Food Truck Permits in Kansas
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes. In Kansas a food truck is licensed by the state, not the county: you need a food establishment license from the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA), and each truck needs its own. You apply with the food establishment application and a mobile unit log, pass a licensing inspection, and pay a one-time application fee plus an annual license fee. Cities and counties set their own rules on top of this (Newton and Wichita, for example, want their own license and a fire inspection), so check with each city before you park.[1][4][3][6][8]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes. A food establishment license from the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). Each truck needs its own.[4][3] |
|---|---|
| Who issues it | The state (KDA), not your county or city health department.[1][4] |
| Fee | $550 in the first year for a truck that cooks, cools or reheats food that must be kept hot or cold ($300 application + $250 license). Lower-risk menus pay $465 or $545. After that, $190 to $250 a year.[2][5] |
| License year | April 1 to March 31. Fees are not prorated, so a license bought in February still ends on March 31.[5][4] |
| Commissary | Only if the truck has no three-compartment sink; then a commissary with one, or a warewashing plan KDA accepts. A commissary where you store or prep food needs its own license.[3] |
| Home kitchen | No. Food must be made on the truck or in a licensed facility.[3] |
| Sales tax | Register with the Kansas Department of Revenue before you start.[6][7] |
| City permits | Set by each city. Some, such as Newton and Wichita, add a city vendor license and a fire inspection.[3][8][10] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Register your business
If you are forming an LLC, corporation or partnership, register it with the Kansas Secretary of State first. The KDA application asks whether your business is registered there and for its business entity ID.[6][5]
Register for sales tax
Set up an account with the Kansas Department of Revenue Customer Service Center, then fill in its questionnaire to see which business taxes you must register for. Several cities, including Wichita and Leavenworth, ask for your Kansas sales tax number on their vendor application.[7][10][9]
Build or fit out the truck to KDA's standards
KDA's guide for mobile units lists what an inspector looks for. You need at least one handwashing sink with hot and cold water, soap and paper towels; equipment that keeps cold food at 41°F or below and hot food at 135°F or above; and a drinking-water tank. For washing dishes, you need a three-compartment sink big enough to fully dip your largest utensil, or a commissary. The wastewater tank must hold at least 15% more than the fresh water tank, and no wastewater may go on the ground.[3]
Line up a commissary if you need one
If the truck has no three-compartment sink, you need a commissary (a base kitchen) to wash dishes, or a warewashing plan KDA accepts instead. With a commissary you also need enough spare utensils to last between visits. Sign a written access agreement if you don't own or lease the commissary. If you store or prepare food there, the commissary needs its own KDA license; if you buy all your food each day and store nothing there, it doesn't.[3]
Apply to KDA and pay the fees
Fill in the Application for Food Establishment License, tick "Mobile Unit", and send the Mobile Unit Log with it. Pick your risk category: most trucks are Category I because they cook, cool or reheat food that has to be kept hot or cold. Category I (under 5,000 sq ft) is $300 application + $250 license = $550. Category II is $545 and Category III is $465. You can pay by card, check, cashier's check or money order. Cash is taken only at KDA's Manhattan office.[5][4][2][3]
Pass the licensing inspection
KDA inspects the truck before it issues the license. Once licensed, the truck gets an MU sticker; don't remove it, and tell KDA if you sell the unit. The license must be displayed where customers can see it, and it can't be transferred to another person or truck.[1][3]
Get a license from each city where you sell
KDA's license doesn't give you the right to park anywhere. Each city sets its own rules. Some cities, such as Wichita, Newton and Leavenworth, ask for a city vendor license, a fire safety inspection (hood, extinguishers, propane), liability insurance or the property owner's permission. Ask the city clerk or fire marshal in every city before you sell there.[3][8][10][9]
Renew every year by March 31
Every license ends on March 31. KDA emails renewal notices from January, and you can renew online. The renewal is the license fee only ($250 for a Category I truck under 5,000 sq ft). A late fee is added in April, and if you haven't renewed by April 30 you must apply again and pay the application fee as well.[3][2]
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Wichita: You need a city Mobile Food Vending license for each vehicle: $50 per 30 days, $250 for six months or $400 a year. You must show your Kansas sales tax number and liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate. Units get an annual fire safety inspection, propane is capped at 100 pounds, and you can't operate between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. These figures come from the 2016 ordinance; check with the city for later changes.[10]
- Newton: You need a City of Newton mobile food vendor license ($50 a year) on top of your KDA license. First pass a fire safety inspection by the Fire Marshal's Office; Newton also accepts proof of inspection from some other central Kansas fire departments. You get a sticker for the truck each year.[8]
- Leavenworth: The city's mobile food vendor license asks for a copy of your KDA license, liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate naming the city as additional insured, and written permission from the property owner. Everyone handling food needs a food handler permit. Licenses expire every April 30.[9]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Apply to KDA and pay the fees | $465 to $550 (first year: $550 Category I (most trucks), $545 Category II, $465 Category III) |
| Get a license from each city where you sell | Set by each city. For example, Newton charges $50 a year and Wichita $50 to $400. |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $465 to $550 |
Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Get a license from each city where you sell.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a KDA license to sell at one weekend festival?
Not if you operate fewer than seven days in the whole calendar year. Once you go past six days, you need a food establishment license. The event or city may still want its own permit.[1][3]
How much does a Kansas food truck license cost?
For most trucks, $550 in the first year ($300 application fee plus $250 license fee) and $250 a year after that, if you renew on time. Trucks that only heat food from a licensed processor ($545), or sell only drinks, packaged food or food that needs no temperature control ($465), pay less. City licenses cost extra.[5][3]
Do I need a separate license for each truck?
Yes. Each truck, trailer, cart or tent needs its own KDA license.[3]
Can I prep food in my home kitchen?
No. Food has to be prepared on the truck or in a licensed facility. A commissary can be in a private home, but only if it meets the food code's separation rules, and if you store or prepare food there it needs its own license.[3]
Do I need a commissary in Kansas?
Only if the truck has no three-compartment sink for washing dishes. Then you need a commissary with one, or a warewashing plan KDA accepts, plus a written agreement if the commissary isn't yours.[3]
How big do my water tanks need to be?
At least 5 gallons for handwashing, plus at least 15 more for dishwashing if you do only limited food prep, or 25 more if you do more than that. The wastewater tank must be 15% bigger than the fresh water tank.[3]
Does my KDA license let me sell in any Kansas city?
It is a state license, not a city one, but each city decides where and when you can vend and may want its own license and fire inspection. Ask each city first.[3]
How often will KDA inspect my truck?
High-risk units (most trucks that cook) are inspected once a year. Medium-risk units are inspected once every 15 months.[3][2]
Sources
- K.S.A. 65-689: Food establishments; license requirements, fees, inspections; exceptions, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Checked October 25, 2026.
- K.A.R. 4-28-6: Fees; risk levels; food establishment, Kansas Department of Agriculture (Kansas Administrative Regulations). Checked October 25, 2026. Cornell LII copy of the Kansas Administrative Regulations, not the Kansas Secretary of State's official text. Check against the official K.A.R. before verifying.
- Food Safety on the Move (mobile units guide), Kansas Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Lodging Program. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2025-12-04; the live agriculture.ks.gov document returned HTTP 403 to automated reading.
- License Information - Food Safety, Kansas Department of Agriculture. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2026-09-18; the live agriculture.ks.gov page returned HTTP 403 to automated reading.
- Application for Food Establishment License (Food, Mobile Unit, Non-NSLP Schools), revised July 16, 2025, Kansas Department of Agriculture. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2026-05-14; the live agriculture.ks.gov PDF returned HTTP 403 to automated reading.
- Mobile Food Unit Licensing Guide (updated 11/13/2025), Kansas Department of Agriculture. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2026-05-14; the live agriculture.ks.gov PDF returned HTTP 403 to automated reading.
- Business Registration, Kansas Department of Revenue. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Mobile Food Vendor Licensing, City of Newton Fire/EMS, Community Risk Reduction. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Mobile Food Vendor License Application, City of Leavenworth, Office of the City Clerk. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Ordinance No. 50-382: Chapter 3.15, Mobile Food Vendors (2016), City of Wichita. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2025-03-23; wichita.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated reading. This is the 2016 ordinance as passed; later amendments to Chapter 3.15 were not checked.
Related
- Cottage Food Laws in Kansas
- Food Truck Permits in Colorado
- Food Truck Permits in Missouri
- Food Truck Permits in Nebraska
- Food Truck Permits in Oklahoma
- Food Truck Permits by State
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Kansas Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Lodging Program or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.