Who issues special event permits in Pasadena, TX?
The City of Pasadena Parks & Recreation Department issues special event permits for festivals, races, concerts and large gatherings. Its application packet, due 45+ days ahead for special accommodations, covers restrooms, security, food vendors, tents, insurance and a site map. The Fire Marshal and Health Department may review parts of it.
Download the current City of Pasadena Special Event Application Packet (PDF). Rules can change, so confirm details with Parks & Recreation before you plan around them.
How far ahead do you apply for a Pasadena event permit?
Apply for a Pasadena special event permit at least 45 days before your event if it needs special accommodations. The packet allows applications up to 12 months ahead. The completed checklist and supporting documents are due at least 14 days before the event date. Reservations are first come, first served.
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| 60+ days out | Set guest count and hours; get a restroom quote with unit counts |
| 45+ days out | Submit the special event application to Parks & Recreation |
| 14+ days out | Turn in the checklist, site map and documents |
| Day before | Restrooms delivered and set per the site map |
| Day after | Restrooms picked up (Monday for weekend events) |
Deposits and fees are due when the application is approved, and more fees may apply. Insurance is also required, including general liability naming the City as an additional insured.
What does the Pasadena application ask about portable restrooms?
The Pasadena special event application asks for 5 restroom details: how many permanent and portable restrooms you will have, which company supplies them, that supplier's emergency contact, which staff will maintain the restrooms during the event, and where every restroom sits on the event site map.
- Number of restrooms. Permanent park restrooms plus portable units.
- Supplier company. Our name is Pasadena Porta Potty Rentals, operated by Timothy Rental Works.
- Supplier emergency contact. Our dispatch line is (713) 980-2688, answered 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Monday–Saturday.
- Restroom staff. Name a volunteer or staff member to check paper and sanitizer during the event.
- Site map. Mark each cluster of units and hand washing stations.
Our phones are closed on Sunday. For a Sunday event, your own restroom staff person matters even more, so plan that role clearly in the application.
How many portable restrooms does a Pasadena event need?
A Pasadena event needs portable restrooms based on guests, hours, alcohol and food. A public 500-guest, 6-hour festival with beer and food needs 13 units from our chart plus 4 for alcohol, for 17 total. At least 1 must be wheelchair-accessible in each cluster, and 5 hand washing stations cover food service.
- Chart count. 500 guests at 6 hours = 13 standard units.
- Alcohol. 13 ÷ 4 = 3.25, rounded up to 4. Total: 17 units.
- Accessibility. 5% of 17 = 0.85, rounded up to 1. With two clusters, plan 2 wheelchair-accessible units (one per cluster) within the 17.
- Hand washing. 17 ÷ 4 = 4.25, rounded up to 5 hand washing stations.
The accessibility rule comes from the 2010 ADA Standards, section 213.2. Read it on the U.S. Access Board site.
Run your own numbers in our porta potty calculator.
How should restrooms appear on your event site map?
Restrooms on your event site map should appear as clusters, each with its unit count, at least 1 wheelchair-accessible unit, and nearby hand washing stations. Show the truck route for delivery and service. Each cluster needs firm, level ground within about 15 feet of where a truck can park.
- Label each cluster, for example "A: 8 standard + 1 accessible."
- Keep clusters a short walk from food, but not beside it.
- Show a firm, level route to accessible units.
- Do not block fire lanes, exits or emergency vehicle routes.
- Mark lighting for evening events.
Units in a street or public right-of-way may need separate approval. Call the City of Pasadena Permit Department at 1149 Ellsworth Dr, 713-475-5575, to confirm.
What should you get from your restroom supplier before you apply?
Before you apply, get 4 things from your restroom supplier: an itemized quote with unit types and counts, confirmed delivery and pickup dates, the company name, and an emergency contact number. Those details fill in the restroom section of the Pasadena application and help match your site map to what arrives.
You get a delivery day, not a set hour, so plan restroom setup the day before the event. A weekend festival usually gets its units Friday, with Monday pickup and no added day charge. See our special event restroom rentals and festival porta potties pages.
What do event restrooms cost in Pasadena?
Event restrooms in Pasadena start at about $175–$249 per standard unit, about $299–$375 per wheelchair-accessible unit and about $150–$225 per hand washing station. Those prices are per event, with delivery and pickup in our local zone. Each figure is an estimate before the 8.25% sales tax.
| Item | Math | Starting estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 15 standard units | 15 × $175–$249 | About $2,625–$3,735 |
| 2 wheelchair-accessible units | 2 × $299–$375 | About $598–$750 |
| 5 hand washing stations | 5 × $150–$225 | About $750–$1,125 |
| Total before tax | About $3,973–$5,610 |
Tax-exempt nonprofits send their certificate and the 8.25% tax comes off. More detail is in our porta potty cost guide.
