and run for a 12-month term.
No owner or operator of a business establishment shall occupy any portion of a public sidewalk or street with an outdoor patio or parklet, respectively, and no CDC shall occupy any portion of a street with a parklet, without first obtaining a permit in accordance with this chapter. ... Whoever violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. Each day during which noncompliance or a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Current through legislation passed September 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
02). 03). 03(j)). 04). 05). 07). 07(l)-(m)).
Violations & Fines
Structures placed without a permit may be seized and removed after the business is given two days to remedy the violation; structures posing an immediate danger can be seized without notice (§ 513.09). A violation of Chapter 513 is a third-degree misdemeanor, and each day of noncompliance is a separate offense. The Administration Manager for the Office of Capital Projects can also assess a $100 civil penalty per day of violation, appealable to the Board of Right-of-Way Appeals (§ 513.99). The Director may additionally suspend or revoke a permit for noncompliance or a lapsed health license, with revocation appealable to the Board of Sidewalk Appeals (§ 513.08).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put tables on the sidewalk outside my Cleveland restaurant?
How late can a Cleveland sidewalk cafe stay open?
What happens if I set up a patio without a permit?
How much space must I leave for pedestrians?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cleveland
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