Are Permits Required for Porta-Potty Rentals?
Whenever an outdoor event takes places that caters to the masses, one has to ask oneself: Are permits required for porta-potty rentals? The answer varies depending on circumstances.
In some cases, if you are having a private gathering on your own property with a larger number of guests who would be using your porta-potty rentals, you wouldn't need a permit – but it all boils down to the numbers, as further explained, below. If your porta-potty is placed on the street next to your property, however, you would need a permit since the street is considered city or county property.
Fort Worth's Rules Regarding Permits for Porta-Potties
It's always a good idea to know the rules and regulations in your area concerning the renting, placement, and usage of porta-potties. Rules for outdoor events using porta-potties, in Fort worth, are clear cut:
1. Any outdoor gathering – whether public or private – that will, likely, include more than 500 people, will need a permit to use portable toilets of any kind – whether basic porta-potties or more amenity-filled luxury restroom trailers – the operative word, here, is 'portable'.
Even if your outdoor event is a neighborhood gathering, such as a neighborhood block party, which would warrant street usage and/or if more than 500 guests will be in attendance, a permit would be required. In fact, with the '500 or more' rule, a permit would be required, also, if the outdoor activities were to be held in a public park.
These regulations went into effect for Fort Worth as of October 1, 2010.
2. Exceptions to this rule where no permit would be required for porta-potties would include: 1) events conducted entirely on the property of a church, educational institution, college or university campus 2) events holding contracts with the city and 3) events held at city-owned facilities.
3. If your outdoor event, which would use porta-potties, qualifies as a permit-necessary gathering, the event organizer(s) are required to apply with the City in order to be approved for placement on the City's Events Calendar. This is a simple form that would be filled out. Event organizer(s) must, also, attend a Pre-Event Committee meeting.
For more information regarding porta-potty permits, you can contact: Public Events Department – Office of Outdoor Events – (817) 392-7894.
Dallas' Rules Regarding Permits for Porta-Potties
If your outdoor event will use porta-potties and the event will be within the legal parameters of the Dallas area, the rules are as follows:
1. Any temporary outdoor event where 100 or more attendees are expected, and whether held on public or private property, a permit must be obtained if porta-potties will be used. This would include the positioning of portable toilets for public use at a neighborhood block party, for example.
2. If your outdoor event with porta-potties would NOT include any street closures, a permit must be applied for 30 days in advance of the event's set-up date. Events WITH street closures that are confined to a certain area (as opposed to a moving event such as a marathon) would need permits applied for 60 days in advance of the event's set-up date. Moving events, such as parades, that might include porta-potties would need to apply for permits 120 days in advance of the event's set-up date.
3. If your outdoor event that would include porta-potties would involve the restriction of a public street, lane, alley, or sidewalk, a permit would be required regardless of the expected total attendance.
Once a permit is received, it will list the conditions and/or restrictions the applicant must uphold. As with any permit for any event, it is very important to read the permit very carefully.
For more information regarding outdoor events and porta-potty usage in the Dallas area, contact the Dallas Office of Special Events at CCTSpecialevents@dallascityhall.com or give the office a call at (214)-939-2701.
Give Westway Site Services, formerly Moore Cans a Call, Today!
You can reach our Dallas office at: (214) 351-0909 if you have any questions about any of our porta-potty rentals for your special event. When you call, be sure to ask about our free quote offer.