Permit Application and Associated Fees
- Permit application fee: $100 (non-refundable)
- Renewed Annually
- Vending Area Map (effective January 19, 2024)
Review the ordinance and map indicating permitted and restricted areas. Eligible areas designated on the map in green refer to 12’ sidewalks that should be able to accommodate the maximum 4’Wx6’L stands. Additional restrictions can be found in Traffic and Parking Commission’s Regulations for Temporary Sidewalk Encroachments.
Sidewalk Vending Ordinance Changes
- Vending on public sidewalks within the downtown entertainment district, including Lower Broadway, is prohibited.
- Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) personnel have new authority to issue citations for sidewalk vending violations, including vendors who are conducting business in a restricted zone or vendors who have not obtained proper permitting to operate legally. Previously, only Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) could issue these citations.
- After a citation has been issued, should the vendor continue to violate the law by obstructing public sidewalks, operate without a permit, or violate Metro code in other ways-- NDOT now has the authority to remove, impound and/or dispose of the material causing the public safety hazard in cooperation with MNPD and Nashville Fire Department (NFD).
- Sidewalk vending permit authority will transition from the County Clerk’s Office to NDOT, with NDOT taking full control over the process effective July 1, 2023. There will be no sidewalk vending permits issued during the month of July 2023. NDOT will begin issuing permits as of August 1, 2023.