Free Excel template
Vendor document tracker
What’s in the download
A tracker tab with example rows and an automatic “days until expiry” column, plus a guide tab listing what to collect from each type of vendor.
What to collect from event vendors
A starting point. Your venue, city and state may require more, so check with them.
| Document | Who needs it | Why | Expires? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signed vendor agreement | All vendors | Sets what they provide, fees, cancellation and your rules. | No |
| Certificate of insurance (COI) | All vendors | General liability coverage, usually naming the organizer and venue as additional insured. | Yes |
| W-9 (US) | Vendors you pay | Needed for tax reporting if you pay them. | No |
| Business license | Most vendors | Many cities require it to sell at events. | Yes |
| Sales tax / seller’s permit | Vendors selling goods | Required in most states to collect sales tax. | Yes |
| Health permit / food handler certificate | Food and drink vendors | Required by the local health department. | Yes |
| Fire safety inspection | Food trucks, cooking vendors | Needed for propane, open flame or generators. | Yes |
| Vehicle registration and auto insurance | Food trucks, vehicles on site | For anything driven onto the site. | Yes |
| Liquor license | Alcohol vendors | Required to serve or sell alcohol. | Yes |
| Load-in time and booth location | All vendors | Confirmed in writing so arrival day runs smoothly. | No |
Three habits that prevent event-day surprises
- Check the dates, not just the document. A certificate that expires the week before your event is no certificate on event day.
- Make the deadline part of the agreement. “Documents due 21 days before the event, or the booth may be released” gets results that polite reminders don’t.
- Keep one list. When documents live in five inboxes, nobody knows what’s missing until load-in.
Questions organizers ask
What is a certificate of insurance (COI) for event vendors?
A COI is a one-page summary from the vendor’s insurer showing their liability coverage and policy dates. Organizers and venues usually ask to be named as “additional insured”, so the vendor’s policy also protects them.
What documents should I collect from food vendors?
Typically a signed vendor agreement, certificate of insurance, health permit or food handler certificate, business license, seller’s permit, and a fire safety inspection if they use propane, open flame or generators. Requirements vary by city, state and venue.
How far ahead should vendors send their documents?
Ask for everything two to four weeks before the event, so there’s time to follow up on anything missing and check that insurance and permits are still valid on the event date.
Does the tracker work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the downloaded .xlsx file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. The expiry countdown formula works there too.
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