Ready to throw a summertime block party in Philadelphia? Apply for a permit first.

Block parties, the takeover of a residential street with canopies, DJs, and grills for birthday parties, holidays, and other get-togethers, are a long-held Philadelphia tradition. They’re often a time filled with children’s laughter, while parents kick back, drink in-hand, with neighbors and family.

Philly throws fewer block parties than it used to, as the city went from nearly 6,000 block parties in 2015 down to almost 2,000 in 2021 — most likely due to the effects of COVID-19 but also gun violence, which has lead the police to deny permits in areas where violence has been prevalent.

As the weather starts to warm up, it’s time to get a permit and plan those block parties again. Here’s a breakdown of how to apply for a block party permit.

A block party is a city-sanctioned event that takes place on a residential block in Philadelphia. Residents of the block gather signatures, pay a fee, and apply for a permit with the Streets Department and their local Police District. If approved by the police and Streets Department, residents will move their cars and the city will block off the entrances to the street to allow people to set up for the party.

Block parties can take place from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., but choose your start time wisely as the party can only last up to eight hours. They can occur on weekends, weekdays, and Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

Other events can be thrown on residential streets, too, like birthday celebrations, weddings, and proms. These events are allowed to last up to six hours. (More on this later.)

Remember, you have to apply for a block party permit for each event you plan to throw on your residential street. Each block is allowed to have five street events per year; after that, no more applications will be accepted from that block for the rest of the year.

Only residents of the block can apply to close down their street for a block party.

You’re going to need approval from the vast majority of your neighbors to close a street. In order to gain permission, you’ll have them sign a petition that includes their first and last name, signature, and street address.

There are two types of “street events,” but they use the same application process:

Your application will need to include a rain date for one week before or after the planned eventin case of inclement weather.

If the event is being held on a street with no residents, where there are abandoned buildings or a majority of the buildings are commercial properties, an insurance certificate will need to be obtained in case of any damage to property. If you need help securing an insurance certificate, call the Streets Department at 215-686-5500, which will refer you to the city’s Risk Management Office for help.

You should submit your application at least 21 days before the event as last-minute applications are subject to increased fees. Applications received within four business days of an event will be rejected. According to 2022 Streets Department data, one in six block party permits gets rejected.

If you submit your application earlier, it’ll be cheaper, and the application fee is non-refundable. The city only accepts checks or money orders payable to the “City of Philadelphia” when using the paper application. If you apply online, you can use credit, debit, or checking accounts.

The first thing you should do is notify your neighbors that you plan to apply for oneand garner neighborhood support. On the application is where you’ll gather their signatures.

Online application:

Paper application:

After your application is received, it will be sent to your local police district to approve or deny the permit. Sometimes the police will deny a permit at their own discretion due to “criminal activity” in the area. Other reasons the permit can be denied are if your block has already had five street events in that year, your block has violated block party rules before, or you submitted your permit application too late.

If approved by police, the application will be sent to the Streets Department for review. If the Streets Department approves the application, you should receive your block party permit within two weeks.

If your application was denied or you have questions, call the Streets Department at 215-686-5500 on weekdays from 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. or email block.party@phila.gov.

Depending on what you’re planning to have at your block party, you may need additional permits. For instance, if you plan on charging admission or having carnival rides, like a carousel, you’ll need an Amusement License. If you plan on selling merchandise, you’re going to need a Sidewalk Sales or Vendor On-Foot License. Here’s a guide on getting a business license.

Keep in mind, any business license you apply for requires you to have a Commercial Activity License and Business Income & Receipts Tax (BIRT) account with the city. Pro tip: Unless you go through this licensing process and have everything up to code — don’t risk your block party getting shut down.

Simply put, the police will show up and shut it down. Even if you have a permit, if you’re breaking the rules — like the party runs past the 8:30 p.m. cutoff time — the police will shut down the party.

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Do:

Don’t:

After the event, residents must clean up.. Residents of the block are 100% responsible for the trash and items left after the block party, or they face violations from the city.

While residents have to do the trash clean-up themselves, you can request the Streets Department to collect garbage in advance of the regular collection day. You just need to call them at least five days in advance and pay a $50 service fee, which can be paid by check or money order made payable to the “City of Philadelphia.” Call 215-537-2130 to request this service and get information on how to pay the fee.