Food Truck Permits in Illinois
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes. In Illinois you need a permit from the local health department where you plan to operate, because local health departments, not the state, regulate food trucks. They all follow the same Illinois Food Code, but applications and fees differ from place to place. Every truck needs a certified food protection manager and a sales tax registration with the Illinois Department of Revenue. The health departments we checked also want a commissary (a licensed kitchen where you clean and restock the truck). Chicago runs its own separate licence system.[1][2][6][11][7]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes, from the local health department where you operate[1] |
|---|---|
| Fee | Set by each local health department. Chicago: $1,000 (cook on the truck) or $700 (pre-packaged food only), each for two years[11][8] |
| Commissary | Required by Chicago, DuPage County and Will County; check your local rules[11][10][7] |
| Food manager certificate | Yes. An ANSI-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager, valid five years (Chicago has its own certificate)[2] |
| Staff training | Food handler training for staff who are not certified managers, generally within 30 days of hire[3] |
| Sales tax | Register with the Illinois Department of Revenue (Form REG-1)[6] |
| Food rules | Illinois Food Code, based on the 2022 FDA Food Code[1] |
| Agency | Your local health department; Illinois Department of Public Health sets the rules[1] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Call the local health department where you will operate
Food trucks in Illinois are permitted locally. Find the health department for the county (or city) where you plan to sell and ask for its mobile food application, fee list and checklist. If you will sell in Chicago, you deal with the City of Chicago instead.[1][7]
Line up a commissary
A commissary is a licensed kitchen where you clean, restock and service the truck, and where you can prep and store food. Will County, for example, wants you back at the commissary every day and a signed commissary agreement with your application. DuPage County also asks for a commissary agreement. Shared commercial kitchens may offer this service, including grey water (used sink water) disposal for mobile vendors.[11][10][7][5]
Get your Certified Food Protection Manager certificate
Someone in charge of the truck must take an ANSI-accredited food protection manager course and pass the exam. The certificate lasts five years. In Chicago, if you cook on the truck (a Mobile Food Preparer licence), you need the City of Chicago Food Service Manager Certificate or recent proof of reciprocity (Chicago accepting your other certificate) instead.[2][8]
Send in your plans for review
The health department reviews your plans before it inspects the truck. DuPage County, for example, asks for your menu, an equipment layout with specs, drawings or photos of the truck, your commissary agreement and your routes or proposed locations. In DuPage, plan review has its own fee, separate from the yearly permit. Will County lists its plan review and permit fees on its application and wants a proposal for review if you cook on board.[10][11]
Get your fire safety checks
Fire rules are set locally. If you cook on the truck, expect to need your hood checked and the right fire extinguishers. For example, DuPage County wants a hood inspection report from a fire safety company or fire department, Rockford's fire department offers food truck inspections and requires a 2A:10B:C extinguisher, and Chicago requires a Fire Safety Permit for trucks with a generator or propane.[10][12][8]
Pass the vehicle inspection and get your health permit
Once your plans are approved, the health department inspects the truck or trailer. In DuPage County, for example, the permit is issued after you pass this inspection.[10]
Register for sales tax
Register your business with the Illinois Department of Revenue through MyTax Illinois using Form REG-1. You will get a Certificate of Registration.[6]
Train your staff
Workers who are not certified managers generally need food handler training within 30 days of hire. It must come from an ANSI-accredited program (or an in-house program approved by IDPH, which IDPH currently approves only for non-restaurants). Keep copies of their training records for inspections.[3]
Check each town where you plan to park
A health permit is not the same as permission to sell on a street. Many cities and villages have their own food truck licence, parking and zoning rules. Check with each one before you sell there.[10]
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Chicago: Chicago issues its own Mobile Food License. Cooking on the truck needs a Mobile Food Preparer licence ($1,000); selling only pre-packaged food needs a Mobile Food Dispenser licence ($700). Both last two years. You also need a Shared Kitchen User licence to use a licensed commissary (the long-term user licence is $330 for two years), a working GPS device on the truck, insurance of at least $350,000, and a Fire Safety Permit if you have a generator, propane, natural gas, a type II exhaust hood or a fire suppression system. You may not prepare or store food at home.[8][7][9]
- Chicago (where to park): You may park in a legal space or at a food truck stand for up to 4 hours in any one block, or less if the parking limit there is shorter. You may not park within 200 feet of a customer entrance to a street-level restaurant (except midnight to 2 AM). You may not sell between 2 AM and 5 AM unless a food truck stand specifically allows it. No more than 40 pounds of propane may be carried on the truck.[8]
- DuPage County: The DuPage County Health Department wants a plan review application, an annual application, a commissary agreement, your menu, a CFPM certificate, a hood inspection report if you cook, an equipment layout and photos of the truck. All equipment must be NSF approved (household appliances are not allowed) and all food prep and storage must be on the truck. If your commissary is outside DuPage, send its latest inspection report.[10]
- Will County: The Will County Health Department requires an operating permit, a signed commissary agreement and a daily return to the commissary for cleaning and restocking. Trucks that cook on board must send a proposal for review. Workers on the truck must take ANSI-approved food safety training and pass a nationally recognised exam.[11]
- Rockford: The Rockford Fire Department offers food truck inspections, held twice a month, first come, first served. Common reasons trucks fail: an out-of-date hood suppression inspection (needed every 6 months), no commercial 2A:10B:C extinguisher (plus a Class K if you cook with grease or oil), no working carbon monoxide detector, rubber propane hoses instead of metal, loose propane tanks, and missing propane warning signs.[12]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Send in your plans for review | Set by each local health department |
| Pass the vehicle inspection and get your health permit | Set by each local health department |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $0 |
Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Send in your plans for review; Pass the vehicle inspection and get your health permit.
Recent changes
- : Illinois switched its Food Code to the 2022 FDA Food Code. Changes include sesame as a major allergen and a rule that employees must be able to describe major food allergens and the symptoms of an allergic reaction.[13][4]
Frequently asked questions
Does a food truck permit from one Illinois county work in another county?
Not automatically. Each local health department regulates the food trucks in its own area, so you may need a permit in each county where you sell. Ask each health department before you go. Inside Chicago you need a City of Chicago licence.[1][7]
Can I prep food at home and sell it from my truck?
Plan on no. In Chicago it is clearly not allowed: food must be prepared or stored in a licensed kitchen such as a commissary. Will County describes food as prepared on the truck or in a licensed commissary. Ask your local health department.[7][11]
Do I need a food manager certificate for a food truck?
Yes. Food establishments in Illinois must be supervised by a Certified Food Protection Manager. You get it by passing an ANSI-accredited exam, and it lasts five years. Chicago uses its own Food Service Manager Certificate.[2]
Do my employees need food handler cards?
Usually yes. Illinois requires food handler training depending on the type of business, generally within 30 days of hire. Staff who are already certified food protection managers don't need it. The training must come from an ANSI-accredited program or an in-house program approved by IDPH.[3]
Do I have to collect sales tax on food truck sales?
Yes. If you sell at retail in Illinois you must register with the Illinois Department of Revenue and pay sales tax. Register online through MyTax Illinois.[6]
How much does a food truck licence cost in Chicago?
$1,000 for a Mobile Food Preparer licence (you cook on the truck) or $700 for a Mobile Food Dispenser licence (pre-packaged food only), each for two years. Add $330 for a two-year long-term Shared Kitchen User licence, and $150 for a fire suppression system review if your truck has one.[8][9]
Can I sell alcohol from my food truck in Chicago?
No. Chicago does not allow mobile sale of liquor.[7]
Sources
- Retail Food, Illinois Department of Public Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)/Food Service Sanitation Manager (FSSMC), Illinois Department of Public Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Food Handler Training, Illinois Department of Public Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Summary of Illinois Food Code and 2022 FDA Food Code Changes, Illinois Department of Public Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Pub-113, Registering your Business, Illinois Department of Revenue. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Food, City of Chicago, Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Food Trucks, City of Chicago, Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. Checked October 24, 2026.
- All Mobile Food Vendors, DuPage County Health Department. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Unit/Food Trucks, Will County Health Department. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Food Truck Inspections, City of Rockford Fire Department. Checked October 24, 2026.
- About The Food Code, Winnebago County Health 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 Illinois Department of Public Health (sets the Food Code; your local health department issues the permit) or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.