Event Planning Permit Requirements in Meridian, ID

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if operating as a business entity (LLC or corporation) or if you have employees. Free from the IRS. You will need an EIN to open a business bank account and sign vendor contracts professionally.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Idaho Secretary of State — Business Registration

   An event planning business structured as an LLC, corporation, or partnership registers with the Idaho Secretary of State through the SOSBiz portal. A sole proprietor trading under a name other than their own legal name files a Certificate of Assumed Business Name instead. Idaho has no county-level DBA filing — assumed business names are registered only with the Secretary of State, whether you are a sole proprietor or an entity trading under a different name. An LLC is worth the modest cost here — coordinating large events means signing venue and vendor contracts in the business's name and carrying real liability exposure.

   Official government source

   $100 online for an LLC Certificate of Organization ($120 by paper, including the $20 manual processing fee); $25 online for a Certificate of Assumed Business Name ($45 by paper).·Online filings through SOSBiz are effective immediately; mailed paper filings take longer.

   $100 online for an LLC Certificate of Organization ($120 by paper, including the $20 manual processing fee); $25 online for a Certificate of Assumed Business Name ($45 by paper).

   Online filings through SOSBiz are effective immediately; mailed paper filings take longer.

2. Idaho Seller's Permit (only if you sell taxable goods)

   Idaho taxes tangible personal property and a short list of specifically enumerated services; event planning and coordination labor is not on that list, so your planning fees are not taxable. You do need a seller's permit if you sell taxable items — decorations, favours, floral arrangements, rented or resold supplies — or if you buy goods for resale to clients. Marking goods up and rebilling them to a client is a taxable sale even when the planning fee beside it is not. Registering for a seller's permit through the Tax Commission's Taxpayer Access Point (TAP) is free — there is no application fee. Note the agency is the Idaho State Tax Commission; Idaho has no 'Department of Revenue'.

   Official government source

   $0 — Idaho charges no fee for a seller's permit·Registration through TAP is completed online, typically the same day.

   $0 — Idaho charges no fee for a seller's permit

   Registration through TAP is completed online, typically the same day.

1. No Meridian General Business License Required

   The City of Meridian states plainly that it does not require a general business license, including for event planning. The City Clerk issues licenses and permits only for specific activities: alcohol licenses and catering permits, mobile sales units, temporary use permits, vehicle immobilization, fireworks, pawnbroker and precious metal dealer licenses, and dog licensing. Coordinating an event on city property may require a Temporary Use Permit, and home-based work is subject to the Planning Division's home-occupation rules.

   Official government source

   $0 — no general business license exists·N/A — nothing to apply for

   $0 — no general business license exists

   N/A — nothing to apply for

2. Meridian Temporary Use Permit (Special Event)

   When coordinating events that use Meridian public parks, streets, plazas, or other public venues, a Temporary Use Permit (Special Event) is required from the City Clerk's Office. As the event planner, you may be responsible for obtaining this permit on behalf of your client. Requirements include event details, expected attendance, a site/route plan, and proof of general liability insurance ($500,000 minimum naming the City as additional insured; $1,000,000 for large-scale events).

   Official government source

   $50 (not in a park) / $85 (in a park) / $150 (large-scale event)·Apply at least 30 days in advance for standard events; 60+ days for large-scale events (2,000+ attendees or road closures)

   $50 (not in a park) / $85 (in a park) / $150 (large-scale event)

   Apply at least 30 days in advance for standard events; 60+ days for large-scale events (2,000+ attendees or road closures)

3. Ada County Temporary Use Permit (unincorporated county land)

   Events on unincorporated Ada County land outside city limits — including seasonal events on private property — go through the county's Temporary Use application under Ada County Code 8-6-29, administered by Ada County Development Services. Submit a master application form, a detailed letter covering proposed use, dates and hours of operation, attendance and frequency, parking spaces, and deliveries, plus a scaled site plan showing property lines, easements, structures, septic and well locations, and driveways. Building, engineering, and surveying permits are separate and carry their own fees. This is not needed for events inside Meridian city limits, which use the city's Temporary Use Permit through the City Clerk.

   Official government source

   $300 application fee. Building, engineering, and surveying applications, if triggered, are billed separately.·2–4 weeks for the Director's review of a complete application; longer if other departments must weigh in.

   $300 application fee. Building, engineering, and surveying applications, if triggered, are billed separately.

   2–4 weeks for the Director's review of a complete application; longer if other departments must weigh in.

Official Sources

• Meridian Business Licensing
• Idaho Secretary of State — Business Registration
• IRS EIN Application

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