13 Licenses and Permits Needed to Open a Food Truck

Here are the food truck licenses, inspections, and permits you need to open your new restaurant on wheels, and where you can find them for your area.

It’s not enough to have a food truck idea or concept and a standout truck design. In order to operate legally, you’ll need a detailed business plan, and permits and licenses specific to mobile food and beverage establishments. For example, if you offer catering services from your food truck, like The Humble Toast, you’ll need specific restaurant permits for that service.

Here are the licenses and permits required for food truck operators to open and operate a food truck business.

Key Takeaways

• Essential Permits: Starting a food truck requires various permits such as a business license, health permit, and fire permit. The requirements vary by location and the type of food and beverages sold.

• Preparation: A detailed business plan and a commissary agreement (a licensed facility for food prep and storage) are crucial before opening.

• Activity-Based Permits: Specific permits are needed for activities like food prep, selling TCS items (e.g., milk, ice cream), and offering catering services.

• Health and Safety: Health permits involve thorough inspections by local health boards. Fire permits may also be required depending on your location.

• Alcohol Sales: Selling alcohol from a food truck requires additional licenses, with varying requirements by state. Some states provide blanket licenses for all alcohol types.

• Employee Training: Employees must obtain health permits and complete FDA-approved food handler training.

• Special Permits: Additional specific permits may be required for certain types of food trucks (e.g., seafood, ice cream), including parking permits to avoid fines.

• State-Specific Rules: Different states have unique requirements and processes for food truck licenses. Resources are available for new businesses in states like Massachusetts and California.

• Startup Costs: Initial permit and license costs can exceed $1,000, and the application process may take several months, so early planning is essential.

• Compliance: Adhering to city, county, state, and federal regulations is critical to avoid fines and ensure smooth operation 

What Do You Need to Open a Food Truck?

Before opening a food truck, you’ll need to have a thorough business plan and a written agreement with your “commissary,” or the facility where your food preparation and storage takes place. Some states like Massachusetts refer to food trucks as “mobile food establishments,” so keep that in mind when searching online for resources specific to your area. 

Let’s look through some of the specific activities that lead to the need for food truck permits or licenses. 

Food Truck Activities that Require Various Permits and Licenses

• Preparing and selling food

• Selling prepackaged food

• Selling packaged time/temperature controlled for safety (TCS) food items like ice cream

• Selling beverages with TCS requirements like milk

• Doing food prep that’s considered “complex,” meaning cooking, heating, or food processing that requires hazard plans

Using a truck to transport food for grocery delivery or takeout typically doesn’t require a mobile food establishment permit. 

Here are a few of the licenses and permits you may need to open and operate a food truck business.

1. Business License/Certificate

Most businesses require a license, restaurants and food trucks included. If you already have a business license and want to open a new location, you may not need to complete this step. If you’ll be serving alcoholic beverages from your food truck, you’ll need to obtain an additional business license from the Alcohol and Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), along with a state-specific business license.

How to Get a Business License

Search for your state + business license to find your local license application requirements. The TTB includes an online application for an alcohol business license with links for every state.

How Much Does a Business License Cost?

Costs include the license itself and registration fees, which adds up to around $50 up front, and between $25 and a few thousand dollars annually, depending on your state’s setup and your restaurant’s revenue. 

2. Employer Identification Number (EIN)

All businesses in the U.S. need to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax purposes. They are issued by the IRS.

How to Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Go to IRS.gov to apply for an EIN, or find instructions online on how to apply by phone, fax, or mail. 

How Much Does an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Cost?

EINs are free to businesses.

3. Food Truck Permit

Some states require a food truck permit, which includes verification of all of the related requirements, like a business certificate and a certificate of liability insurance.

How to Get a Food Truck Permit

Search for your state’s food truck permit requirements to find out what’s needed. 

How Much Does a Food Truck Permit Cost?

Food truck site costs depend on location, which might be separated by zone, like in Massachusetts, as well as the time of year and other factors. They can range from $100 to over $1,000.

4. Health Permit

Health permits, or building health permits, require a health division permit application, inspection of equipment, a food plan review, a menu with consumer advisories, and building plans. They also require a Certificate of Occupancy and Certificate of Inspection and are reviewed by the local board of health.

How to Get a Health Permit

Refer to your local board of health to find health permit requirements and applications. There are often many requirements and documentation needs, so be prepared.

How Much Does a Health Permit Cost?

Health permit fees can range from $0 (for 503C organizations) to $200, and depend on establishment size and type of permit, like a catering permit.

5. Fire Permit

A fire safety permit might be a regular inspection by the local fire department, and will depend on where you’re selling from. 

How to Get a Fire Permit

Check your local food services or inspectional services department, and review if you need to apply for a temporary permit, or an annual permit good for a designated location and length of time.

How Much Does a Fire Permit Cost?

Fire permits are often part of the Certificate of Occupancy Inspection and can range from $25 - $500 annually.

6. Food Service License

Food service licenses are issued by the local city or county health department. They inspect the facility to ensure that it’s up to code, and meets inspection standards. 

How to Get a Food Service License

Refer to your local health department website and look for mobile food service. 

How Much Does a Food Service License Cost?

Food service license fees range by location and number of employees, and go from $100 to $1,000.

7. Seller’s Permit

Some states require a permit to help track sales tax. This can require both a seller’s permit and a resale certificate, depending on how products are sold.

How to Get a Resale Permit

Register for a seller’s permit online through your local government’s website. 

How Much Does a Resale Permit Cost?

The permit itself has no registration or application fees, but each local municipality collects a security deposit for tax payments.

8. Employee Health Permit

If employees will handle food and beverage items, they need to complete food handler training approved by the FDA. 

How to Get an Employee Health Permit

Review your state’s local employee health permit requirements online. 

How Much Does an Employee Health Permit Cost?

Employee health permit fees range between states, and generally cost between $100 to $500.

9. Liquor License

Some states allow mobile food trucks to sell alcoholic beverages, or food trucks that are set up in specified locations to sell frozen cocktails, wine, and more. Beer and wine requirements can differ from liquor and spirits, and in some states there’s a blanket license that covers all types of alcohol. The differentiation is outlined by Fit Small Business, which details the different costs and requirements for getting different types of alcohol licenses depending on your state.

How to Get a Liquor License

Search the TTB website for state-specific and drink-specific requirements, and review how to get a liquor license here. Here’s a tip—liquor licenses can take months to get approved, so put this on your early to-do list.

How Much Does a Liquor License Cost?

Liquor licenses can be issued temporarily, for events, or on an annual basis, and range from $75 to $6,000.

10. Hawker and Peddler License

A hawker and peddler license is required by some local municipalities for businesses who go from town to town to sell goods. 

How to Get a Hawker and Peddler License

When reviewing local requirements, search for your municipal licensing agency and refer to any regulations for traveling and selling goods, or mobile outdoor sales.

How Much Does a Hawker and Peddler License Cost?

These fees average around $25 - $100. 

11. Ice Cream Truck Vendor License

In some areas, the local chief of police or another municipal authority may review all ice cream truck vendors for food safety. 

How to Get an Ice Cream Truck Vendor License

Review local ice cream truck-specific requirements on your municipality’s website.

How Much Does an Ice Cream Truck Vendor License Cost?

Ice cream truck vendor licenses are similar to food truck vendor permits, and may be the same in some states. They cost around $100.

12. Retail Seafood Truck Permit

In areas like New England, the local board of health regulates the sale of freshly-caught seafood, and includes a mandatory inspection.

How to Get a Retail Seafood Truck Permit

Review local seafood dealer permits and requirements from the board of health.

How Much Does a Retail Seafood Truck Permit Cost?

Seafood dealer permits cost around $100 - 200.

13. Parking Permits

Parking permits are important to keep up with, or food trucks can face tickets, fines, or even the risk of being banned from certain high-traffic areas or events.

How to Get a Parking Permit

Before parking your food truck and starting to sell, look up local parking permit requirements on your city or town website.

How Much Does a Parking Permit Cost?

Parking permits can be free, or cost up to a few hundred dollars depending on the special event, private property owner, location, or time.

Licenses and Permit Laws in the US

Here are some examples of food truck business requirements in different states in the U.S. 

Food Truck Licenses and Permits in Massachusetts

Mass.gov includes a helpful website from the Food Protection Program that outlines the requirements to comply with state regulations for mobile food establishments (MFEs), or food trucks. 

New food truck businesses can review requirements based on which activities they’ll perform on the food truck, and access the applications and documents they need to get started. In Massachusetts, food trucks need specific local permits to operate their MFE approved by the local board of health. Luckily, for some areas, these can be issued once, and are valid for many years. 

Food Truck Licenses and Permits in California

To become a mobile food vendor in California, take a look at the LA County Public Health resource for new mobile food facilities. 

New food truck establishments in California need to complete the following requirements:

• Obtain a public health permit/license

• Display “no smoking” signage

• Pay for mobile food facility permits 

• Pass a mobile food facility inspection

Ready to get on the road?

To get a food truck up and running, you should be prepared to spend upwards of $1,000 to cover licensing costs, inspections, and fees. Once your business plan is completed, you’ll be ready to tackle restaurant startup costs and start filling out applications for permits. This can take a few months, so plan ahead. 

A solid business strategy should include everything, from a strong brand identity and company culture to a reliable food truck tech like a POS. 

Use our free food truck business plan to walk through every part of the planning, development, and application process, then review your local requirements for food truck establishments. Look at city, county, state, and federal regulations for your type of food truck business, and be extra careful with alcohol requirements and heavy traffic areas, as that’s where the fines will be the highest.

Related Food Truck Resources

• How Much Does it Cost to Start a Food Truck

• Food Truck POS Comparison Tool

• How to Start a Food Truck Business

• Best Food Truck Ideas

• Food Truck POS System

• Food Truck Name Ideas

• Food Truck Equipment

• Food Truck Design Ideas

• Food Truck Websites

• Food Truck Marketing Ideas

• Food Truck Menu Ideas

• How Much Do Food Trucks Make

• How to Do Food Truck Branding

• How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan

• Food Truck Business Plan Template

• Best Food Truck POS Systems

• Food Truck Supplies