Event Planning Permit Requirements in Fort Wayne, IN

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. Indiana Business Registration

   Event planning businesses operating in Indiana register with the Indiana Secretary of State (through INBiz) if they are an LLC, corporation or limited partnership. Sole proprietors and general partnerships trading under a name other than the owner's must instead record a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the COUNTY RECORDER for the county where the business is located — not a county clerk and not the state. An LLC provides personal liability protection, which matters when coordinating large events.

   Official government source

   Secretary of State entity filing fees vary by entity type. County Recorder assumed-name recording fees are set locally under IC 36-2-7-10: $25 in Allen County and Vanderburgh County, $35 in Marion County·INBiz entity filings are processed online; a DBA is recorded on submission in person at the Recorder's office

   Secretary of State entity filing fees vary by entity type. County Recorder assumed-name recording fees are set locally under IC 36-2-7-10: $25 in Allen County and Vanderburgh County, $35 in Marion County

   INBiz entity filings are processed online; a DBA is recorded on submission in person at the Recorder's office

2. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (Sales Tax)

   Indiana taxes tangible personal property, not services, so event-planning and coordination fees are not subject to sales tax. If you sell or resell tangible goods — decorations, florals, favors, rented tangible items — you must hold a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC) and collect Indiana's flat 7% state sales tax (no local sales tax exists). Register through INBiz using the BT-1 business tax application.

   Official government source

   $25 registration fee per business location; renews automatically every two years at no charge·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 registration fee per business location; renews automatically every two years at no charge

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

1. Fort Wayne — No General Business License

   Fort Wayne does not require a general business or occupational license. The city's official Starting a Business guide states: "The City of Fort Wayne does not currently require a general business license." A separate Special Event Permit may be required if the event uses public parks/streets. All businesses must register their business name (if it doesn't include the owner's last name) at the Allen County Recorder's Office and/or file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State. Check for licensing specific to your business type.

   Official government source

   Not applicable (no general license exists)·Not applicable

   Not applicable (no general license exists)

   Not applicable

2. Fort Wayne Special Event Permit (block party, parade, or public assembly)

   Events using Fort Wayne streets or sidewalks are permitted by the city's Right-of-Way Department, which issues Block Party and Neighborhood Parade permits and permits for Public Assemblies of 25 or more people and parades. Separately, the Fort Wayne Fire Department's Fire Code Enforcement Division conducts special inspections of places of assembly before programs or performances. Events held in a city park are handled by Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, whose fees are set separately.

   Official government source

   $15 (block party or neighborhood parade); $50 (public assembly of 25 or more people, and parades). Park use fees are set separately by Parks & Recreation·Minimum 10 working days' advance notice for block party, parade and public assembly permits

   $15 (block party or neighborhood parade); $50 (public assembly of 25 or more people, and parades). Park use fees are set separately by Parks & Recreation

   Minimum 10 working days' advance notice for block party, parade and public assembly permits

3. Allen County Temporary Use / Special Event Permit (if applicable)

   Events held on unincorporated Allen County land outside Fort Wayne city limits, or large outdoor events on private property in the county, may require a temporary use approval. Confirm current requirements (site plan, insurance, sanitation) with the Allen County Department of Planning Services, which administers county zoning and publishes its permit and petition fee schedules.

   Official government source

   Fee is set by the Department of Planning Services permit and petition fee schedule; no flat amount is published for this use·Confirm lead time with Planning Services; any request requiring a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing follows that board's published hearing calendar

   Fee is set by the Department of Planning Services permit and petition fee schedule; no flat amount is published for this use

   Confirm lead time with Planning Services; any request requiring a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing follows that board's published hearing calendar

Official Sources

• Fort Wayne Business Licensing
• Indiana Secretary of State — Business Registration
• IRS EIN Application

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