Lexington, KY Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

2 spells out what an applicant must submit to the division of building inspection to obtain or renew an outdoor cafe permit. Required items include the applicant's and business owner's names, addresses and phone numbers; a responsible contact person the government can reach at any time about the permitted area; a copy of a valid business license for the establishment; proof of current liability insurance from a Kentucky-licensed insurer naming the urban county government as an additional insured, with a minimum of one million dollars per occurrence and two million dollars aggregate, that cannot be cancelled without thirty days' written notice; a scaled drawing showing the clear zone, furnishing layout, seating delineators and an operations-and-maintenance plan; proof of any required ABC or health permits; and, if on-street parking is requested, proof of approval from the Lexington and Fayette County Parking Authority.

The administrator must decide on a completed application within fifteen days and can condition, modify or deny it. Renewal applications are due every December 1 for the following calendar year. The annual permit fee is one hundred dollars for either the sidewalk-only or parking-only option, or one hundred fifty dollars to cover both, charged in addition to the business's regular license fees. An applicant cited for operating without a permit has forty-eight hours to apply once notified, though that grace period is waived if the same violation recurs at the same location within 180 days.