WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO OBTAIN A PERMIT FOR MY CANOPY TENT?

Counties across the USA have varied specifications for obtaining permits to set up outdoor event tents. For example, at Seaside, California, you’ll require a permit if your tent measures 200 square feet or more, while in Chicago, enclosed tents and open canopies exceeding 400 square feet in area require a building permit. In St. Louis, Missouri, tents of 800 square feet or more require both a construction permit as well as an operational permit, while Chesapeake in Virginia mandates permits for tents having an area greater than 900 square feet.

Before you plan your event, remember to familiarize yourself with setup guidelines specific to the city you’ll organize your event in. This will come in handy when you buy a canopy tent or apply for permits.

Most permit applications are pretty straightforward. You’re required to fill in the area where you intent to pitch your tent, dates of erection and removal, your personal and organizational details, and tent specifications including size, purpose, and furnishing. Apart from this, you are also required to include the following documents along with your application:

1. FIRE CERTIFICATE

A tent flame retardant certificate ensures that its fabric is flame-retardant. Your tent supplier is responsible for providing you with this certificate. A fabric should pass the NFPA’s 701 Standard: Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films Test and CPAI-84 to be categorized as flame-retardant.

Your tent’s fire certification proves that the fabric and tent body has passed industry standards and will be able to withstand a sudden fire. Flame certification standards differ from state to state. All tents by Extreme Canopy are NFPA 701, CPAI-84, and California Title 19 certified. This makes our certification wide-reaching, since most states accept NFPA 701 and California Fire Marshal testing parameters.

2. ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION

Most temporary structures are required at a very short notice, but this does not overlook the safety concerns that may arise due to improper installation or faulty manufacturing of outdoor event tents. An Engineer’s certification ensures that your tent adheres to safety standards mandated by apex industry bodies to ensure:

1. Safety against natural elements such as wind, water, and UV-rays,
2. That you purchase premium quality event tents that last longer, and;
3. Those underneath the tents are safe and sound.

An Engineering Certification is mostly required with tents having larger footprints or requiring additional support for stability.

If you plan to organize a big event, speak to your tent supplier. Based on your specific requirement, you can ask for an Engineer’s Certification or request a professional to conduct a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and grant a Certificate of Compliance for your tent.

3. WARRANTY AND SAFETY CERTIFICATES

Every tent that you purchase from Extreme Canopy comes with safety precautions regarding assembly, installation, usage, and dismantling of the tent. These guidelines are put in place to ensure your safety, along with your setup crew. A permit authority might rarely require to see these documents, but it’s still good to know the safety parameters and warranty clauses laid out by your supplier.