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Pasco County, FL Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Trigger
Over 500 attendees + overnight camping
Application lead time
60 days before event
Application fee
$500.00, nonrefundable
Letter of credit
$50,000.00 within 5 business days
General liability
$1M per person / $2M aggregate
Security ratio
4 officers + 1 security guard per 1,000

Summary

Pasco County requires a special entertainment permit before anyone can stage an outdoor musical or entertainment festival expected to draw more than 500 people with overnight camping, under Code § 10-28. The $500 application must go in at least 60 days ahead, and permit holders must post a $50,000 letter of credit.

City-specific rules exist: Dade City has its own street fair rules rules that differ from Pasco County's county-level regulations. If you live in Dade City, check the city-specific page instead.

Special entertainment permit required. No person, firm, partnership, or corporation shall sell tickets to, stage, promote, conduct, or manage, in the unincorporated areas of the county a musical or entertainment festival unless he or she shall first secure from the board of county commissioners a special entertainment permit for such event. A musical or entertainment festival held at a publicly owned park or a venue that is publicly owned does not require a special entertainment permit. A musical or entertainment festival that prohibits patrons from camping overnight or remaining on the festival grounds between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. does not require a special entertainment permit. A musical or entertainment festival where attendance is not expected to exceed 500 persons does not require a special entertainment permit.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 94 Update 1 | Land Development Code: Supplement 20).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 10, Article II of the Pasco County Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 04-28, governs any outdoor gathering on private property built around musical or entertainment performances in open, unenclosed space. m. Events on publicly owned land, events that bar overnight camping, or events expected to stay under 500 attendees are exempt. 00 fee, and staff has ten business days to flag an incomplete filing. Section 10-29 lists the required attachments: food-vendor hygiene statements, a wastewater and portable-toilet plan meeting Florida Administrative Code chapter 64E-6, a potable water plan, a garbage plan requiring site cleanup within 14 days of the event's end, a scaled site plan showing a helicopter landing zone at least 100 feet by 100 feet, and tiered emergency medical staffing that scales from one ALS ambulance for under 10,000 attendees up to multiple ALS/BLS units plus a supervisor above 25,000.

The application must also show four law enforcement officers and one security officer per 1,000 attendees (three officers and two licensed security personnel if alcohol is barred), at least one wrecker on standby, an indemnity agreement, and minimum liability coverage of $1,000,000 per person and $2,000,000 aggregate for both general and auto liability. 00 irrevocable letter of credit within five business days of permit issuance, running from the festival's start date to 60 days after its close, to cover excess public-service costs and post-event debris removal.

Violations & Fines

The board must deny a permit if the applicant was convicted within the prior three years of violating this article or a similar event ordinance, is under 18, submitted an incomplete or falsified application, or if the event would present an unreasonable danger to public health or safety, per Section 10-28(d). Section 10-32 makes the special entertainment permit cumulative with all other required occupational licenses, zoning approvals, and beverage-license laws, so staging a qualifying festival without it is a separate code violation on top of any other licensing failure. Denials may be appealed to the circuit court as a matter of right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every outdoor concert in Pasco County need a special entertainment permit?
No. Only musical or entertainment festivals expected to draw more than 500 people where patrons may camp or remain on site between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. need a Section 10-28 permit. Events on publicly owned parks or venues, or events barring overnight camping, are exempt regardless of size.
How far ahead must a Pasco County festival organizer apply?
At least 60 days before the proposed start date, with a written application and a $500.00 nonrefundable fee filed with the county administrator under Section 10-28(b). Staff has ten business days to flag missing information before the clock resets.
What financial guarantee does a festival permit holder have to post?
A $50,000.00 irrevocable letter of credit drawn on a bank with a branch in the county, delivered within five business days of permit issuance and effective through 60 days after the festival ends, per Section 10-30. It backs excess public-service costs and post-event debris removal.
Can the county deny a festival permit application?
Yes. Section 10-28(d) requires denial if the applicant has a violation conviction within the past three years, is under 18, submitted an incomplete or false application, or if the event poses an unreasonable danger to public health or safety. Applicants can speak at a public meeting before denial and appeal to circuit court.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pasco County

All Pasco County rules

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