Permit/License Center

City of Worcester

The City of Worcester issues a wide range of permits/licenses required by Federal, State, and City ordinances. The permits/licenses offered, but not limited to, include construction, dogs and marriages, engineering, fire prevention, food sales/service, housing, operating a business, parking, and parks and recreation.

Please be aware it may be necessary to apply for permits/licenses from multiple city departments depending on your requirements. If needed, please Contact Us to help you with the permit process.

NOTE: The State of Massachusetts is requiring all liquor applications go through the State's system. Please visit the State of Massachusetts ABCC Website for fillable applications and information. Please contact the License Commission Office at 508-799-1198 ext. 33009 to obtain additional forms/instructions to file.

Search Applications

Use the search box below to search for a specific permit or license. The options will narrow based on the text you provide to help you find exactly what you're looking for!

• 21e Records Search
• Abandoned Septic System
• Automatic Amusement
• Automotive Establishment
• Bakery
• Bottling Plant
• Building Permit
• Catered Event
• Certificate of Pavement Restoration
• Christmas Tree (Sales)
• City Park Event
• Clothing Donation Bin
• Commissary Kitchen
• Common Victualer (Food)
• Curb Cuts
• Cutting & Welding
• Day Camp
• Dealers License (Class I, II, III)
• Disposal (Septic) System Construction
• Disposal Works Installer
• Dog License
• Drain Connections, Repairs & Mains
• Drainlayers License
• Drinking Water Pipes & Fire Pipe Work
• Dumpster & Metal Rubbish Container Permit
• Electrical Permit
• Entertainment
• Expressive Event
• Farmers' Market
• Flammable Storage
• Flow Test Permit
• Food & Drink Establishment
• Fortune Teller
• Gas Fitting Permit
• General Hydrant Use Permit
• Grant Plan Review
• Hotel/Motel
• Ice Skating Rink
• Institutional
• Keep and Display Exotic Animals/Operate a Pet Store
• Lodging House (New or Renewal)
• Main Inspections
• Marriage Intention/License
• Mechanical Permit
• Meeting Rooms
• Mobile Food Vendor
• Mobile Home Park
• Move Overweight Loads on Local Streets
• New Contractor
• Newsracks on Public Ways, Placement
• Oil Burner
• One Day Entertainment
• Operate a Body Art and Piercing Establishment
• Outdoor Dining (Food and/or Alcohol)
• Outdoor Dining on Public Sidewalk Permit
• Parking Lot
• Pawn Broker
• Plan Review for Septic System
• Plumbing Permit
• Pool Table/Bowling Alley
• Portable Equipment (Stage)
• Portable Toilet (Port-a-Potty)
• Practice Body Art and Piercing
• Private Bathing Beach
• Propane Install/Connect
• Propane Storage
• Public Bathing Beach
• Public Pool
• Public School
• rDNA Facility
• Rendering Hauler
• Residential Parking Permit
• Retail Marijuana
• Retail/Bakery/Restaurant
• Rubbish Hauler
• Seasonal Concessions
• Second Hand Articles
• Sell Tobacco Products
• Semi-Public Pool
• Septage Hauler
• Sewer Connections, Repairs & Mains
• Small Wireless Facilities (Small Cell)
• Soil Percolation Test
• Solicit and Canvas
• Special (One-Day) License Multiple Event
• Special Event
• Special Events NPO
• Special Pool/Spa
• Sports/Field
• Sprinkler Shutdown
• Stationary Vendor Permit
• Stearns Tavern Meeting Room
• Street Closings
• Street Numbering or Change of Address Request
• Street Obstructions
• Street Openings
• Street Vendor (Mobile or Stationary)
• Summer Recreational Camp
• Tank Removal
• Tanning Facility License
• Taxi-Livery Driver
• Taxi-Livery Owner
• Temporary Body Art and Piercing Establishment
• Temporary Food
• Temporary/Visiting Body Art and Piercing Practitioner
• Trenches
• Unvented Gas Heater
• Upper Blackstone WPAD
• Wastewater Discharge Permit
• Welding Card
• Well Permit
• Zoning Analysis

Departments & Divisions

Many different departments and divisions deal with permitting and licensing for a variety of topics. Click on a button below to learn more about what's offered!

Online Permitting

Create an Account • Submit Applications • Manage & Print Permits

Currently, online permitting is available for building, electrical, gas, plumbing, mechanical and housing/health permits from Inspectional Services, as well as the sale of tobacco products and select DPW&P Engineering and Water Operations permits. All other permit applications are available as fillable PDF forms.

We encourage you to submit your application ONLINE through our permit portal! Please complete all required fields, electronically sign and upload the appropriate documents.

Before you can submit an application for a permit or license you must create an account. Please see Signing Up, Creating a Profile & Accessing Your Information and Applying for a Permit & Paying Fees.

Online Permitting

Programs & Initiatives

Need Help?

Have a question? You can Contact Us to help you with the permit process.