Elizabeth, NJ Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- License term
- April 1 to October 31 (7 months)
- License fee
- $100 to $300 by seat count
- Sidewalk clearance
- 8 ft on Broad St, 4 ft elsewhere
- Operating hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily
- Liability insurance
- $1,000,000 required, city as insured
- Revocation ban
- 2 years before re-licensing
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Elizabeth requires a sidewalk cafe license from the health officer before any restaurant sets tables on a public sidewalk. Chapter 7.54 fixes an April 1 to October 31 season, seating clearances, furniture rules and $1 million liability coverage, with license terms enforced by the department of health and human services.
No person shall operate a sidewalk cafe within the city without first having obtained a sidewalk cafe license from the city and satisfying all the requirements of this chapter. The license shall be issued by the health officer in the department of health and human services and may contain conditions that protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. The sidewalk cafe license shall be personal to the license holder and may not be sold, leased, moved or transferred and shall be deemed revoked by the sale or transfer of the business or loss of the lease for the business location.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
020, operating a sidewalk cafe without a license issued by the health officer in the department of health and human services is unlawful; the license is personal to the holder and is automatically revoked if the business is sold or its lease is lost. 030). 040 sets the operating conditions: the cafe must stay directly in front of the licensed restaurant, keep 8 feet of unobstructed pedestrian passage along Broad Street and 4 feet elsewhere (8 feet near any bus stop or taxi stand), be delineated by a rope system, and use durable, non-upholstered furniture only.
No permanent construction is allowed; portable barriers or planters between 3 and 4 feet tall mark the boundary and must be removed when closed. daily, furniture must be off the sidewalk within 15 minutes of closing, and no music or sound device may be audible outdoors. 040). 050). 070).
Violations & Fines
The health officer may suspend or revoke a license for any violation of Chapter 7.54 or a finding that continued operation endangers public health, safety or welfare; the operator can appeal to the director of health and human services within 15 days (§ 7.54.080). A revoked operator is barred from holding a sidewalk cafe license for two years. Any violation is punishable, on conviction, by a fine up to $500 or up to 30 days imprisonment, with each day of violation a separate offense (§ 7.54.110).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elizabeth
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