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Food Truck Permits in Vermont

Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify

Yes. In Vermont a food truck, food trailer or push cart needs a commercial caterer license from the Vermont Department of Health. The license for a mobile unit costs $260 a year, is not prorated for seasonal trucks, and is issued after you pass an opening inspection. You also need a free Meals and Rooms Tax license from the Department of Taxes, and any permits your town requires.[1][3][8][4]

At a glance

Permit neededYes. A commercial caterer license from the Vermont Department of Health, in the mobile unit or push cart category.[1]
License fee$260 a year for a mobile unit or a push cart. Not prorated if you only operate part of the year.[3][1]
When to applyAt least 30 days before you plan to open. Plan review, when needed, is free.[1][3]
Water tanksA truck needs 30 gallons of fresh water and 35 gallons of wastewater capacity; a push cart needs 6 and 7.[2]
CommissaryNot required by name. Any separate prep kitchen you use needs its own license.[2]
TrainingNo state food handler card. The person in charge must show food safety knowledge, for example with a certified food protection manager certificate or by answering the inspector's questions.[1][5]
Sales taxVermont Meals and Rooms Tax, 9% (10% where a town adds a local option tax). The license to collect it is free.[8]
AgencyVermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program, 802-863-7221.[1]

Step by step

Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.

  1. Build the truck to the state rules

    Your truck must be registered with the DMV and able to move at any time, with no porches, steps or other structures attached. It should be self-contained, with only minimal equipment outside such as a single grill or smoker. You need a dedicated handwashing sink, a three-bay sink for washing, rinsing and sanitizing, 30 gallons of fresh water with hot water kept between 110°F and 120°F, 35 gallons of wastewater capacity, fridges at 41°F or colder and hot holding at 135°F or hotter. A push cart needs 6 gallons of fresh water and 7 of wastewater. Seasonal operations can put out up to 16 seats.[2]

  2. Plan where you fill water and dump wastewater

    Greywater must go to a public sewage treatment plant or a properly run private system. If you fill your tanks from a well, you need recent water test results showing no total coliform or E. coli. A truck that keeps its own tanks and moves often is unlikely to need a state wastewater permit. Check with the Department of Environmental Conservation if you plan to stay put: you may need a water and wastewater permit, prepared by a licensed designer, if you hook up to outside water or sewer and stay parked around the clock for more than 12 days a year or 4 days in a row, or if you park around the clock in one spot for more than 28 days a year without hookups. Hoses to outside tanks don't get you out of it.[2][6]

  3. License any prep kitchen you use

    If you prepare food somewhere other than on the truck, that kitchen needs its own commercial caterer license (or a home caterer license for a home kitchen).[2]

  4. Register with the Department of Taxes

    Set up a Vermont Business Tax Account and get a Meals and Rooms Tax license before you start selling. Both are free. Display the license where customers can see it and charge 9% meals tax (10% where the sale is subject to a local option tax). If you file monthly, pay the tax by the 25th of the following month.[8][9]

    Fee: FreeMeals and Rooms Tax: Getting Started

  5. Apply for the commercial caterer license

    Apply online or by mail at least 30 days before you want to open. Send the application, the $260 fee, a draft menu, and your truck's license plate number. The mobile unit, push cart and commercial caterer categories each cost $260. The fee is non-refundable, and an application can be treated as abandoned if you have not met the requirements six months after sending it. If you are building a new unit, the form asks for a plan review, which is free.[3][1]

    Fee: $260 (per year; not prorated)Time: Apply at least 30 days before openingApplication for License to Operate a Retail Food Establishment

  6. Pass the opening inspection

    A public health inspector will contact you after your application is processed. Inspections can usually be scheduled within 10 business days. You cannot pass with any critical violation left uncorrected. Once you pass, the inspection report works as your license until the real one is emailed, within 10 business days. Print the license and post it on the truck.[4][1]

    Time: Usually within 10 business days of asking

  7. Check with each town where you sell

    Vermont towns can add their own permits or rules for food businesses, so call the town clerk where you plan to park and ask about zoning and vending permits. For fire safety, electrical or plumbing inspections, the Health Department points you to the Department of Public Safety.[4][1]

    Fee: Set by each town

  8. Renew every year

    The license is valid for one year from the date of your inspection. Keep it current even if you only operate in summer; the $260 is not prorated. A new owner needs a new application and fee, because licenses do not transfer.[3][2][1]

What it costs

StepFee
Register with the Department of TaxesFree
Apply for the commercial caterer license$260 (per year; not prorated)
Check with each town where you sellSet by each town
Total if every fee applies to you$260

Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Check with each town where you sell.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate license for each county or town in Vermont?

For health, the license comes from the state: the Vermont Department of Health issues the commercial caterer license, not a county. Towns can still have their own permits or rules, so check with each town clerk where you plan to sell.[1][4]

I only run my truck in summer. Do I pay the full fee?

Yes. Health Department licenses last one year and the fee is not prorated, and you must keep the license current even if you only operate seasonally.[1]

Can I put out tables and chairs?

A little. Seasonal operations can have up to 16 outdoor seats. Under the regulations, that applies to businesses that operate fewer than six months of the year.[2][5]

Do I need a food safety certificate?

Vermont does not require a food handler card. The person in charge has to show food safety knowledge to the inspector, either by following the rules, holding a certified food protection manager certificate, or answering the inspector's questions correctly. The Health Department recommends some food safety training.[1][5]

Can I park my truck in one spot all season?

Be careful. If the truck can no longer move easily, or you hook it to outside water or sewer, the Department of Environmental Conservation may treat it as a permanent structure that needs a wastewater and water supply permit. Adding a deck, stairs, skirting or a foundation, or removing the wheels, can trigger this.[6]

Can my food truck sell beer or wine?

Only with a 1st and/or 3rd class liquor license from the Department of Liquor and Lottery, plus an outside consumption permit, approval from each town, and a license for each location. You must keep your Health Department license, have food available, stay connected to a clean water supply and to power, and have bathrooms for customers.[7]

Do I need a different license to sell only hot dogs?

Ask the Food & Lodging Program before you apply. The Health Department says push carts, which it describes as used for simple foods like hot dogs, need the $260 commercial caterer license. It also lists a cheaper $140 limited operation license for foodservice limited to hot dogs and cold sandwiches. The older written regulations limit that license to businesses whose main business is not food, and don't allow a grill.[2][3][1][5]

Sources

  1. Retail Food Service Establishments, Vermont Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
  2. Requirements for Mobile Units and Push Carts (June 2023), Vermont Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
  3. Application for License to Operate a Retail Food Establishment (February 2024), Vermont Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
  4. Guide to Opening a Food or Lodging Establishment (November 2024), Vermont Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
  5. Health Regulations for Food Service Establishments (effective December 1, 2003), Vermont Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
  6. Mobile Food Unit Water and Wastewater Permit Guidelines, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Checked October 25, 2026.
  7. Food Truck Liquor License Requirements, Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery. Checked October 25, 2026.
  8. Meals and Rooms Tax: Getting Started, Vermont Department of Taxes. Checked October 25, 2026.
  9. Meals and Rooms Tax, Vermont Department of Taxes. Checked October 25, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.