Vendor Information

Brett's BBQ. Vendor standing behind a table of barbecue sauces and seasonings under a canopy at the Federal Way Farmers Market.

Federal Way Farmers Market Vendor Resources

As the Market begins a new chapter at its NEW Location! Now located at the Civic Plaza Lawn at 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S, Federal Way, WA 98003, we are excited to welcome farmers, makers, food vendors, and small businesses who want to be part of a growing community tradition.

Below you will find helpful information about applying to the Market, using our vendor management system, obtaining licenses and permits, meeting vendor insurance requirements, and accessing guidance for small businesses.

Our goal is to make the process clear and straightforward so you can focus on what you do best: bringing fresh food, handcrafted goods, and unique products to the people of Federal Way.

The market has ended for the season. Check back soon for 2027 applications!

Click Here to Apply

Vendor Requirements and Guidelines

We Now Use Manage My Market!

Manage My Market Software Tutorials

Manage My Market logo showing a teal bicycle with a wooden crate of produce on the back and the words “manage my market” below.

Know Your Market Currency!

We are proud to support our community by accepting several food assistance programs at the Federal Way Farmers Market. The table below helps vendors quickly identify which tokens, cards, and vouchers they can accept and what items they may be used for.

Payment Type Vendor Accepts Eligible Items
SNAP / EBT Tokens
$2 & $5 tokens		 All SNAP-approved vendors • Fruits
• Vegetables & herbs
• Plants that grow food
• Food seeds
• Bread
• Dairy
• Baked goods
• Jams & jellies
• Syrup & honey
• Meat, fish, poultry
• Nuts
• Mushrooms
SNAP Market Match Farmers & produce vendors • Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables & herbs
• Mushrooms
• Plants that grow food
• Food seeds
WIC FMNP Approved farmers only • Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Fresh herbs
Senior FMNP Approved farmers only • Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Fresh herbs
• Unprocessed locally produced honey
Healthy Senior & Healthy Kid Vouchers Farmers & produce vendors • Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables

Rules & Regulations

We are proud to support our community by accepting several food assistance programs at the Federal Way Farmers Market. The table below helps vendors quickly identify which tokens, cards, and vouchers they can accept and what items they may be used for.

  • Vendors are responsible for making sure that all persons working at their booth are familiar with and adhere to these Rules and Regulations.
  • Vendors are responsible for informing themselves and complying with all federal, state and local health regulations and licensing requirements which govern the production, display, distribution, sampling and sale of their products. All Vendors must comply with current Health Department regulations which include provision of food samples. 
  • Vendors have sole responsibility for collecting and reporting sales tax.
  • The Federal Way Farmers Market (“Market”) is a pet friendlyVendors should design their set-up so products are off the ground and out of pet reach.
  • All produce must be grown locally or locally produced. (Local means within the State of Washington).
  • All items sold must be grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the Vendor.
  • Stalls must be staffed by the Vendor, producer, their family or an employee who is directly involved with the growing/producing of the product on sale, i.e. a knowledgeable representative.
  • All changes/additions of product must be approved by the Market Manager.
  • No produce reselling is allowed(ie selling other farmers products).
  • Vegetable starts, bedding and landscape plant and flowers (live or cut) must be grown by the Vendor from seed, cuttings, bulbs, plug or plant divisions.
  • Vendors selling seafood must have the correct licensing.
  • If the Market believes the number of Vendors offering the same or similar products is excessive, duplicate Vendors may be denied entry.
  • All products must be of the highest quality.
  • No selling directly out of vehicle; Vendors must have a booth or canopy and have registered and approved through Manage My Market. 
  • Vendor booths, tables, signs and canopies shall not be a hazard to the public or to other Vendors, such as a tripping hazard.
  • Canopies must be sufficiently weighted from the moment they are erected.  Canopies must have sufficient weight to keep them in place during any weather conditions.  Canopies without weights on each cornerwill not be allowed to set-up.  As soon as the weights are removed, the canopy must be taken down immediately. If a Vendor forgets its canopy weights the Vendor will be told to take down the canopy. There will be no staking canopies to the ground.
  • Vendors shall provide the City of Federal Way (“The City”) with copies of any permits and licenses applicable to the regulation and sale of their products.
  • Food Vendors using approved propane set-ups are required to have a fire extinguisher on hand and adhere to all fire codes.
  • The Market operates rain or shine.  A Vendor commits to operating for the duration of the Market day once they are set up.  Insurance parameters prohibit traffic movement on the Market site during open hours.
  • Vendors should bring plenty of change.   The Market operates as cashless. The Market Manager or designee will not have funds to make change.
  • Each booth space must prominently display a sign clearly identifying the farm or business by its name and location.  All product descriptions must be accurate and prices need to be clearly displayed.
  • No burning of candles or incense.
  • No person shall store or sell any gunpowder, fireworks, ammunition or weapons on the Market premises.
  • Vendors are responsible for keeping their space clean and attractive during Market hours and must clean up their space after the Market closes, including sweeping up any debris and removing trash.
  • Vendors whose products generate waste must provide a trash receptacle at their booth for customers to use.  All trash must be placed in the dumpster, not in the Market cans.
  • On site trash cans are for customer use only.  There is a large trash bin for Vendors.  A fee of $20 will be charged to vendors who do not clean up their assigned space before leaving the Market. 
  • No person shall intentionally or negligently throw, drop or leave any fruit or vegetable matter or any other litter in the roadway or passageway in the Market.
  • No Vendor is allowed to display their goods outside of their assigned space. 
  • The Market is a non-smoking atmosphere.  
  • Vendors are expected to behave courteously to customers, other Vendors, and Market staff at all times.
  • No person shall, to the annoyance of any other person, ring any bell or blow any horn, operate any record player, radio or cassette recorder during Market hours. Approved music Vendors are permitted to operate a sound system.
  • Vendors are not to publicly disparage other Vendors or products.
  • Vendors are an independent contractor. The City shall be neither liable nor obligated to pay Vendors sick leave, vacation pay or any other benefit of employment, nor to pay any social security, income, or other tax which may arise as an incident of employment.
  • Vendors agree to maintain books, records, and documents which sufficiently and properly reflect all direct and indirect costs related to the performance of the Work and maintain such accounting procedures and practices as may be deemed necessary by the City to assure proper accounting of all funds paid pursuant to this Agreement. These records shall be subject, at all reasonable times, to inspection, review or audit by the City, its authorized representative, the State Auditor, or other governmental officials authorized by law to monitor this Agreement.
  • The City of Federal Way reserves the right to modify and update these Rules and Regulations from time to time.
  • For purposes of Vendor reimbursements, the following tokens, coupons, and vouchers (“Market Currency”) are approved to be used within the Market:
    1. The $2 EBT Federal Way Farmers Market Tokens (“Tokens”).
    2. SNAP Market Match coupon
    3. WIC FMNP coupon
    4. Senior FMNP coupon
    5. Healthy Senior & Healthy Kid Vouchers
  • The Market will provide to eligible Vendors EBT/SNAP signs (“EBT Sign”) to post at their stall which designate those Vendors as approved Vendors to accept Market Currency.
  • Vendors who are not provided the EBT Sign shall not accept the Market Currency listed in section 36 above. Vendors who are not provided the EBT Sign that accept Market Currency do so at their own risk and will not be reimbursed by the City.
  • The City will only reimburse Vendors who were provided the EBT Sign for return of the Market Currency listed in section 36 above. It is individual Vendor’s responsibility to verify that: (1) they are eligible to accept approved Market Currency; and (2) customers are paying with eligible Market Currency. The City will not reimburse tokens from other farmers markets or entities.
  • Vendors who are provided EBT Sign from the Market will accept Market Currency listed in section 36 and will return the Market Currency to the Market Manager at end of day for accounting and reimbursement.
  • Vendors are prohibited from exchanging Market Currency for cash between eligible Vendors and ineligible Vendors. Vendors who are caught exchanging Market Currency for cash will be removed from the Market and reported to law enforcement.
  • Selected Vendors will know by 5pm Monday, the week of Market, whether or not they are accepted to the Market for the week. Vendors will a have confirmed stall by 5pm Thursday. 
  • No-shows may result in Vendors being permanently barred from participating in future markets. The Market Manager will have sole discretion of this decision.  Vendors who have not received their confirmed stall by 5pm Thursday will not be allowed into the Market (ie no day of Market Vendors will be accepted).
  • Booth set-up is not permitted before 6:00am.  Upon arrival to the Market, Vendors will be cued in designated Vendor parking area. Vendors will wait for Market staff instruction before proceeding to Market grounds for set up. 
  • Due to public safety, by 8:30am there will be no vehicle traffic permitted in the Market grounds.
  • All Vendor vehicles must be out of the Market area (South 316th Street) by 8:30 am, no exceptions. 
  • All vehicles must be parked in designated Vendor parking area as designated in the map located through Manage My Market. 
  • All stalls must be cleaned before and after the Market hours and as often as may be necessary during those hours. 
  • Vendors are not allowed to begin disassembling booths before 1:30 pm.
  • All Vendors must be out by 2:30pm.
  • All Rules and Regulations of the Market are enforced by the Market Manager or the onsite designee.
  • The Market Manager has the right to not allow a Vendor or product in the Market.
  • Complaints or problems should be directed to the Market Manager in a manner that is not disruptive to the Market. 
  • If a Vendor does not comply with these Rules and Regulations, the Market Manager or a designee may take action deemed appropriate, including barring the Vendor from selling at the Market for that day and/or any future Market days.
  • The Market Manager’s decision is binding until the City of Federal Way rules on the appeal. A Vendor may appeal any decision of the Market concerning violation of these Rules and Regulations. An appeal must be presented in writing to the City of Federal Way. A decision by the City of Federal Way Parks Director shall constitute a final decision of any appeal.
  • Food, Produce, and Farmer Vendors (collectively “FPF Vendor”) agree to carry insurance for liability which may arise from or in connection with the performance of the services or work by the FPF Vendor, their agents, representatives, employees or subcontractors for the duration of the Agreement and thereafter with respect to any event occurring prior to such expiration or termination as follows. Minimum Limits. The FPF Vendor agrees to carry as a minimum, the following insurance, in such forms and with such carriers who have a rating that is satisfactory to the City:
    1. Commercial general liability insurance covering liability arising from premises, operations, independent contractors, products-completed operations, stop gap liability, personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage, products liability, advertising injury, and liability assumed under an insured contract with limits no less than $1,000,000 for each occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate;
    2. Workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance in amounts sufficient pursuant to the laws of the State of Washington;
    3. Automobile liability insurance covering all owned, non-owned, hired and leased vehicles with a minimum combined single limit of $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury, including personal injury or death, and property damage.
  • No Limit of Liability. FPF Vendor’s maintenance of insurance as required by the agreement shall not be construed to limit the liability of the FPF Vendor to the coverage provided by such insurance, or otherwise limit the City’s recourse to any remedy available at law or in equity. The FPF Vendor’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respect the City. Any insurance, self-insurance, or insurance pool coverage maintained by the City shall be excess of the FPF Vendor’s insurance and shall not contribute with it.
  • Additional Insured, Verification. The City shall be named as additional insured on all commercial general liability insurance policies. Concurrent with the execution of this Agreement, FPF Vendor shall provide certificates of insurance for all commercial general liability policies. At City’s request, Vendor shall furnish the City with copies of all insurance policies and with evidence of payment of premiums or fees of such policies. If Vendor’s insurance policies are “claims made,” Vendor shall be required to maintain tail coverage for a minimum period of three (3) years from the date this Agreement is actually terminated or upon project completion and acceptance by the City.
  • Survival. The provisions of this Section shall survive the expiration or termination of these Rules and Regulations.

HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT

Vendor has read and understands the Federal Way Farmers Market Rules and Regulations and is bound by the terms and conditions outlined in them. If interpreters are needed to assist with this, please contact the City. Vendor’s services will be limited to that listed on the Vendor’s application. Vendor is responsible for the quality and safety of its services. Each Party shall defend, protect, and hold harmless the other Party from and against all claims, suits or actions arising from the negligent acts or omissions of its employees and/or authorized representatives while performing under the terms of this or any Agreement between Vendor and the City of Federal Way. The provisions of this section shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

Licensing & Guidance for Small Businesses

Running a small business involves more than just bringing great products to the market. Vendors may also need licenses, permits, and guidance on business operations. The resources below provide helpful information from Washington State and national organizations to support farmers, food producers, and small businesses participating in the Federal Way Farmers Market.

These resources can assist with licensing, vendor requirements, payment programs, and small business development opportunities.

Washington State Vendor Licensing & Requirements

Washington State Business License

Application is not considered complete without this business license.

Commercial Liability Insurance

Only required from APPROVED vendors no later than 4 weeks prior to first Market day.

 

Washington State Department of Health – Growers Information
Information for growers participating in the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, including eligibility, program rules, and vendor participation details.

 

Washington State Department of Revenue – Business Licensing

 

Washington State Department of Revenue – Weighing and Measuring Devices State License Endorsement

 

Washington State Department of Revenue – Nursery Dealer State License Endorsement

 

Washington State Small Business Administration (SBA)

Created in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) continues to help small business owners and entrepreneurs pursue the American dream. SBA is the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small business and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise as the nation’s only go-to resource and voice for small businesses.