Outdoor Dining Program Process, Reminders, and Updates

Hello Portland Business Owners,

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) wants to keep you informed with some important updates for outdoor dining and retail permits to use public right-of-way in public parking spaces and on sidewalks.

The Outdoor Dining Application sequence from start to finish.

There are several stages of processing to obtain an Outdoor Dining Permit. Listed below you will find the documentation review, inspection process, design exception, and compliance stages:

• Forms: All applicants are required to have insurance for using the public right-of-way. Additionally, applicants need consent from the property owner of the business's address to use the right-of-way in front of the business. In some cases, consent of the business's neighbor may be required if you intend to use part of the right-of-way in front of their property.
• Inspection: Every area for a new application or a renewal must be inspected. A permit technician visits the site of the application to evaluate whether sidewalk access is sufficiently preserved for pedestrians, whether there is sufficient visibility between the street, the sidewalk, and crosswalks, and other design concerns. For a bit of inspiration, look at the ADA accessible sidewalk table in the photo above. After the inspection is completed, a report is given to the business owner, indicating whether any changes are required and listing guidelines for how the permitted area can be used. Often, a provisional permit is given, and the business owner is given time to make changes before a final inspection. Inspections are an opportunity to meet with your permit technician if you wish. We are happy to schedule the inspection date so that you can be present to bring up concerns, learn about the process, and talk about anything Outdoor Dining & Retail related.
• Design Exception Review Fee: Sometimes there are considerations to be made if a particular aspect of the public right-of-way prevents a business owner from exactly meeting a design requirement. An example might look like: The way that the street meets the sidewalk curb might make it impossible to clear the 6-inch-wide by curb-height area for stormwater flow listed in the program's design guidelines. If you need to apply for an exception to the PBOT Outdoor Dining Program Design Guidelines,there will be a $150 fee added to your application.
• Reinspection: If required changes are not made by the date of the final inspection, a reinspection will be necessary to ensure that the public right-of-way is being used in a way that preserves sidewalk and street conditions. On our Guide to Outdoor Dining Permitspage, you will find that the Reinspection fee is $150.

• Compliance: If changes have not been made by the reinspection date, your permit or permit application will be sent to PBOT's ROW Compliance group to ensure business uses of the sidewalk and street meet the Design Guidelines, including pedestrian access, safety requirements, and other improper maintenance issues. The compliance process may require structural updates or removal. This is to ensure that business use isn't impeding pedestrian safety and access, that insurance standards for the right-of-way are being maintained, or that any other issues, like improper stormwater flow, are not being caused by business use of the ROW. The compliance process may require structural updates or structure removal.

Outdoor Dining Permits are not required if your furniture is located only on private property. Anything placed in the right-of-way for long-term business use requires a permit. Our team issues seasonal and year-long permits. Temporary use of the ROW may require a permit from Community Events instead.

If you do receive a permit, you are required to display a printed version of your permit in a visible spot. A window along your business frontage is often a great spot to display your permit.

Reminder: Seasonal Street Seat permits expired on October 31st, 2025. If you had a seasonal permit, the previously permitted area must be fully clear of any outdoor dining materials. If you would like to continue to have outdoor seating in a parking space through a year-long permit, please email us at [email protected]and our team will assist you.

Leaf Day!

The City of Portland conducts leaf sweeps across parts of town with high concentrations of street trees. Leaf Day cleanup runs from November 1st, 2025 through January 17th, 2026. The City of Portland has a map showing Leaf Day zones and their associated cleanup dates. Type your address into the map's search bar to find out if you're in one of the cleanup zones. Leaf Day service provides a great opportunity for you to sweep out the leaves from underneath and around your outdoor dining installation. Check out PBOT's Leaf Day Brochure to find out how to best participate. The brochure notes that you should sweep your leaves into a pile with a 1-foot gap from the curb, ideally one day before Leaf Day pickup. There are more tips and requirements in the brochure!