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Special Event Application and MSETG Review in Washington, DC

Restroom planning for a District special event, filed with the Mayor's Special Events Task Group before the public space and park permits.

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MSETG Review

Special Event Application and MSETG Review: what it covers

Quick answer

A special event in the District needs conditional approval from the Mayor's Special Events Task Group, run by the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, before the other permits are issued. The restroom plan is one part of the event file. A local provider helps prepare the unit count, the accessible units, the placement and the servicing schedule that go into that file.

Special Event Application and MSETG Review illustration for Washington, DC

The Mayor's Special Events Task Group, known as MSETG, reviews the District's larger public events before the rest of the permits are issued. It is run by the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and its 2026 special event planning guide sets out what the file must contain. For an event on the Mall, along a parade route or in a neighbourhood street, the restroom plan is one of the items the group reads, alongside crowd, traffic, safety and medical planning.

The restroom plan is most useful when it is written before the application is filed. It states the expected attendance, the length of the event, the food and drink sales and the number of units, and it shows where each unit stands on a map. A plan that gives the count and the placement together is easier for the review group to check, and easier for the organiser to change if the event grows.

This page covers the restroom part of the file. It does not replace the event's own plans for crowd, traffic, medical and safety, and it does not describe the approval the group gives. The event organiser should confirm the current guide and the filing steps with the group before submitting.

Service area
Washington & District of Columbia
Availability
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Warning signs

Signs you need special event application and msetg review

The restroom plan must not block emergency access, fire lanes, hydrants or exits. The units, the handwash stations and the route to them are kept clear for the crowd and for emergency vehicles.

  • A neighbourhood street fair on a closed block with no restroom plan in the event file
  • A Mall gathering with food trucks where the restroom count was never written down
  • A parade route that passes a building with no public toilet and no plan for the crowd at the finish
  • A weekend festival where the attendance doubled after the file was filed
  • A park event on DC Parks land where the restroom plan was made without the Parks permit in view
Our process

How our special event application and msetg review visit works

  1. Set the event facts

    Write the dates, the hours, the expected attendance at the busiest hour, the length of the event and whether food or alcohol is sold. These facts drive the restroom count.

  2. Draft the restroom plan

    Set out the number of standard and accessible units, the placement on a site map, the handwash stations and the servicing schedule. Use the same numbers as the crowd plan.

  3. Show the plan on the site map

    Mark each unit, the accessible units and the route to them on the site map. The public space permit later requires the units to be shown with their location and dimensions.

  4. File with the review group

    Submit the event file to MSETG for conditional approval. The group sets the review timetable and may ask for changes to the restroom plan.

  5. Apply for the other permits

    After conditional approval, apply for the public space permit through the District Department of Transportation and any Parks permit, with the restroom plan carried across.

What does MSETG review for a special event?

MSETG reviews the event as a whole, including the crowd, traffic, safety, medical and restroom plans. Conditional approval is needed before the other District permits are issued.

The group looks at how the event will be run on the day, and whether the District's services can support it. The restroom plan is one of the parts that is checked against the expected crowd and the length of the event. A plan that is consistent with the attendance and the food and drink sales is easier to approve than one that does not match them.

Conditional approval is the first step. It means the group has accepted the event in principle, subject to the conditions it sets. Those conditions may include changes to the restroom plan, and they must be met before the other permits are finalised.

What is the accessibility rule in the MSETG file?

The 2026 MSETG special event planning guide requires at least 20 percent of the units to be accessible, with a single accessible unit at each location.

The rule is part of the restroom plan, and the group expects the units to be shown on the site map with the accessible ones marked. The rule is set out in terms of the share of units and of the location, so the plan should show the accessible units spread across the site rather than grouped in one corner.

The rule is stated here as the guide states it. Confirm the current wording with the group before filing, since the guide is revised from year to year.

Is there a fixed number of units per guest?

No fixed units-per-guest ratio is applied here. The count is set from the expected attendance, the event length and whether alcohol is served, and the plan states the basis for the number.

A ratio is easy to quote and easy to misread. The count for a given event depends on how many people will be there at the busiest hour, how long they stay, how hot the day is and whether food and drink are sold on site. A plan that shows those facts, with the count worked out from them, is the one a reviewer can check.

The organiser should write down the assumptions behind the count. If the crowd is larger than expected on the day, the extra units can be added, and the file should say how they would be arranged.

What belongs in the restroom section of the file?

The count of standard and accessible units, the site map with the units marked, the handwash stations, the route to each unit and the servicing schedule.

A complete section lists each unit by type and location, shows the route from the main crowd area to the nearest unit, and gives the times of the servicing visits. The handwash stations are shown next to the food and drink areas, and the plan states where the waste will be taken and by which permitted hauler.

The section is written in plain terms, so that the reviewer can see the whole plan without a separate key. Each figure is one the provider can confirm in writing.

How does the MSETG review affect the other permits?

The other permits are issued after conditional approval, and the restroom plan carries forward into the public space permit and any Parks permit.

The public space permit is filed through the District Department of Transportation's online system, at least 30 days before the event. The site plan that goes with it shows the toilets as temporary structures, with their location and dimensions, so the restroom plan has to match the site plan exactly.

Parks permits are a separate route. DC Parks and Recreation says it does not provide portable toilets, so the event brings its own, and the Parks permit file repeats the restroom plan for the Parks land.

How early should the restroom plan be started?

Start it as soon as the event's dates, its place and its expected attendance are known, so that the count, the accessible units and the servicing can be written into the file in time.

Large events need the file filed early, and the public space permit needs at least 30 days. A restroom plan that is started late tends to be rushed, and the count is then set without the crowd figures. The provider can prepare a draft plan from the event facts, which the organiser checks and returns for the file.

The plan is a working document. It is updated when the attendance, the route or the vendors change, and the file is kept current until the event ends.

Options

Types and options for special event application and msetg review

Street event plan

Units set along a closed block, with the accessible units at the main entrance and a handwash station at the food area.

Mall or Parks event plan

Units placed on the main walkways and at the entrances, with the Parks route used where the event is on DC Parks property.

Multi-day festival plan

A plan with a servicing schedule for each day and a count that is reviewed when the attendance is known.

District of Columbia

Why special event application and msetg review is different in Washington, DC, and nearby Virginia and Maryland counties

Large Mall and waterfront events are reviewed against the same crowd and restroom standards as neighbourhood events.

A street event on a closed block needs both the MSETG review and the public space permit for the curb.

Events on DC Parks property use the Parks permit route alongside the MSETG file.

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Where we work

Special Event Application and MSETG Review across District of Columbia

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Related

DDOT Public Space Restroom Permit

The District public space permit for portable toilets on the curb, the sidewalk or a closed street, filed through TOPS at least 30 days before the event.

DPR Park Event Restrooms

Restroom planning for events on DC Parks and Recreation land, where the event brings its own portable toilets under the Parks permit.

Mall and Waterfront Event Restrooms

Restroom planning for events on the National Mall, along the waterfront and at the edge of Capitol Hill, placed on the approved walkways and crowd routes.

ADA Accessible Portable Toilets

Accessible portable toilets with wider doors, grab rails and level access, placed to meet the District special event accessibility rule.

Guides

Read before you book

How many portable toilets does a District event need?

The count for a District event is set by the operator from the expected crowd at the busiest hour, the length of the event, the food and drink sales and the heat of the day, and the basis is shown in the event file.

FAQ

Special Event Application and MSETG Review FAQs

What does MSETG stand for?

The Mayor's Special Events Task Group. It is run by the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

Do I need MSETG approval before the other permits?

Yes. The group gives conditional approval first, and the other District permits are issued after it.

How many portable toilets does the MSETG file need?

The guide does not set a fixed count applied here. The count is worked out from the expected attendance, the event length and the sales, and shown in the file.

What does the file say about accessible units?

The 2026 guide requires at least 20 percent of the units to be accessible, with a single accessible unit at each location.

Who prepares the restroom plan?

The organiser prepares the event file. A local provider can prepare the unit count, the placement and the servicing schedule from the event facts.

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