Flint's special event permit
If your event uses city property, city facilities, or city streets and alleys, you'll need a City of Flint Special Event Permit. Key points from the city's application:
- Lead time: submit at least 60 days before the event date.
- What to include: the completed form, a site map showing the location and placement of any stages, and a $50 application fee. Incomplete packages aren't accepted.
- Insurance: earlier versions of the form required a liability certificate naming the City of Flint as additional insured, so ask whether the current one does.
- Street closures: streets and alleys cannot be blocked by stage structures, and parades, runs and walks involve the city's Traffic Engineering staff.
- Residential areas: requests that affect a residential area need a petition signed by more than 51 percent of the affected residents.
The city's Office of Business Services is listed as the contact on recent applications. Put portable toilet locations on your site map so reviewers can see them alongside stages and vendor booths. Events in county parks follow Genesee County Parks' separate special events application.
Weather and timing
Flint's outdoor event season is concentrated from late May through September, when car shows, races, festivals, reunions and graduation parties stack up on the same weekends. Summers can be warm and humid, so all-day events benefit from a mid-day service or extra units.
Winters are long, cold and snowy. Job-site units stay out year-round, but you should ask providers about:
- Antifreeze or brine in holding tanks
- Snow removal around units so service trucks can reach them
- Placing units on firm ground before the spring thaw turns lots muddy
Construction and infrastructure work
Ongoing water-line, road and redevelopment work across the city makes job-site rentals a big part of the local market. OSHA ties the number of jobsite toilets to crew size, so a water-line crew that doubles mid-project should add units to match. Weekly service is the norm; crews working long shifts in summer may want twice-weekly visits. Handwashing stations near break areas are worth adding.
How many to order
A dependable rule for a four-hour event is roughly one standard unit for every 50 guests. Increase that for alcohol, long hours or a crowd with lots of kids. For accessibility, follow Access Board guidance of at least 5% of units per cluster, never fewer than one, placed on level, firm ground.
For graduation parties and family reunions in Flint-area backyards, one or two standard units plus a handwashing station covers many guest lists. Weddings often step up to a restroom trailer.
Typical prices
Mid-Michigan rental prices are generally moderate. As a rough guide:
- Standard event unit: about $100 to $200
- ADA unit: roughly $150 to $300
- Monthly construction unit with weekly service: typically $125 to $250
- Restroom trailer: commonly $800 to $3,000 or more per event
Get quotes for your Flint project
Post your job on Rental Site Services with the address, dates, guest count and site details. Genesee County companies shown on this page can send pricing at no cost, giving you a side-by-side look before you book.