Rochester, NY Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Rochester City Code Chapter 62 governs vendors working street fairs, festivals, parades and other special events. Under § 62-9, any solicitor vending from a truck, trailer or cart at a City-sponsored or City-permitted special event must hold either a standing solicitor's license issued under Chapter 62 or a temporary vending unit permit from the City Clerk, and the sponsor of the event must approve the vending before it can happen. A solicitor selling only from a table at a special event does not need a license or temporary permit at all, but the sponsor's approval is still required.

Vendors applying for a temporary permit must submit valid Monroe County, State of New York and federal licenses that apply to their goods, including DMV registration and inspection paperwork for any vehicle used, a valid driver's license for each operator, any specialty or health-related authorization the merchandise requires, a Certificate of Authority from the State Tax Department for sales tax collection, and proof of the $1,000,000 liability insurance required by § 62-4. Fees run to a full-year temporary vending unit permit at $100 or a three-day, single-event permit at $56 under § 62-3C; oversized trucks and trailers over 28 feet pay a length-based fee under § 62-3D and need a written statement from the event sponsor confirming there is room for the vehicle.

The Chief of Police may waive some or all of these license, permit and documentation requirements for a given special event under § 62-8A if they are unnecessary to protect public safety and health. Garage sales, yard sales and homemade food sales at a residence, capped at a small table footprint, are exempt entirely under § 62-13 and are not treated as vending at a special event.