Sidewalk Vending Program

Background on the City's Sidewalk Vending Program

The City of Santa Cruz has piloted various sidewalk vending programs since Senate Bill (SB) 946 “Safe Sidewalk Vending Act” became effective January 1, 2019. SB 946 limited the City’s ability to regulate sidewalk vending and prohibited criminal punishment for sidewalk vending-related violations. The pilot programs allowed staff to have a better understanding of the impact of the implementation of SB 946, especially in the popular vending areas on Beach Street. Since the pilot programs, City Council has made further policy amendments at the following meeting dates:

On March 22, 2022 meeting, the City Council approved the Sidewalk Vending Ordinance SCMC Chapter 5.82 (“Sidewalk Vending”).
On May 10, 2022 meeting, the City Council approved the fees associated with the administration and enforcement.
On February 14, 2023, the City Council adopted amendments to SCMC Chapter 5.82.

The Planning and Community Development Department, in collaboration with the Parks and Recreation Department, have been providing the administration of the Sidewalk Vending Program on Pacific Ave and Beach Street areas. For more information, please contact sidewalkvending@santacruzca.gov or call 831-420-5110.

Application Process

Application Process for Season 2025-2026 from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026:

The applications for the new season will be accepted starting Wednesday, August 20, 2025. As a reminder, the new season will begin October 1, 2025. Listed below are informational resources about the city's sidewalk vending program.

Informational Resources Available in English & Spanish:

Sidewalk Vending Application

The sidewalk vending application is available below for your review and completion. Applications are accepted and can be submitted in-person at 809 Center Street, Room 101 and/or electronically by email at sidewalkvending@santacruzca.gov.

For questions and assistance, please contact 831-420-5110 or email sidewalkvending@santacruzca.gov. After submittal, please plan for at least 3-5 days for interdepartmental review of the application. Expect delays for incomplete applications.

Sidewalk Vending Application Available Here in English and Spanish:

Steps for Vendors to Apply In Person or Submit to Program's Email

A step by step instruction of the application process:

Obtain a State Seller's Permit: You will need to apply for a California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) Seller’s Permit indicating a Santa Cruz Location. This application must be completed online at CA.gov; if you need further assistance, please contact (800) 400-7115. Please also note of the regulations for reporting of sales tax.
Obtain a County Health Permit if selling food: You will need to contact the Santa Cruz County Environmental Health. Visit scceh.com or call (831) 454-2022 to obtain a health permit. All food sales application will be verified with the County to ensure compliance. This permit must be renewed on an annual basis.
Apply for a City of Santa Cruz Business License: After obtaining the State Seller's Permit and County Health Permit (if selling food), then you can apply for the City of Santa Cruz Business License. This can be done in person, or completed form can be emailed to the Program's email. Do not apply online through the MyCity Portal for Sidewalk Vendors. This can be done concurrently with Step 4. For list of exemptions, please review SCMC 5.04.080.
Apply for City's Base Sidewalk Vending Permit and supplemental Park's Permit: Every vendor is required to apply with the Base Application to be a permitted vendor. This will allow vendors to vend in designated areas, e.g. zones, in the Beach Street area. To vend in the area of Pacific Ave, you will need a Park's Vending Permit. The Park's Vending Permit will also allow you to vend by reservation only. Once you have an approved Base Application, you will receive additional information on how to make reservations for the Park's Vending Permit.
Once a complete application and supplemental documents are received, further review will be made with interdepartmental staff before issuing the permit(s). Please note, this can take 1 week or more for various reasons (i.e. incomplete documents, verification of permits). After successful review, you will be contacted by phone or email for permit card pick up. No same day pick up.

Components of a Complete Application

The following documents are required to complete your sidewalk vending application:

1. State's Seller's Permit - This is a one time application without a fee. Apply online only. Please contact (800) 400-7115 for assistance.

2. County Health Permit (for food sales) - This is an annual renewal with the County with an annual fee.

3. City's Business License Form - This is an annual renewal with the City with an annual fee.

4. City's Sidewalk Vending Application - This is an annual renewal with the City with an annual fee.

5. ID or other form of identification. Copies of ID or other form of identification can be made at 809 Center Street, Room 101.

How to Submit a Sidewalk Vending Complaint or Violation to Code Compliance

Do you need to submit a sidewalk vending complaint and/or violation? Please submit a complaint by completing the form below:

English: Sidewalk Vending Complaint Form(PDF, 148KB)(PDF, 191KB)
Spanish: Venta Ambulante Formulario de Queja(PDF, 191KB)

Email Code Compliance division at codecompliance@santacruzca.gov with attached complaint form or submit in-person at 809 Center Street, Room 101. Please contact Code Compliance by email or call 831-420-5111 for further assistance.