Welcome to Raumsonde
Disclaimer
Raumsonde is designed to assist cultural organisers in applying for, organising, and staging open-air events in public spaces. The resources in the Support Center makes reference to relevant legal frameworks, typical administrative procedures, and other best practices. It is not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for individual consultation with professional experts.
The legal frameworks and administrative practices referred to throughout are subject to ongoing revision. The authors cannot accept responsibility or liability for errors or omissions in the information published here. The content represents the current state of our research (03/2026); no guarantee can be made as to completeness, accuracy, or timeliness. Permit applications are examined on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the responsible authorities. Nothing in the Support Center can be taken as a guarantee of a successful application. All information is advisory in nature and does not create binding obligations between applicants and approval authorities (Genehmigungsbehörden).
About The Documentation
The documentation explains what Raumsonde can do and how to use it. It is written for cultural organisers who are planning open-air events in Berlin's public spaces and need to navigate the associated permit procedures.
You can read the documentation from start to finish to understand the full workflow, or use it as a reference – each section is self-contained enough to be consulted on its own. The structure follows the typical journey of an event organizer, from initial idea through to permit approval. This is a living document. It is regularly updated to reflect changes in administrative processes, new features in the tool, and feedback from organisers and district administrations (Bezirksämter).
Note: If you find errors, have suggestions, or would like to contribute, you can reach the Raumsonde team through the community forum found on the Support Center home page.
What Is Raumsonde?
Raumsonde is a free web-based tool that supports the planning of cultural events in public spaces and the preparation of the permit applications required to carry them out.
Organising an open-air cultural event in Berlin involves finding a suitable location, understanding the spatial and legal conditions that apply to it, determining which permits are needed, preparing the required application documents, and submitting them to the correct authorities. Each of these steps involves different information, different administrative contacts, and different timelines. Raumsonde brings this process together in one place.
The tool helps you investigate potential locations, draw a scaled site plan for your event, work out which permits you are likely to need, and prepare the associated application documents. For certain permits, Raumsonde can generate application forms and supporting documents directly. For others, it provides links to the relevant online services and the responsible authorities.
Raumsonde was developed by Kollektiv Spieltrieb e.V. It is not a commercial product and is not intended as a substitute for personal contact with the relevant authorities. It is an enabling tool – designed to support the safe, responsible, and legal organisation of cultural events by providing information, structure, and practical assistance.
Who Is This For?
Raumsonde is designed for anyone organising a non-commercial cultural event in a public space in Berlin. This includes independent cultural organisers, grassroots collectives, community groups, artist networks, and individuals putting on an event for the first time.
You do not need prior experience with administrative procedures to use the tool. If you have never applied for an event permit before, Raumsonde is built to help you understand what is involved and guide you through the process. If you are an experienced organiser, it can save you time by streamlining the preparation of your applications and helping you manage multiple permits in parallel. The tool is available in both German and English, and is written with the understanding that many organisers in Berlin's cultural sector work across language backgrounds. German administrative terms are explained in plain language throughout, and the English version provides the German original in parentheses on every use so you can recognise them in official correspondence.
What You Can Do with Raumsonde
Raumsonde supports four main stages of the event planning process:
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Investigate a location – The Space Map (Raumkarte) is an interactive city map that lets you explore potential event locations in Berlin. You can overlay official spatial data layers showing land use types, protected areas, proximity to sensitive locations, local infrastructure, and the responsible administrative authorities. This helps you assess whether a site is suitable for your event before you begin the application process.
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Draw a site plan – The Site Planner (Lageplaner) turns the Space Map into a drawing tool. You can create a scaled layout of your event – including stages, seating, fencing, technical equipment, toilets, escape routes, and more – directly on the map. The finished drawing can be exported as a professional PDF with a header, legend, and key data, ready for submission with your permit applications.
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Prepare your permit applications – The Application Assistant (Antragsassistent) walks you through a five-step questionnaire covering all the key details of your event. Based on your inputs, Raumsonde performs a preliminary check to advise which permits are likely to be required, which documents you need to prepare, and which authorities are responsible. For certain permits, the tool can generate application forms and supporting documents as downloadable PDFs.
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Manage the process – The Application-Dashboard (Antrags-Dashboard) gives you an overview of all the permits your event requires. You can track which documents are complete, download generated forms, access links to external application services, and monitor the status of each application as it moves through the approval procedure (Genehmigungsverfahren).
In addition, the Support Center provides this documentation, thematic Event Planning Guides on topics such as permits, safety, and noise, detailed use-case scenarios, as well as a forum where organizers can seek advice from their peers and the Raumsonde team.
Before You Begin
To get started with Raumsonde, all you need is an internet connection and a rough idea of the event you would like to organise – the kind of event, a possible location, and an approximate sense of scale.
Anyone can browse Raumsonde and explore the Space Map, information layers, the Site Planner, and the Application Assistant without creating an account. This lets you get a sense of whether Raumsonde is useful for your project before committing to registration. However, to save your inputs, bookmark favourite locations, and generate your applications as PDFs in the Application-Dashboard, you will need to register for a free user account. You can sign up and sign in via the Login button on the right-hand side of the page header.
What Raumsonde can do:
- Help you assess the suitability of a location using official spatial data
- Guide you through the information required for your permit applications
- Generate application forms and supporting documents for certain permits
- Provide links to external online application services and responsible authorities
- Help you manage and track multiple permit applications in one place
What Raumsonde cannot do:
- Guarantee that a permit will be granted – approval decisions are made by the responsible authorities on a case-by-case basis
- Replace direct contact with the relevant district office (Bezirksamt) – we strongly recommend speaking to the responsible authority before submitting any application
- Submit applications on your behalf to external online services – at present, generated documents need to be downloaded and submitted separately
Permits covered by Raumsonde
For Submission in an Application
Depending on the details of your event, Raumsonde can identify up to nine different permits that may be required. For some, Raumsonde generates a pre-filled application form that you download, sign, and submit by email. For others, the tool links you to the city of Berlin's existing online application services. The tables below provides an overview.
Permits generated by Raumsonde (PDF download and email submission):
| Permit | Responsible authority |
|---|---|
| Special use permit for an event on a side street – §29(2) StVO | District office – Streets and Green Spaces Dept. (SGA) |
| Special use permit for an event on a main road – §29(2) StVO | Senate Dept. for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment (SenMVKU) |
| Exemption permit for an event in a green space – §6(5) Berlin Green Spaces Act | District office – Streets and Green Spaces Dept. (SGA) |
| Exemption for purchase and use of Class F2 pyrotechnics | Public Order Office (OA) |
Permits submitted via external online services (link provided by Raumsonde):
| Permit | Responsible authority |
|---|---|
| Noise protection exemption (district level) | District office |
| Noise protection exemption (city level) | Senate administration |
| Mobile trade licence | Public Order Office (OA) – applicant's home district |
| Mobile alcohol concession permit | Public Order Office (OA) – applicant's home district |
| Notice regarding the burning of pyrotechnic articles | Public Order Office (OA) |
Not every event will require all of these permits. The Application Assistant determines which are relevant based on the specific details you enter about your event, location, and planned activities.
Supporting Documents
In addition to the application forms, Raumsonde can generate several supporting documents that are required as attachments to your permit submissions:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Site plan (Lageplan) | A scaled drawing of your event layout, created with the Site Planner |
| Event concept (Veranstaltungskonzept) | A summary of your event details, compiled from your inputs in the Application Assistant |
| Organiser's declaration (Veranstaltererklärung) | A formal declaration required for events on main road street land |
| Insurance confirmation (Versicherungsbestätigung) | A template to be completed and signed by your event insurer |
Each permit application requires specific attachments from this list. The Application-Dashboard shows you exactly which documents are needed for each permit and tracks your progress in preparing them (see section Managing and Submitting Your Applications).
Note: If you are unsure whether Raumsonde is the right tool for your event, you can use the Pre-Check on the home page to make a quick assessment before committing to the full application process.