Fort Myers, FL Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Initial fee
- $150 nonrefundable
- Annual renewal
- $25 nonrefundable
- Where allowed
- Downtown Redevelopment District only
- Pedestrian walkway
- 4 ft (5 ft if unobstructed)
- Receipt expires
- September 30 every year
Summary
Fort Myers requires a $150 sidewalk café business tax receipt before selling food or drinks on a city sidewalk, but only within the Downtown Redevelopment District and only next to a licensed restaurant.
It shall be unlawful for any person or business to engage in the sale of food or beverages to patrons on a city sidewalk unless a sidewalk café business tax receipt is obtained... Each applicant for a sidewalk café business tax receipt under this section shall pay a nonrefundable business tax receipt fee of $150.00... All sidewalk café business tax receipts shall expire on September 30 and shall be payable on or before October 1 annually.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 18, article VI of the Fort Myers Code governs sidewalk cafés within the Downtown Redevelopment District specifically: it is not a citywide permit. A café must directly abut and operate in conjunction with an established, licensed food service business, and the application (with a site plan showing 24 inches between the walkway and chairs) is reviewed by the downtown redevelopment agency director, fire marshal, building official, legal department, engineering division, police department, and zoning officer before the receipt issues. Receipts run October 1 through September 30, with half-year receipts available April–September. Barriers are generally prohibited except temporarily during special events, and cafés in the Patio DeLeon Courtyard face an added 20-foot depth cap absent city council approval.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a receipt is unlawful. The business tax receipt inspector or building official may suspend a receipt up to 30 days or revoke it for violations of the article, state law, or other city code; repeated pedestrian-walkway violations (six in a fiscal year) trigger an automatic 30-day suspension, appealable to city council within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any Fort Myers restaurant open a sidewalk café?
What does a Fort Myers sidewalk café permit cost?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Myers
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Sidewalk Dining & Cafés in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle sidewalk dining & cafés.