YES! – You Do Need a Permit for That!

Not every community has the same municipal permit needs, there’s a vast difference in what various entities must regulate and oversee, for public health and safety and even fairness and convenience. What one community may see as normal (Oyster shucking anyone?) may seem very odd to others. Here are some unique examples that municipalities across the U.S. issue:

1. Shellfish Harvesting Permits Coastal communities often require permits for recreational harvesting of oysters, clams, and other shellfish. These permits protect marine ecosystems and ensure sustainable practices.
2. Beach Parking and Access Permits Residents of beach communities are concerned with non-authorized visitors. To manage this, municipalities issue permits and resident ID cards.
3. Horse Registration Permit For animal welfare and ownership confirmation, many communities require owners to register and display a permit for horses, and some even require permits for horseback riding on beaches.
4. Leaf Burning Permits In regions where open burning is allowed, residents often need a seasonal permit to burn leaves. This helps control air quality and prevent wildfires. This can be as simple as a decal placed in the resident’s front window indicating that permission has been granted.
5. Hurricane Re-entry permits. Coastal towns need to prepare for the safe and secure return of residents when a natural disaster strikes. An organized re-entry with clear visibility for authorized residents is a key part of the plan.
6. Residential Parking Permits Many municipalities, especially in proximity to high traffic venues, require residents purchase and display residential parking permits. Additionally, temporary guest parking permits are also made available and usually valid for a set period of time.
7. Community Center Id Cards Many municipalities offer a community center as a place for residents to gather, attend classes, and interact with each other. Often this includes health clubs with paid memberships. Village health club ID cards, some with bar codes or RFID capabilities, allow members to access the facility.
8. Golf Cart Permits With more and more communities being electric vehicle friendly, and allowing alternative vehicles to utilize city streets, registration plays an important role. Beach towns, golf course communities, and smaller municipalities use golf cart permits to manage and assure the safety of their residents.
9. County and Town Fair Vendor Permits: Fairs, annual “tastes of” and other special events all require that vendors meet certain requirements. Inspection decals, and special use permits are often issued by municipalities to assure resident health and safety standards are met.
10. Goat Grazing Permits Yes – really…. some municipalities issue permits for using goats as eco-friendly lawnmowers. It’s sustainable and surprisingly popular. This may also require a registration tag for the animal. Each community is different.
11. Boating Permits Seasonal waterway usage permits allow state and local agencies to manage both access and safety. Commercial boating permits, recreational boating annual passes and boating permits, and temporary boating permits all have a part to play. Many waterway agencies mandate different boating permits based on boat class (size) and other requirements.
12. Food Truck Permits and Food Vendor Permits From special food truck roundups, farmers markets, to the hot dog cart on the corner, municipalities take responsibility for the health and safety of their residents. This included food safety inspection and food vendor licenses and food vendor permits.
13. Bicycle Permits and E-Scooter Permits From a small bicycle registration decal to registration numbers and other identification items, bicycle permits, E-Bike permits and E-Scooter permits help villages monitor safety and encourage non-motorized vehicle use, and as a bonus registration can help residents in the instance of a theft.