Restrooms for a Cincinnati Special Event Permit
How Cincinnati special event permit restrooms fit into the application, and what a sanitation plan should say.
A Cincinnati special event permit comes from the Cincinnati Police Special Events Unit. Events in Cincinnati Parks also need an event profile, due 45 days before the event, that includes a sanitation and waste removal plan. The plan should list unit count, placement, accessible units, handwashing and a service schedule. Confirm current requirements with the permit office.
Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Quote requests answered within 1 business hour.
Who issues special event permits in Cincinnati?
The Cincinnati Police Special Events Unit issues special event permits in Cincinnati. The unit handles three permit types: special event, parade and street blocking. Events in city parks also go through Cincinnati Parks, and events at Fountain Square, Washington Park and Ziegler Park go through 3CDC. Confirm current requirements with the permit office.
Start with the Cincinnati Police special event permits page. The city also keeps an overview of departments and regulations for special events, which shows which offices review what.
Fees and forms change, so check the current page before you apply. Suburbs such as Mason, Hamilton and Fairfield run their own event permit processes.
Do Cincinnati Parks events need a sanitation plan?
Cincinnati Parks events need a sanitation and waste removal plan in the event profile. The Parks process starts with a date reservation and deposit, then an event profile due 45 days before the event. The sanitation plan is part of that profile, so restroom numbers and service times should be settled about six weeks out.
Parks staff want to see that guests have enough restrooms and that waste leaves the park. Permanent park restrooms may not be open, staffed or big enough for your crowd, so plan portable units for the full count unless Parks tells you otherwise.
Ask your Parks contact whether they want a site map and a vendor quote attached, and what format they prefer.
Who approves events at Fountain Square and Washington Park?
3CDC approves events at Fountain Square, Washington Park and Ziegler Park, not the city parks office. These downtown and Over-the-Rhine venues have their own event staff and rules. Ask 3CDC about restroom expectations, truck access times and where units can stand before you book portable restrooms for those sites.
Downtown sites have tight loading areas and pedestrian traffic. Our trucks deliver from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, so a Sunday event gets Saturday delivery. Plan a delivery window that fits the venue's access rules.
Do I need a permit to put restrooms on a Cincinnati street?
A street closure for an event needs a street blocking permit from the Cincinnati Police Special Events Unit. Placing a porta potty in a street, sidewalk or other public right-of-way can also need a right-of-way permit from the Department of Transportation and Engineering, at 801 Plum St, Suite 425. Units on private property need no city permit.
The city's right-of-way rules are written around dumpsters and encroachments. Ask DOTE how they treat portable toilets for your dates, and confirm current requirements with the permit office. The porta potty placement guide covers private-property spots.
Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Quote requests answered within 1 business hour.
How many accessible porta potties does an event need?
An event needs at least 5% of its portable units in each cluster to be wheelchair-accessible, with a minimum of 1, under the 2010 ADA Standards §213.2. A cluster of 10 standard units gets 1 accessible unit. A cluster of 25 gets 2. Each accessible unit needs a 60-inch turning space inside and a firm, level path.
Our ADA porta potty (wheelchair-accessible unit) has a ground-level roll-in floor, a wide door and handrails. It is 62 inches wide and 62 inches long. Put it on pavement or packed ground, not soft grass. This is not legal advice; confirm with your permit office or venue.
What should a sanitation plan include for a Cincinnati event?
A sanitation plan for a Cincinnati event should list how many restroom units you will have, where each one stands on a site map, how many are wheelchair-accessible, how many handwashing stations go with them, when units are serviced, and who removes the waste. Attach the vendor's itemized quote and service schedule.
| Plan item | What to write |
|---|---|
| Unit count | Standard, deluxe and accessible units, sized from attendance and hours |
| Placement map | Each cluster marked, with truck access within about 25 feet |
| Accessible units | At least 5% per cluster, minimum 1, on firm, level ground |
| Handwashing | 1 station per 2–3 standard units when food is served |
| Service schedule | Delivery, between-day service and pickup dates |
| Waste removal | Vendor name; units pumped and waste hauled off site by the vendor |
Size the unit count with our event planning table, built from common portable-sanitation industry event charts. For example, 500 guests over 5–6 hours needs 8 standard units, plus 1 if alcohol is served. The porta potty calculator does the math. Large crowds are covered on the festival porta potties page.
Do you provide a written service schedule for a permit?
Mathew Rental Works provides a written service schedule with every event quote when you ask. It lists delivery date and window, each between-day service visit for multi-day events, and pickup. Single-day and weekend events usually need no mid-event service, since units arrive cleaned, sanitized and stocked. Festivals get daily or between-day service.
Handwashing stations are refilled and restocked on each service visit. The schedule and the itemized quote can both be issued in your organization's name. Nonprofit or tax-exempt groups can send the exemption certificate and tax is removed.
See unit options on the event porta potty rentals page, then send your event details for a quote.
Event permit restroom questions
Can you send a quote I can attach to my permit application?
We send an itemized written quote that lists the unit types, quantities, delivery and pickup dates, and service visits. Many organizers attach it to the sanitation section of the event profile. Ask for the venue name and event dates to be printed on it, and the quote can be issued in your organization's name.
How early should I book restrooms for a Cincinnati park event?
Book restrooms before the Cincinnati Parks event profile is due, which is 45 days before the event. That gives you a firm unit count and service schedule to write into the sanitation plan. You can adjust quantities later if your attendance estimate changes.
Do I need a permit for a block party with a porta potty in the street?
A block party that closes a street goes through the Cincinnati Police Special Events Unit, which issues street blocking permits. A unit placed in the public right-of-way may also need a DOTE right-of-way permit. Placing the unit on a private driveway avoids the street question. Confirm current requirements with the permit office.
Our event uses Washington Park. Who approves the restrooms?
Washington Park, Fountain Square and Ziegler Park are permitted by 3CDC, not the city parks office. Ask 3CDC what they need about restrooms, delivery access and placement before you book. We can quote units and service to match whatever their event staff asks for.
Can porta potties stay in a city park overnight between event days?
Units can stay in place between days of a multi-day event, and we can schedule between-day service so they open clean each morning. Each unit has an occupancy latch and a padlock hasp, and if a unit is tipped or vandalized, call us and we return to clean it.
Mathew, owner of Mathew Rental Works
Mathew runs dispatch, routing and servicing from the Mathew Rental Works yard at 1756 Tennessee Ave in Bond Hill, Cincinnati. He checked this page against how our crews deliver, service and pick up units.
Questions about your site? Call him at (513) 270-1174, Monday–Saturday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. More about us.
Get restrooms and a service schedule for your permit
Send the event address, dates, hours and expected attendance. We send an itemized quote and a written service schedule you can attach to your plan.
Fastest answer: call dispatch now.
(513) 270-1174Monday–Saturday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Quote requests answered within 1 business hour. Call before 12 p.m. for same-day delivery on most Greater Cincinnati orders.
Mathew Rental Works
1756 Tennessee Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229