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How early do you need your event permits?

Answer a few questions and get every permit, licence and notice your South African event needs, with the date to apply by. We count back in working days and skip public holidays.

SASREA at 2 000+ people Cape Town by-law bands: 15 to 60 working days
Where and when?
How many people?
at peak, including staff and crew

SASREA applies. With 2 000+ people, SAPS grades your event’s risk and a safety plan is required. Cape Town medium event: 20 working days.

What’s happening?

Start your applications by

Friday, 29 January 2027

That’s 90 days from today. 7 requirements for 3 000 people on Sunday, 28 February 2027.

  1. Liquor · 21 working days before

    90 days left

    Temporary liquor licence (s48(1))

    Apply by Fri, 29 Jan 2027

    Western Cape Liquor Authority

    WCLA / City of Cape Town: liquor applications need 21 working days. Fee from 1 Dec 2025: R570 plus R323 per day.

  2. Safety (SASREA) · 30 days before

    90 days left

    Event safety & security plan, safety officer and medical/EMS plan

    Apply by Fri, 29 Jan 2027

    Municipal SASREA / Event Safety and Security Planning Committee

    SASREA: medium- and high-risk events need an event safety and security planning committee and a safety certificate. Appoint an event safety officer.

  3. Safety (SASREA) · 30 days before

    90 days left

    SASREA notification and SAPS risk categorisation

    Apply by Fri, 29 Jan 2027

    SAPS (station commander) and municipal SASREA committee

    Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2 of 2010, s6: SAPS grades the event low, medium or high risk. Apply at least 30 days before (2,000+ attendees).

  4. Municipal permit · 20 working days before

    93 days left

    Cape Town event permit application (medium event)

    Apply by Mon, 1 Feb 2027

    City of Cape Town — Events Office

    City of Cape Town Events By-law (2009): medium events (2 001–5 000 attendees) need 20 working days. Late or incomplete applications are not processed.

  5. Security · 14 days before

    106 days left

    Verify PSIRA registration of the security provider and guards

    Apply by Sun, 14 Feb 2027

    PSIRA

    Private Security Industry Regulation Act: event security staff must be PSIRA-registered.

  6. Food safety · 10 working days before

    107 days left

    Certificates of Acceptability for every food trader

    Apply by Mon, 15 Feb 2027

    City of Cape Town — Environmental Health

    R638 (2018): nobody may handle food without a Certificate of Acceptability; mobile and informal traders are covered. Food handlers need hygiene training.

  7. Safety (SASREA) · 2 days before

    118 days left

    Safety certificate issued (final committee walk-through)

    Apply by Fri, 26 Feb 2027

    Municipal SASREA committee

    SASREA safety certificate before gates open for medium/high-risk events.

    Verify locally — lead time not published

  8. Event day

    Sun, 28 Feb 2027

Let ConfPro handle your permits

We track every deadline, prepare the applications and chase the authorities, alongside the rest of your event.

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Lead times are planning guidance from published municipal, provincial and national sources (including the City of Cape Town Events By-law, SASREA, WCLA and R638), current as of 2026. Rules change and some municipalities don’t publish timelines. Items marked “verify locally” use a cautious ConfPro default. Always confirm with the authority before you rely on a date. This is not legal advice.

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