A couple of units for a closed residential block, sited clear of driveways, with the street closure timed through the city's ISCOTT process.
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A block party restroom is usually a small set of portable units placed on the closed block, clear of driveways and the path guests will use. Closing the street goes through ISCOTT, the city committee chaired by the SFMTA. A local provider delivers, services and removes the units.
A closed residential block is the most common small event in San Francisco, and it is the one most often planned too late. The neighbors may be happy to host a party, but the street belongs to the city. Closing a block goes through the same process as any special event, and the restroom has to fit inside the closure rather than be added afterward.
The restroom job on a block is small in size and tight in space. Two or three units on the pavement, one of them accessible, usually serve a party of this kind. They cannot block a driveway, a fire lane or the path guests use, and they need a spot a truck can reach on the morning of the event.
This page covers closure timing, placement, the count and what a provider looks at. It states no citywide per-head rule and no permit fee, because the count and the cost come from the permit and the quote for the specific event. Where a block sits in a neighboring city, that city sets the rules.
A complete application is due at least thirty days ahead. The city advises three months for a new event and six months for a large one.
ISCOTT meets twice a month, and each hearing must be publicly noticed. The applicant may have to post notices on the block, and the SFMTA advises applicants not to contact individual departments before they hold the ISCOTT permit.
The price follows the number of units, the length of the booking, the number of service visits and how far each unit is carried from the truck.
A block that needs a unit carried a long way from the truck, or through a gate, takes more time. A party that runs all afternoon may need a second service visit. The street closure is a city permit with its own cost and is not part of the restroom price.
A unit sits where it does not block a driveway, a hydrant, a loading zone or the path guests walk. The spot is chosen on a site visit and written into the closure plan.
Walking the block with the provider before filing saves rework. The unit should sit on a surface that is level, firm and clear of the gutter, and a unit at the curb near the end of the closure keeps the gathering open.
The city sets no per-head rule that applies to every block event. The count is set by the expected number of guests at one time, and the permit paperwork sets unit counts by projected attendance.
A small party often works with two or three units, with at least one accessible. Do not borrow a count from another city. Confirm the number with the SFMTA as part of the closure.
The closure needs an approved event permit through ISCOTT. Whether a unit also needs a street space permit depends on whether any part of it stands on the public right of way outside the closure.
A unit placed inside an approved closure is part of the event plan. A unit that spills onto a sidewalk or parking lane outside the closure may fall under the street space permit, which the contractor or property owner pulls.
Keep units off the roadway while the closure is open to traffic, and do not let guests climb on or lean against them. Do not place a unit in front of a fire hydrant, a driveway or a curb ramp. Keep children clear of the truck while the crew unloads.
A block closure is reviewed by ISCOTT, the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation, which the SFMTA chairs. A complete application is due at least thirty days before the event. The city advises three months ahead for a new event and six for a large one, so the unit placement should go into the application from the start.
A block party is usually counted from the number of guests expected at one time and how long the party runs. California requires five percent, but no fewer than one, of the units in a cluster to comply with the accessible standard, so a two-unit set still needs an accessible unit. The provider confirms the count in writing.
The units go where they do not block a driveway, a hydrant or a loading zone, and where they leave a clear walkway for guests. On a narrow block the placement is often at the curb near the end of the closure, away from the gathering. The provider walks the block with the organizer and marks the spot.
ISCOTT meets twice a month, and hearings must be publicly noticed. Applicants may have to post notices on the block themselves. Approved permits typically arrive by email about two weeks after the hearing, so the event date has to leave room for that approval before the set-up.
The crew delivers the units in the closure window, sets them level and checks the door swing and the accessible route before guests arrive. For an afternoon party a single service visit is often enough. When the party ends, the provider removes the units and hauls the waste through its own permitted route, so the block is clear before the street reopens.
This is the usual block party set: a few standard units, one of them accessible, placed at the curb near the end of the closure. It works for a party of a few dozen people on a block with a clear gutter and no hydrant in the way. Guests should not have to walk past the units to reach the food.
Some gatherings are small and centered on a family, with one or two older guests who need an accessible unit. The unit sits on the closest level spot to the gathering, with a clear route from the sidewalk. The route is what the provider checks first, because a unit that cannot be reached is not usable.
A fair that closes a block is bigger than a party and needs more units spread along the closure. The count follows expected attendance and peak times, not the number of houses on the block. The organizer should confirm the count with the SFMTA, because the city's paperwork sets unit counts by projected attendance with a share of accessible units.
If it's an emergency, call now. For non-urgent block party and neighborhood event restrooms, send the form and we'll call you back.
San Francisco's neighborhood blocks are often narrow, with a fixed curb line and a grade toward one side. A unit set on a tilted gutter will not sit level, so the spot is chosen on the walk-through rather than from a map.
Many block parties sit on streets where sidewalks are narrow and cars park on both sides. The path of travel has to stay clear, and a unit at the curb should not push people into the roadway. A street that carries buses or a busy cycle route will get a closer look in the closure review.
A block near a park or a Port-controlled street may need a second permit on its own track. Ask the organizer to confirm all the approvals together rather than one at a time.
Portable toilets on San Francisco streets and sidewalks, with the permit limits and placard rules that apply.
Portable restrooms for street fairs and parades on closed San Francisco streets, planned around city approvals.
Accessible single-user units marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility, placed with a usable route from the street.
Paper, sanitizer and deodorizer restocked on a service schedule, so a unit stays usable through a multi-day event or a wet month on an open site.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
San Francisco has no single citywide toilets-per-guest rule that can be cited, and the figures circulating online disagree.
In San Francisco, a street closed for a special event is reviewed by ISCOTT, the interdepartmental committee the SFMTA chairs.
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, where single-user portable toilet units are clustered at one location, no more than 5 percent need to be accessible.
A complete application is due at least thirty days before the date. The city advises three months ahead for a new event and six months for a large one. Approved permits typically arrive by email about two weeks after the hearing.
A small party often works with two or three units, with at least one accessible. The count follows the number of guests expected at one time. Confirm the number with the SFMTA as part of the closure.
No. The street closure is a city permit with its own cost, and the restroom is priced separately by the provider. Ask for the restroom quote in writing so the two costs stay separate.
No. A unit must not block a driveway, a hydrant, a loading zone or the path guests walk. The spot is chosen on a site visit with the provider, and the plan goes into the closure application.
California requires at least one unit in any cluster to be accessible, so a two-unit set still needs one. The route from the curb to that unit has to be clear and level enough for a wheelchair.
The provider removes the units and hauls the waste through its own permitted route, and it holds the registrations and permits for hauling and disposal. The organizer clears the spot and keeps the block open for the pickup.