Building Rentals FAQs

Can anyone rent space with Seattle Public Schools?

Yes, Seattle Public Schools features hourly building rentals for the general public to use during hours when school is not in session.

Information on the process is found on the building rental webpage. Single uses or reoccurring uses are both available depending on approval of the school.

Questions, inquiries and comments can be sent to buildingrental@seattleschools.org.

How do I go about renting a space?

Seattle Public Schools utilizes an electronic reservation system, Master Library Schedules.

Users will be required to setup a group, provide proof of required insurance and meet the rules for use as outlined on the building rental webpage. Rules of use, space description, rate sheets, payment options and instructions for scheduling are outlined.

All uses of buildings must be approved by the school before it can be approved. All use applications take 15 working days (which exclude weekends, school breaks and holidays) to process and require advanced payment of the rental and associated fees. All requests are processed electronically and are at the discretion of the school principal at the facility. There is no central office approval of building use.

What if my group / I do not have the insurance required?

Seattle Public Schools accepts tenant coverage through the Tenant Users Liability Insurance Program (TULIP). Please see the link on the building rental webpage.

How do I reserve a field with Seattle Public Schools?

Seattle Public Schools sports and athletic fields are included in the City of Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Schools Joint Use Agreement.

All field scheduling is done through the Parks Department. Please contact Seattle Parks for availability. Field rental is for the actual field only and does not include the score boards, concession stands and/or press box.

If you wish to use these facilities, you must obtain a separate permit from Seattle Schools, which is subject to approval by the district/school athletic department.

Can we serve food during a rental from Seattle Public Schools?

There is a concession rental and tent/pop up procedure on the building rental page. Briefly, only foods that can be served are those listed under the Public Health of Seattle King County as not requiring a permit can be served.

Rental of concession stands requires a permit from Seattle Public Schools. Any tents or canopies must have approval in advance by risk management, and pay the associated fee.

Can we use Seattle Public Schools buildings in photo shoots, films or movies?

The film packet describes the process and what can and cannot be done with regards to photo shoots, films and movies in Seattle Public Schools. The process and fees are different from standard building rentals.

What additional charges may we incur when using district facilities?

There are additional charges for heating and cooling, which may vary by building and any technical assistant, custodial and security, which may be required at the discretion of the district. Damage deposits may be required under specific circumstances.

Are there opportunities for long term rentals in district buildings?

Occasionally the district does make space designated surplus and a lease can be entered into for longer term use of the space. This is infrequent and is typically advertised to the public under a Request for Proposal system.

Contact the Lewis Carlson at lacarlson@seattleschools.org or 206-252-0633 for additional information.

I understand there are some low cost opportunities to rent space with the district. What is this program?

In cooperation with the City of Seattle, the district makes school libraries during specified hours available to community groups such as community councils, neighborhood watch groups and friends of groups under Community Nights in School Libraries.

See the building rental webpage for the details. It is not available outside the days and hours designated and is not available for commercial or business uses.

I rented from the district previously; do I need to update my profile?

If any information regarding your group, organization or personal situation has changed, please submit the new information to your account in Master Library Schedules.

If you cannot remember your password, please contact Master Library Schedules using the directions on the building rental webpage to update your information. You will not be able to make additional requests if you have an outstanding delinquent balance for previous building rental activities.