Food Truck Permits in California
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes. In California you need a health permit from the county (or city) environmental health department where you sell. State law says a food business cannot open without one. Your truck must work out of an approved commissary (a base kitchen), a fully enclosed truck you cook in needs a state HCD insignia, and if you serve unpackaged food that must be kept hot or cold, someone on staff needs a food safety certificate. If you sell taxable food, you also need a free seller's permit from the CDTFA, plus any local fire, business and parking permits.[1][5][3][4]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes. A health permit from your county or city environmental health department.[1] |
|---|---|
| Health permit fee | No state fee. Each county or city sets its own.[1] |
| Vehicle approval | The county must approve the truck. Enclosed trucks you work inside also need an HCD insignia.[1][5] |
| Commissary | Required. You report back to it every operating day.[1] |
| Food safety training | If you serve unpackaged food that must be kept hot or cold, at least one owner or employee per truck needs a food safety certificate. Food workers need a food handler card within 30 days of being hired.[1] |
| Restroom | If you stop to sell for more than an hour, workers need a toilet and handwashing sink within 200 feet, unless the health department approves another arrangement.[1] |
| Sales tax | Seller's permit from the CDTFA. No fee, but a security deposit may be asked for.[3][4] |
| Where you can park | Set by each city or county. State law lets them regulate the time, place and manner of street vending.[1] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Call your county environmental health department first
Your health permit comes from the county where you will sell. A few cities run their own health departments, such as Long Beach, Pasadena and Vernon in Los Angeles County. Ask them for their mobile food plan check guide, permit categories and fee schedule before you buy or build a truck. If you plan to sell in more than one county, you will need a permit in each one.[1][6][5]
Submit plans for county plan review before you build or buy
Send your truck's plans to the county health department and get them approved before you build or remodel. The county must approve or reject plans within 20 working days. An HCD insignia does not replace this review.[1][5]
Get the truck built to code and certified by HCD if you work inside it
If your truck is fully enclosed and you stand inside it to cook, the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) must certify it and give it an insignia (a sticker showing it meets state construction rules). Counties will not issue a health permit to an enclosed truck without one. Use a builder who knows both the Retail Food Code and HCD rules.[1][5]
Line up an approved commissary
A commissary is a base kitchen the county has approved. It must give you a place to dump waste water and trash, drinking water to fill your tanks, and storage for food and supplies. The truck is stored there (or at another place the county approves). You must go back to it every operating day, and clean and service the truck at least once each operating day.[1]
Get your food safety certificates
If you prepare or serve unpackaged food that must be kept hot or cold to stay safe (what the law calls potentially hazardous food), at least one owner or employee must pass an accredited food safety certification exam. That person cannot also be the certified person for another truck or business, and must pass the exam again every five years. A new business has 60 days to comply. Other workers who handle food need a California food handler card within 30 days of being hired. The card is valid for three years.[1]
Register for a seller's permit with the CDTFA
Register online with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. There is no fee, but they may ask for a security deposit. Because you move around, you charge the sales tax rate of the place where each sale happens.[3][4]
Apply for the health permit and pass inspection
Send the county your permit application. Some counties, like Sacramento, also ask for a commissary form, a route sheet (where and when you will sell) and a restroom form for each stop longer than an hour. The county checks the truck and how you will run it before it issues the permit. Your business name must be permanently marked on the customer side of the truck in letters at least 3 inches high, and on both sides if the truck has its own engine. Post the permit where customers can see it.[1][5]
Get local fire, business licence and location permits
State law says your operation must also follow local fire, building and zoning rules. Check with the fire department about propane, generators and fire extinguishers, and with the city about a business licence and where you may park. These rules differ from city to city.[1][8]
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Los Angeles County: County Public Health permits and inspects food trucks everywhere in the county except Long Beach, Pasadena and Vernon, which have their own health departments. Trucks get a letter grade, must tell Public Health their route and schedule (and update it when it changes a lot), and must post signs saying no smoking within 40 feet. New permits and fees took effect on March 6, 2024.[6]
- San Francisco: San Francisco Public Works decides where food trucks can operate, and you need its permit on top of Public Health and Fire Department approval. Neighbours get 30 days' notice of your application, and if anyone objects and it is not resolved, there is a public hearing. You also need liability insurance of at least $2,000,000 and a city Business Registration Certificate.[7]
- San Diego County: The county Department of Environmental Health and Quality approves all food trucks in the county. It wants three sets of plans and a plan check fee, and propane equipment must be approved by the local fire authority.[8]
- City of San Diego: You need a city Business Tax Certificate. Most operations need no city permit, but some private-property sites need a Mobile Food Truck Permit, and you always need the property owner's permission. Trucks may not operate daily in the Gaslamp Quarter or Little Italy unless it is part of a special event, and may not park on public streets in the beach and campus parking impact zones.[9]
- Sacramento County: Permits are sorted into categories by what you sell. A truck that cooks unpackaged perishable food on board is Category D and must be fully enclosed. All permits expire on December 31 each year. You cannot store the truck at home unless it only sells prepackaged ice cream or other prepackaged food that does not need to be kept hot or cold.[5]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Submit plans for county plan review before you build or buy | Plan check fee set by each county or city health department |
| Get the truck built to code and certified by HCD if you work inside it | Set by HCD. Ask HCD for its current inspection fee. |
| Register for a seller's permit with the CDTFA | Free |
| Apply for the health permit and pass inspection | Set by each county or city health department |
| Get local fire, business licence and location permits | Set by each city, county and fire authority |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $0 |
Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Submit plans for county plan review before you build or buy; Get the truck built to code and certified by HCD if you work inside it; Apply for the health permit and pass inspection; Get local fire, business licence and location permits.
Recent changes
- : SB 635 took effect. When a compact mobile food operation (a pushcart, stand or other vendor without a motor) applies for a permit, the health department may no longer ask about immigration status, place of birth or criminal history, and must keep the applicant's personal details private. This rule is written for carts and stands, not motorized food trucks.[1]
- : Los Angeles County changed its mobile food health permits, fees and services.[6]
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my county health permit in a different county?
Usually not. Each county issues its own food truck permit, so plan on a separate permit (and fee) for every county you sell in.[5]
Can I park my food truck at home overnight?
Generally no. State law says the truck must be stored at the commissary or another place the health department approves, and it must report back to the commissary every operating day.[1]
Can I prep food in my home kitchen for my truck?
Expect the answer to be no. State law says a food truck must work with an approved commissary. Sacramento County, for example, says all food must be stored and prepared at an approved commissary or on the truck itself. Ask your county health department.[1][5]
Can a restaurant be my commissary?
Often yes, if the health department approves it. Sacramento County, for example, accepts a restaurant with a valid health permit if it provides everything on the county's commissary form and passes an inspection, which may cost extra. State law says a commissary must have a place to dump waste water and trash, drinking water to fill your tanks, hot and cold running water for cleaning, and storage.[5][1]
If I buy a used truck that already had a permit, can I keep using it?
No. Health permits cannot be transferred. You must apply for your own permit, and the county may require the truck to be approved again.[1]
What happens if I sell without a permit?
The health department can close you down and fine you up to three times what the permit would have cost.[1]
Do I need a restroom for a food truck?
Yes, if you stop to sell for more than an hour. Workers must have an approved toilet and handwashing sink within 200 feet, unless the health department approves another arrangement. Some counties, like Sacramento, ask for a restroom form for each stop longer than an hour.[1][5]
Who pays for my workers' food handler cards?
The employer. State law says the employer must pay the worker's costs of getting the card and count the training and exam time as paid work hours.[1]
Sources
- California Retail Food Code (Health and Safety Code, Division 104, Part 7), effective January 1, 2026, Orange County Health Care Agency (text of the California Health and Safety Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- Retail Food Program, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Food Vendors — Tax Guide for Caterers, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Frequently Asked Questions: Seller's Permit, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Food/Food Trucks: Frequently Asked Questions, Sacramento County Environmental Management Department. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Food Service Trucks, Trailers, and Boats in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Food Facilities, San Francisco Public Works. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Construction and Operational Guide for Mobile Food Facilities and Mobile Support Units (DEH-FH-991), County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Information Bulletin 148: How to Obtain a Permit for a Mobile Food Truck, City of San Diego Development Services Department. Checked October 24, 2026.
Related
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch (supports the 62 local environmental health agencies that issue permits) or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.