B1. General
The special use permit gives you the right to use a public space for an event for the period you have applied for. For the special use of public space, you usually have to pay a kind of rent - the special use fee - the area-related amount of which is fixed by law.
Different types of public land sometimes have different legal bases or result in different responsibilities.
What types of areas are there?
- Green spaces, all types of parks and green spaces in the city of Berlin
- City squares, all squares, pavements and roadside areas
- Side streets, the entire secondary road network of the city of Berlin
- Main roads, the entire main road network of the city of Berlin
What applications are necessary for this?
| Type of area | Application / Permission Type |
| Green spaces / facilities | Exemption permit for green spaces |
| City squares | Special use application for secondary streets |
| Side streets | Special use application secondary street network |
| Main roads | Special use main road network |
Where do I have to apply for the respective special uses?
| Type of area | Responsible Administration |
| Green spaces | District Roads and Green Spaces Office (Straßen und Grünflächenamt) |
| City squares | District Roads and Green Spaces Office (Straßen und Grünflächenamt) |
| Side streets | District Roads and Green Spaces Office (Straßen und Grünflächenamt) |
| Main roads | Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Consumer and Climate Protection (Senatsverwaltung für Umwelt, Mobilität, Verbraucher- und Klimaschutz) |
For special use on public roads, which also involves restrictions on individual traffic or public passenger and local transport, extensive application extensions are necessary. For example, in the event of a road closure due to your event, a diversion of traffic must be planned. For this purpose, the diversion must be planned before the event in accordance with the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) and attached to the application, and extensive signage must be set up in advance. It is advisable to hire an external specialist company for this purpose. The approval of these measures in the so-called traffic law order then serves as the legal basis for regulating possible conflicts during the execution (such as parked cars, deliveries, guaranteeing access roads, etc.).
Are there forms provided for this purpose?
No, you can submit your application informally to the relevant office.
What attachments do I need for the application?
An important part of your application is the site plan, showing where your stage and the audience are, where the entrance and exit are, as well as toilets, catering areas, etc. For an assessment of noise pollution, the directions of your music system should also be marked. Depending on the size and location, waste management, security controls, areas for the fire brigade, etc. may also be relevant and should be marked. The application for no-parking zones and/or diversion measures are also specified in a traffic diversion plan, if required.
B2. Traffic Control Order
If your event takes place on a public road, public square or pavement, it is often necessary to divert traffic for the time you need access to the space for your event. Depending on the location, this may include the following measures:
– ensuring there are no parked cars in the area of your event
– redirecting private vehicular traffic
– redirecting pedestrian traffic
– temporarily redirecting public vehicular traffic, such as buses
In order to do this you will first need to obtain a traffic control order (Verkehrsrechtliche Anordnung) from the appropriate authority. Depending on where the location of the event is, this may be the district authority (for side streets), or the city authority (in the case of main streets). Obtaining the approval may be complex and involved, especially if this involves:
– redirecting bus routes, in which case the BVG will need to be consulted
– maintaining necessary access to building facades or through routes for the fire service, in which case they will also be consulted
– ensuring ongoing access to garages, site access or private parking, or the temporary provision of alternatives
Hearings are usually conducted by the authority that issued the permit, but such hearings can take some time. As the traffic authority processes a large number of applications for construction companies, deliveries, etc. on a daily basis, you should allow at least 8 weeks from the submission of your application to the issuing of the permit. The central component of the application is a traffic plan (Verkehrsplan), five copies of which must be submitted with the application. This plan must include all relevant information on signage, fencing, parking management, dimensions, etc. In addition, diversion measures must be implemented in accordance with the relevant traffic regulations, with signage erected several days in advance and a negative list of vehicles parked in the area at the time the signage is erected.
If everything is done correctly, if on the day of your event there are still vehicles parked in the area, you can then have these relocated at no cost to yourselves. But if all is not completely in order, this may not be possible and the organisation of your event seriously.
Whilst it is possible to rent the equipment and organise this yourselves to reduce costs, significant experience is necessary to manage the process and execute the installation of the measures correctly, so there is no problem on the day that matters. If you are not experienced in doing this within your organisation, we recommend appointing a professional firm to manage both the procurement of the traffic control order and the erection, management and removal of the redirection measures.
B3. Fees and Charges
There are two kinds of fee or charge you will have to cover as part of the process of attaining the special use permit:
1. Administrative fees
A fee is charged to cover the administrative cost of appraising and processing your application. This fee is generally a flat rate, to cover the Special Use application only. If your event requires multiple permissions, of course each instance will incur its own administrative fees.
Please note that additional administrative fees may be incurred if a permission which has already been granted needs to be changed before the event, for example due to change of location, size or the name of the applicant.
2. Temporary use charge
In addition, you will be charged a ground rent for the use of the public space during the period in your application. The exact charge depends on several factors including the space itself (eg. street or pavement), the nature of the event and also the extent of certain infrastructure involved.
A complete list of charges involved can be found here: