Food Truck Permits in Oregon
Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify
Yes. In Oregon every food truck, trailer or cart needs a mobile food unit license. The state law is run by your county environmental health office, so you apply there. If your unit is new or extensively remodelled, the county must approve its plans and inspect it before you open. Unlike most states, Oregon may let you skip a commissary if your unit can do all the prep, dishwashing and storage on board. You may also need zoning and fire approvals, but there is no sales tax permit because Oregon has no general sales tax.[1][5][2][7][13]
At a glance
| Permit needed | Yes. A mobile food unit license from the county where you are based, renewed every calendar year[5][2] |
|---|---|
| Unit classes | Class I (packaged food only), Class II (hot and cold holding, no prep), Class III (prep and cooking, but no cooking raw animal foods such as raw meat), Class IV (full menu)[2] |
| Fees | Each county sets its own. The state fees are $400 for plan review of a new unit and $255 a year for the license. Multnomah County (Portland) charges $790 for plan review and $760 (Class 1 to 3) or $920 (Class 4) a year. Other counties may charge more or less[5][1][11] |
| Commissary | Required unless your county approves your unit as fully self-contained. A home kitchen can't be your commissary[8][2] |
| Training | Every worker needs an Oregon food handler card within 30 days of being hired. It costs up to $10 and lasts three years[3] |
| The unit itself | Must stay on working wheels and keep all equipment, including water and wastewater tanks, on board. A unit built or remodelled since February 2020 must also move as one piece[2][8] |
| Fire and zoning | Set by your city or county. Portland, for example, requires a yearly propane permit from the fire department[7][12] |
| Sales tax | None. Oregon has no general sales tax, so there is no state sales tax permit[13] |
| Agency | Your county environmental health office[5] |
Step by step
Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.
Call your county before you buy or build
Your county environmental health office handles the license, plan review and inspections. Call them before you buy a truck or cart. Even a commercially built unit might not meet Oregon's rules, and fixing it afterwards can be expensive.[5]
Work out your unit's class
Your class depends on your menu. Class I sells only packaged food and simple drinks. Class II can hold and serve unpackaged food hot or cold, but can't prepare or cook it. Class III can prepare and cook, but can't cook raw meat, fish or eggs (raw animal foods). Class IV can serve a full menu. You can serve anything in your class or a lower one, and you need the county's approval to change your menu.[2]
Make sure the unit meets the build rules
The unit must stay on working wheels while you sell. A unit built or remodelled since February 2020 must move as one piece, not be assembled on site. All equipment has to be part of the unit: no fridges, freezers or water tanks on the ground beside it. A Class IV unit may use one outside barbecue, smoker or similar cooker next to it. Water tanks must hold at least 30 gallons for dishwashing and 5 for handwashing, plus what you need to cook, and the wastewater tank must be at least 15% bigger than the fresh water tank. Your business name or symbol must be on the outside in letters at least two inches high.[2][8][7]
Line up a commissary, or show your unit is self-contained
A commissary is a licensed kitchen where you prep food, wash dishes and store supplies. Oregon requires one, or a licensed restaurant or warehouse, unless your county agrees your unit can do all of that on board. Your home kitchen can't be your commissary. If you use one, you and the kitchen's owner sign an agreement that lasts for one licensing year. If that agreement ends, you must stop selling until you have a new one.[2][10]
Submit your plans for review
Send the county a plan review packet before you build or remodel the unit. It includes your menu, a scale floor plan, details of sinks, water heater and tanks, and forms for your restroom access, wastewater disposal and commissary. Each county sets its own fee. The state fee is $400 for a new mobile unit ($100 to review a remodel), and Multnomah County charges $790; other counties may charge more or less. Multnomah says a review can take up to 15 business days after you pay.[9][1][5][11]
Get food handler cards for everyone who works on the unit
Every food worker needs an Oregon food handler card within 30 days of being hired. The course and test cost no more than $10, the card is good anywhere in Oregon, and it lasts three years. The person in charge must also know the food safety rules: a food manager certificate is one way to show it, but for now answering the inspector's questions correctly also counts.[3][7]
Get city approvals: zoning, fire and propane
Health approval doesn't replace other permits. Check with the city or county planning (zoning) office about where you can park and sell, and with the fire marshal, especially if you cook with propane. In Portland, you need a yearly propane permit from the fire department.[2][7][12]
Apply for the license and pass the pre-opening inspection
Send the county the Mobile Unit License Application with the license fee, then book the pre-opening inspection. The county issues the license only after it has your fee and the unit passes. Each county sets its own fee. The state fee is $255 a year, and Multnomah County charges $760 for Class 1 to 3 and $920 for Class 4; other counties may charge more or less. If you get licensed between October and December, you pay half the yearly fee.[5][2][4][1][11]
Post your license, keep your route on file, and renew by December 31
Post the license inside the unit where customers can see it. If you sell on a fixed route or at several spots, give the county your route or a list of locations. Before you sell in another county, tell that county's health department. Licenses run to December 31 each year. If you renew late, the state charges a $100 reinstatement fee on top of the license fee; your county may set its own late fee.[2][1][4]
Local rules
These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.
- Multnomah County (Portland and Gresham): Multnomah County licenses food carts and trucks for Portland. Most carts need a commissary unless they have a 3-compartment sink. Food handler cards from other states aren't accepted. A unit licensed in another Oregon county can come and go on the same day without a local license, but to park overnight or longer, for example for an event, you must tell the county, pay $25 and be inspected. In Portland you also need a yearly propane permit from the fire department. In Gresham, check with the city as well.[11][12]
What it costs
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Submit your plans for review | $400 to $790 ($400 is the state fee for a new unit; Multnomah County charges $790 ($2,380 rush). Each county sets its own, so yours may fall outside this range) |
| Get food handler cards for everyone who works on the unit | $10 (legal maximum, per worker; the card lasts three years) |
| Get city approvals: zoning, fire and propane | Set by each city, county or fire district |
| Apply for the license and pass the pre-opening inspection | $255 to $920 (per year. $255 is the state fee; Multnomah County charges $760 (Class 1 to 3) or $920 (Class 4). Each county sets its own, so yours may fall outside this range) |
| Total if every fee applies to you | $665 to $1,720 |
Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Get city approvals: zoning, fire and propane.
Recent changes
- : Deadline for units licensed before February 2020 to stop using water and wastewater tanks that aren't built into the unit, and to run as originally approved in plan review.[8][2]
- : Updated mobile food unit rules (OAR 333-162) take effect. Units must stay on working wheels, move as one piece and keep all equipment on board, with a single outside cooker allowed for Class IV.[2]
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to rent a commissary kitchen in Oregon?
Not always. Oregon lets your county approve a unit with no commissary if it can keep food hot and cold, wash hands and dishes, and handle water and waste all on board. Otherwise you need a licensed restaurant, commissary or warehouse as your base.[8][2]
Can I use my home kitchen to prep food for my truck?
No. A home kitchen can't be your commissary, even one licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and you can't keep or sell home-prepared food on the unit.[2][7]
Can I sell in another county with my license?
Yes, but tell that county's health department before you start selling there. Some counties have their own rules. Multnomah County, for example, doesn't need a local license for a same-day visit, but charges $25 and inspects if you stay overnight or longer.[1][12]
Do I need to collect sales tax on food truck sales in Oregon?
No. Oregon has no general sales tax, so there's no state sales tax permit to get. You still owe income or business taxes.[13]
Can I keep a fridge, water tank or grill outside my truck?
No fridges, freezers or water tanks outside the unit. A Class IV unit may use one barbecue, smoker or hearth oven next to it, but not a flat-top grill, griddle or stove.[8][2]
Can I cater events from my food truck?
Only if your unit has a licensed restaurant or commissary as its base, or if it has commercial-grade refrigeration, uses only single-use plates and utensils, and you get a variance (special permission) from the Oregon Health Authority.[2]
Will I need a certified food manager?
Not yet. Under Oregon's updated food rules, from January 1, 2029 at least one person in charge must be a certified food protection manager, and from January 1, 2031 one must be working each day.[6]
Sources
- ORS Chapter 624, Food Service Facilities (2025 edition), Oregon State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026. Internet Archive copy captured 2026-08-13 of https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors624.html; the live site timed out on every request. Check the live page before verifying.
- OAR Chapter 333, Division 162: Mobile Food Units, Commissaries and Warehouses, Oregon Secretary of State. Checked October 25, 2026.
- OAR Chapter 333, Division 175: Food Handler Training, Oregon Secretary of State. Checked October 25, 2026.
- OAR Chapter 333, Division 12: Standards for Local Public Health Authorities (licensing and fees), Oregon Secretary of State. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Mobile Food Units (Food trucks, food carts), Oregon Health Authority, Foodborne Illness Prevention Program. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Food Service Facilities (Food Sanitation Rules update and FAQ), Oregon Health Authority, Foodborne Illness Prevention Program. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Mobile Food Unit Operation Guide (Rev 4/2022), Oregon Health Authority. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Food Code Fact Sheet #34: Mobile Food Unit Integral Operations (Jan 2026), Oregon Health Authority. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Mobile Food Unit Plan Review Packet, Oregon Health Authority. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Commissary/Warehouse Usage Agreement, Oregon Health Authority. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Food Cart License, Multnomah County Health Inspections and Licensing. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Mobile Food Unit Plan Review Application Packet (EHS-0018 rev 2/3/23), Multnomah County Environmental Health Services. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Sales tax (Wayfair decision and Oregon businesses), Oregon Department of Revenue. Checked October 25, 2026.
Related
- Cottage Food Laws in Oregon
- Food Truck Permits in California
- Food Truck Permits in Idaho
- Food Truck Permits in Nevada
- Food Truck Permits in Washington
- 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 Your county environmental health office, under the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Foodborne Illness Prevention Program or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.