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Account Setup

Ceate an NYC.ID account

Prior to applying for a roadway or sidewalk cafe, an applicant must create an account in the application portal.

This will require you to:

  1. Enter an email address and create a password
  2. Select a security question
  3. Accept the portal's Terms and Conditions

Prepare documents

Gather the required documents for your application, found on the Forms and Documents page. 

Add your food service establishment to your account

Once you have gathered the required documents, you may add your food service establishment to your account in the application portal. 

In the application portal, you will need:

  1. The Food Service Establishment Permit (FSEP) number from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH)
  2. Information about your food service establishment:
    • Employer Identification Number (EIN)
    • A phone number and email at which the primary restaurant contact can be reached for any critical communications
    • An emergency contact
    • New York State Department of State (DOS) ID Number, if applicable (if you do not know your DOS ID, visit the Department of State's Corporate & Business Entity Database)
  3. The required documents as prompted

Begin your application for a sidewalk or roadway cafe

Once your food service establishment is added to your profile, it's time to click apply!

For each frontage being applied for, you will need:

  1. The measurements of the area in front of your establishment

    Sidewalk:

    • Total width of the sidewalk, measured from the outer edge of the curb to your establishment's property line
    • Total length of your food establishment's frontage

    Roadway:

    • Estimated width of the curb lane
    • Total length of your food establishment's frontage
  2. The required documents as prompted
    • *Please note: a separate site plan must be uploaded for each frontage, if the establishment is on a corner and has two frontages.

  3. Five photos of the area in front of your establishment:

    Diagram showing the five photos of a restaurants frontage

  4. Click "submit"
  5. Pay the non-refundable license fee to complete your submission
  6. Check your email inbox for the application ID number and associated invoices, they will be sent to the email address you provided in your account

After you apply

Applicants may track the status of their application on the application portal. 

All applications will be reviewed by NYC DOT:

  • Sidewalk cafe review process may take up to six months
  • Roadway cafe review process may take up to five months

Before your application is approved, NYC DOT may need to hold a public hearing:

Learn about the public hearing process for Dining Out NYC applications.