Food Truck Permits in North Carolina
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
You need a food service permit from a county health department before you sell. North Carolina writes the rules for food trucks (called "mobile food units"), but the permit comes from the health department that inspects your commissary, the kitchen your truck works out of. Before you sell in any other county, you must give that county's health department a list of where you will park. You also need a free sales tax registration from the NC Department of Revenue.[1][9][12]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes, a food service permit for your mobile food unit[9] |
|---|---|
| Who issues it | The county health department that inspects your commissary[1] |
| Commissary | Required. Go back at least once a day for supplies, cleaning and servicing[1] |
| Plan review | Send plans to your local health department, ideally before you build or buy[6][9] |
| Food manager | A certified food protection manager is required. You have 210 days after your permit is issued to meet this rule[7] |
| Selling in other counties | Give each county's health department a list of your locations first[1] |
| Sales tax | Register with the NC Department of Revenue. It is free[12] |
| Seating | None. Under the state definition, a food truck does not provide seating for customers[5] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Check that your menu needs a health permit
Most food trucks do. But if you only sell drinks like coffee, tea or lemonade, the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services regulates you instead of the county health department. The same may be true for things like snow cones, shaved ice, ice cream, baked goods, popcorn, roasted nuts, cotton candy and commercially packaged foods. Call them at 984-236-4820 to check.[9]
Find a commissary
A commissary is a permitted food business your truck works out of. You must go there every day you operate, to pick up supplies, load clean water, empty wastewater and clean the truck. A restaurant or other permitted food business, such as a deli or caterer, can serve as your commissary if the health department approves it. You cannot work out of your home. Your commissary also decides which county issues your permit, and you need it approved before the permit is issued.[9][1][10]
Send your plans for review
Send plans drawn to scale to the county health department. Wake County, for example, asks for your menu, equipment specification sheets and drawings of the truck. Do this before you build or buy a truck, so you don't pay for work that has to be redone. Plans for chain or franchise trucks go to the state's Environmental Health Services Branch instead. Expect a plan review fee. Ask your county for the amount.[6][9][8]
Build or fit out the truck to the state rules
Your truck needs a pressurized water system with hot and cold water, a water heater and a handwashing sink. It needs at least a one-compartment sink for utensils, unless no food is made on the truck and all utensils are cleaned at the commissary. The wastewater tank must be at least 15 percent bigger than the clean water tank.[3]
Pass the inspection and get your permit
When your plans are approved and the truck is built, ask the health department to inspect it (Wake County calls this a construction evaluation). You also need your commissary approved before the permit is issued. Once the truck passes, you get your permit. Keep it on the truck and show it to inspectors when they ask.[9][7][1]
Register for sales tax
Register with the NC Department of Revenue for a sales and use tax Certificate of Registration. It is free. If you register online you usually get your account number right away.[12]
Get a certified food protection manager
Someone on your team needs to be a certified food protection manager. You have 210 days after your permit is issued to meet this rule.[7]
Tell every county where you will sell
Give the county that issued your permit a list of the counties and places you will operate. Before you sell in any other county, send that county's health department your list of locations too. Keep the lists up to date.[1]
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Wake County (Raleigh): You apply online through the county portal. You must email a Commissary Form to the county before your permit is issued. The county runs a free drop-in Q&A about food truck permits on the second Wednesday of each month.[9]
- Guilford County (Greensboro, High Point): Every truck permitted in Guilford County goes through plan review. Trucks from other counties must send Guilford a list of locations, times and dates before selling there, or risk having their permit suspended.[10]
- Durham County: Durham's plan review staff approve and assign commissaries. You must give the health department a monthly schedule of where and when you will set up, and you and your commissary must keep a daily log of your return visits.[11]
- Mecklenburg County (Charlotte): Since July 1, 2026, sales in Mecklenburg County carry an extra 1% local sales tax. Charge the right rate when you sell there.[13]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Send your plans for review | Not set in the state rules. Ask the county health department that will review your plans. |
| Register for sales tax | Free |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $0 |
Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Send your plans for review.
Recent changes
- : Mecklenburg County added a 1% local sales and use tax. Food trucks selling there must collect it.[13]
- : The state readopted its general rule for food trucks and hot dog carts (15A NCAC 18A .2670) and its adoption of the 2017 FDA Food Code (.2650).[1][4]
- : Senate Bill 810 (Session Law 2012-187) let a food truck act as its own commissary if it meets all the sanitation rules for a commissary.[8]
Frequently asked questions
Can I prep food for my truck in my home kitchen?
No. Your truck has to work out of a permitted restaurant or commissary. Homes are not allowed.[10][8]
Can my food truck be its own commissary?
Yes, if the truck, or the truck plus its servicing area, meets all the rules for a commissary. That includes storage, warewashing, enough water and hot water, wastewater disposal and access to a toilet. Talk to your county before you apply, because many trucks can't meet these rules.[8]
Do I need a separate permit for every county I sell in?
The state rules give you one permit, from the county that inspects your commissary. But before you sell in another county, you must send that county's health department a list of where you will operate, and keep it up to date. Counties can ask for more: Guilford wants times and dates too, and Durham wants a monthly schedule. Call each county first.[1][10][11]
How often do I have to go back to the commissary?
At least once a day, for supplies, cleaning and servicing. That includes emptying and flushing your wastewater tank.[1][3]
What is the difference between a food truck and a hot dog cart?
A pushcart (hot dog cart) can only prepare and serve hot dogs. It can also sell food that was made, portioned and wrapped at a permitted kitchen. A food truck can serve a full menu, but it must have sinks, hot water and the other equipment the rules require.[2][9]
Can I put out tables and chairs for customers?
No. Under the state definition, a mobile food unit does not provide seating for customers. You must also serve food with single-use items such as paper plates and plastic forks.[5][1]
I only sell coffee or lemonade. Do I need a health department permit?
Maybe not. According to Wake County, if you only serve coffee, tea or lemonade, the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services regulates you, not the county health department. Call them at 984-236-4820 to find out what you need.[9]
Does it cost anything to register for sales tax?
No. The NC Department of Revenue does not charge for a sales and use tax Certificate of Registration.[12]
Sources
- 15A NCAC 18A .2670 General Requirements for Pushcarts and Mobile Food Units, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- 15A NCAC 18A .2671 Specific Requirements for Pushcarts, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- 15A NCAC 18A .2672 Specific Requirements for Mobile Food Units, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- 15A NCAC 18A .2650 General - Adoption by Reference, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- 15A NCAC 18A .2651 Definitions, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- 15A NCAC 18A .2658 Compliance and Enforcement, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- 15A NCAC 18A .2659 Permits, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (NC Administrative Code). Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Food Unit Commissaries; Session Law 2012-187 (memorandum, December 3, 2012), NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Food Protection Program. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Food Trucks and Hot Dog Carts, Wake County Government, Environmental Health & Safety. Checked October 24, 2026.
- FAQ's for Mobile Food Units and Push Carts, Guilford County Department of Environmental Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Mobile Food Unit Requirements (January 2017), Durham County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Sales and Use Tax Frequently Asked Questions, North Carolina Department of Revenue. Checked October 24, 2026.
- Sales and Use Tax, North Carolina Department of Revenue. 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 County health departments, under rules from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.