Temporary Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation

A TPA is needed for an event:

• where 75 or more people gather indoors; or
• where 200 or more people gather outdoors (however, events using publicly accessible open space for the promotion of products or services do not qualify for a TPA.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) issues the TPACO. Users submit applications exclusively through their DOB NOW: Build online platform (learn how to register for DOB NOW here). The DOB approves TPA applications on a case-by-case basis. Users must request Temporary Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation 10 business days before the event to avoid additional fees. The filing date of the online request counts as one of the days. Learn more about TPAs in DOB NOW: Build here.

Applicants for a TPA pay a fee of $250. If the event is less than 10 business days away, applicants must pay an additional $100 per day. Filings submitted three business days or less prior to the event cannot be guaranteed timely processing. The fee is paid online through the DOB NOW system by credit card or e-check.

To learn more about how to submit a TPA filing in DOB NOW please read this helpful step-by-step guide (PDF), or view the video tutorials for TPAs listed here.