Public agencies and outdoor dining licensing
If you're planning to apply for a permanent outdoor dining license, you'll need to submit applications with a number of public agencies.
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Have questions? Contact:
Licensing Board -
1 CITY HALL SQUARE
ROOM 809
BOSTON, MA 02201-2035
Working with public agencies
Outdoor dining applicants submit various applications with a number of City of Boston public agencies. These include:
Outdoor dining applicants can work with City of Boston public agencies on their applications and processes at the same time. If you are approved, you will need the outdoor dining patio listed or described on the following permits and licenses:
- Inspection Certificate (ISD)
- Certificate of Occupancy (ISD)
- Place of Assembly Permit (BFD); may be required depending on the capacity of the inside and outside of the licensed premise
- Common Victualler or Alcohol Beverages license (BLB)
- Optional: Temporary Heat Permit (BFD)
- Optional: Tent Permit (ISD and BFD)
Who to contact
Who to contactContact the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) for input on your request, and to start the community process outlined by your neighborhood liaison. Please note: The community process can take some time.
Before ONS will schedule the community process, you must have:
- an engineered stamped site plan
- a Zoning Code refusal letter, and
- a copy of the application that was submitted to the Licensing Board to amend the Common Victualler or Alcohol Beverages licenses, or both
You should submit a plan to the Commission for Persons with Disabilities at ADA@boston.gov with the:
- accessible routes
- location of the patio, and
- number of wheelchair spaces.
Please note: The patio request may require an Architectural Access Board (AAB) variance. The commission can help you with that process.
As part of this process, applicants will submit an ALT Long-Form Permit application for Change of Use and Occupancy to include outdoor seating. This will prompt a change to the:
- Certificate of Inspection (CI), and
- Certificate of Occupancy (CO).
You must submit a Use of Premise Permit application if the use of the land is primarily for something else. For example, you plan to use a parking lot for outdoor dining.
Permits are required for tents and heaters. Check with Inspectional Services for those applications.
You'll need to work with Boston Fire Prevention for updates to the Place of Assembly permit. The patio should be added to the Place of Assembly description if the capacity is over 49 total people, both inside and outside.
Please refer to this Boston Fire Department guidance.
Permits are required for tents and heaters. For heaters, please apply for the “Temporary Heat” permit.
Working with the Boston Licensing Board depends on whether the licensed premise has a Common Victualler (CV) license with or without alcohol.
Based on your status, you will need to submit one of the following forms. You will then attend a transaction hearing before the Licensing Board.
- If you have a CV with alcohol, complete the ABCC Alteration of Premise application. Then, submit the application to the Licensing Board Google form for processing. Licensing Board staff will then submit the ABCC Alteration of Premise application on behalf of the applicant.
- If you have a CV without alcohol, complete the Licensing Board change form. Then, email the form to LicensingBoard@boston.gov.
Learn more about the Licensing Board process.
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Have questions? Contact:
Licensing Board -
1 CITY HALL SQUARE
ROOM 809
BOSTON, MA 02201-2035
