Do You Need Portable Restrooms for a Biloxi Special Event Permit?
Yes, in most cases. The City of Biloxi special event application says you must provide restroom facilities unless you can show enough public restrooms will be open nearby during the event. The form also asks how many portable restrooms you plan to bring. Line up your units before you file so the count on the form is real.
What does the Biloxi special event application say about restrooms?
The Biloxi special event application requires organizers to provide restroom facilities unless they can prove enough public restrooms are available nearby for the whole event. The form then asks 2 questions: will you bring portable restrooms, and how many? The Special Events Coordinator at the Biloxi Police Department reviews that answer before a permit is issued.
The city puts the rule right on the Biloxi special event application (PDF). The words to notice are "unless you can substantiate." A public restroom down the street does not count unless it is open during your event hours and close enough for your crowd to use.
Beach events are the common trap. A beach pavilion restroom may be locked at night or too far down US-90 for a crowd of 300. If you cannot prove the restrooms will be open and close, plan on portable units.
- The application asks: will you provide portable restrooms?
- If yes: how many?
- You also file a cleanup plan and may owe a cleanup deposit.
How far ahead do you file a Biloxi special event permit?
Biloxi files special events in 5 tiers. Tier 1 events must apply at least 120 days ahead, Tier 2 at least 90 days, Tier 3 at least 60 days, and Tiers 4 and 5 at least 30 days. The coordinator decides your tier. After you submit, you schedule an in-person review with the coordinator.
The Biloxi Police Department special events page lists both the earliest and latest filing dates for each tier.
| Tier | Earliest filing | Latest filing |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 360 days before | 120 days before |
| Tier 2 | 240 days before | 90 days before |
| Tier 3 | 120 days before | 60 days before |
| Tier 4 | 60 days before | 30 days before |
| Tier 5 | 60 days before | 30 days before |
The city does not publish crowd sizes for each tier on the form. Ask the coordinator first by email at bpdevents@biloxi.ms.us or by phone at 228-702-3115. Late filing is only considered for good cause.
How many restrooms and ADA units should the permit show?
A simple planning count is 1 standard unit per 50 guests for events up to 4 hours, or 1 per 40 guests for longer events. Add 1 unit for every 4 if alcohol is served. For a public event, at least 5% of the units in each cluster should be wheelchair-accessible, with a minimum of 1.
The accessible-unit rule comes from section 213 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. A cluster of 10 portable units needs at least 1 accessible unit. A cluster of 30 needs at least 2. Each accessible unit should carry the wheelchair symbol.
Do not guess the total. Run your numbers through the porta potty sizing calculator, then add hand-washing stations if food is served. Our wheelchair-accessible porta potty is about 7.5 ft square, so plan a flat, firm spot for it.
What should you tell the permit office about your restrooms?
Give the Biloxi permit office 5 facts about restrooms: the total unit count, how many are wheelchair-accessible, where each cluster sits on your site map, the drop-off and pickup times, and your vendor's name and phone number. Those details let the coordinator check access, cleanup and street use without extra back-and-forth.
- Count: standard units, accessible units, hand-washing stations and any restroom trailer.
- Map: mark each cluster on the site plan you send the city.
- Drop-off: weekend events usually get units on Friday, or Thursday for big setups.
- Pickup: standard pickup is Monday. There is no Sunday pickup.
- Vendor contact: company name, phone and email.
Biloxi expects the event site cleaned within 24 hours after the event ends. If your units sit on public property, ask the coordinator whether a Monday pickup works. Ask before you book so the dates match.
How do Ocean Springs and Gulfport handle event restrooms?
Ocean Springs requires its special event application at least 60 days before the event, with a $75 permit fee or $25 for nonprofits. Ocean Springs also requires portable restrooms unless enough ADA and standard restrooms exist nearby. On city property there, organizers must use the city's contracted hauler, Waste Pro.
The Ocean Springs special event permit page asks for the total number of portable toilets and the number that are ADA-accessible. If your event is on Ocean Springs city property, you must use Waste Pro for restrooms. If you are on private land in Ocean Springs, you can bring your own vendor. See our Ocean Springs service page for private-property events.
Gulfport runs its own event process. We could not find a published restroom rule for Gulfport, so ask the city before you file. Our Gulfport porta potty page covers delivery there.
When should you book restrooms for a permitted Biloxi event?
Book restrooms before you file the permit, and at least 3 to 6 weeks ahead for busy dates. Cruisin' The Coast in early October, July 4th weekend and the Biloxi Seafood Festival in September sell out first. A booking lets you put a real vendor and real unit count on the application.
Date changes are free when units are available. If the permit date moves, move the rental too. A full refund applies if you cancel 48 or more hours before delivery.
For festivals, parades and fun runs, see event porta potty rental. For a cost estimate, read the porta potty rental cost guide.