Vendor Application Form Template for Markets, Fairs and Festivals

A vendor application form is the first real document between you and a vendor. Done well, it gives you everything you need to decide, place and invoice without a follow-up email. Done badly, it produces a stack of partial answers and a week of chasing photos, permit numbers and power requirements.

Ask for what you will actually use, in the order you will use it: who they are, what they sell, what space they need, what compliance documents they hold, and how they will pay.

Mark each field required or optional deliberately. Require only what blocks a decision or a contract: business name, contact, product description, photos, space size and agreement to your rules. Make the rest optional at application and collect it after acceptance, such as the on-site contact or the final list of electrical equipment. Shorter forms get more complete answers, and you avoid collecting permit numbers from vendors you will decline.

If you have more applicants than spaces, decide how you will choose before applications open, and publish the criteria. Vendors accept a decline more easily when they know the rules, and a scoring sheet keeps a committee consistent.

Have at least two people score each application without seeing each other's scores, then meet to settle the close calls. Cap each category before you start, for example no more than a set number of jewelry or candle vendors, and fill the caps from the top of the scores. Keep a ranked waitlist, because some accepted vendors will cancel.

Money terms cause more disputes than any other part of a vendor agreement. Put them on the application, not in a separate email after acceptance.

• Application or jury fee: usually small and non-refundable, because it pays for review
• Space fee: due on acceptance, or a deposit on acceptance with the balance by a set date
• Extras: corner spaces, power, tables, chairs and extra vehicle passes priced separately
• Cancellation: a full or partial refund before a cut-off date, none after it
• No-shows: no refund, and noted when you jury next year's applications
• Weather: for outdoor events, say plainly whether fees are refunded, credited or kept if the event is cancelled

A worked example: a holiday craft fair charges a [APPLICATION FEE] jury fee with every application and a [SPACE FEE] space fee on acceptance. Vendors who cancel before a set cut-off date get the space fee back less an admin charge, vendors who cancel later get nothing back, and no-shows are not invited the following year. Every one of those numbers appears on the application, so no vendor learns about them for the first time from an invoice.

Most venues and many local authorities require proof of liability insurance from every vendor. Ask for a certificate of insurance on the application, or tell vendors when it is due, and give them the exact certificate holder and additional insured wording. Our guide to the certificate of insurance for vendors covers what to require and how to review it.

Copy this into your form builder or registration checkout, then delete the lines that do not apply to your event.

[EVENT NAME] Vendor Application
[EVENT DATES] | [VENUE OR LOCATION]
Applications close: [DATE]. Decisions sent by: [DATE].

1. Business details
Legal business name:
Trading name (as it should appear on the vendor list):
Website and social links:
Years in business:

2. Contact
Main contact name:
Email:
Mobile:
Mailing address:
On-site contact on event day (if different):

3. What you sell
Category: [CATEGORY LIST]
Describe your products and price range:
Upload 3–5 photos of current products and 1 photo of your stall setup:
Did you make, grow or produce the items you will sell? Yes / No. If no, explain:

4. Space and utilities
Space size requested: [SIZE OPTIONS]
Corner or end space requested (additional fee): Yes / No
Will you bring a tent, table or vehicle? [OPTIONS]
Power needed: Yes / No. If yes, list equipment and amperage:

5. Insurance and permits
I will provide a certificate of insurance meeting the requirements in the vendor rules by [DATE]: Yes
Food vendors: health or temporary food permit number, or date applied:
Sales tax registration number (if required):

6. Fees
Application fee: [AMOUNT], non-refundable.
Space fee: [AMOUNT], due on acceptance.
Cancellation: [REFUND TERMS AND CUT-OFF DATE].

7. Agreement
I have read and agree to the [EVENT NAME] vendor rules and cancellation policy.
I consent to photos of my stall being used to promote the event: Yes / No
Name:
Date:

The template above works for most events. Each event type adds a few questions of its own.

A farmers market vendor application is often for a whole season, so ask which market days the vendor will attend and price per day or per season. A craft fair vendor application usually closes months ahead to leave time for jurying, while festival food vendors need the most detail on equipment and fire safety.

1. 1

   Open Applications

   Publish the application with spaces, prices and the floor plan or site map, so vendors can see what they are applying for.

2. 2

   Jury in Rounds

   Review against your published criteria and decide in one batch, so early applicants do not take every good space by default.

3. 3

   Accept and Invoice

   Accept, assign a space and collect the fee in one step, and decline with a short, consistent reason.

4. 4

   Collect Documents

   Track insurance, permits and other uploads per vendor, and remind only the ones still missing something.

If you already sell spaces online, vendor fair software and exhibitor registration software can replace the separate form, the spreadsheet and the invoice run.