LegalToOpen

Food Truck Permits in Washington

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

Yes. In Washington you need a mobile food unit permit from the local health department in the county where your business is mainly based, and the truck itself must pass a Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) inspection and carry an L&I insignia. You also need a state business license, a food worker card for everyone who handles food, a commissary unless your truck qualifies for the exemption, and any fire and parking permits the cities where you sell require. Other counties must accept your approved plan review if you send them your permit, plans, latest inspection report and commissary agreements, and they can't charge a second plan review fee.[4][7][15][1]

At a glance

Permit neededYes. A mobile food unit permit from the health department where your business is mainly based[4]
Selling in other countiesEach county issues its own permit, but it must accept your home county's approved plan review if you send your permit, plans, latest inspection report and commissary agreements. It can charge its yearly permit fee, not a plan review or inspection fee[4][1]
Health permit feeSet by each county health department[22]
Vehicle inspection (L&I)Required for every food truck and trailer. $55.10 for the insignia, plus $111.80 an hour for the inspection. Trucks with propane piping, a cooking hood, solid fuel, a mounted generator or bigger electrical systems need L&I plan approval first, which has its own fees[15][17][18]
CommissaryRequired, with a signed agreement renewed every year, unless your truck qualifies for the state exemption[10][2]
TrainingEvery food worker needs a Washington food worker card ($10), good anywhere in the state[19]
Fire safetySet by each city's fire department. Departments in the Washington State Association of Fire Marshals program, including Seattle, accept one yearly checklist inspection from any participating department, but you usually still need a permit in each city[24]
Business license and sales taxA state business license from the Department of Revenue, $50 to open a new business, plus any city endorsement fees[20][21]

Step by step

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

  1. Get a state business license

    Apply to the Washington Department of Revenue, online through My DOR or by mail. You need one if you sell anything that carries sales tax, so a food truck almost always does. You get a UBI number (your business's ID number) that you use for taxes. Some cities, including Seattle, also want a city business license or endorsement, added to the same application. Online applications take about 10 business days, and city endorsements can add 2 to 3 weeks. Renewing each year costs $5 plus any endorsement fees.[20][21][25]

    Fee: $50 (processing fee to open a new business; city endorsement fees are extra)Time: About 10 business days onlineBusiness License Application

  2. Get food worker cards for everyone who handles food

    Anyone who works with unpackaged food, or with equipment and surfaces that touch it, needs a Washington food worker card. You take a short class and pass the state exam online at foodworkercard.wa.gov or with a local health department. The card costs $10 and works in every county. A new worker can start for up to 14 days before getting the card, if you train them. The first card lasts 2 years; renewals last 3 or 5 years. Keep a copy on the truck for inspectors.[19][3]

    Fee: $10 (per worker)Time: A few hours onlineWashington Food Worker Card online course

  3. Line up a commissary, or qualify for the exemption

    A commissary is an approved kitchen where you store and prep food, and a servicing area is the base where you clean the truck, dump wastewater and refill water. You must get a signed commissary agreement, renew it every year, return to the commissary as often as your health department sets, and keep a log of your visits for a year. When the truck is not working, it has to be parked at an approved location. You can skip the commissary only if the truck meets every one of the nine conditions in state law, including doing all prep, storage at the right temperatures, handwashing and dishwashing on board and an approved plan for wastewater and garbage, and the local health officer approves your menu and plan.[4][10][7][2]

  4. Get the truck inspected by L&I

    Every food truck and concession trailer must pass an L&I inspection and carry an L&I insignia (a sticker) before you open. If you are buying a used truck, check that it already has one. If the truck has commercial cooking equipment that needs a hood, solid-fuel cooking, propane or other gas piping, an electrical system over 50 amps, 240 volts or 5 circuits, solar or fuel cells, a bathroom, any equipment over 500 pounds, a generator mounted on the unit, or electric heat or air conditioning over 120 volts, you must send plans to L&I and get them approved first. Plan review can take several months. Otherwise you file the insignia application for trucks that don't need plans and pay $55.10. Inspections cost $111.80 an hour (one hour minimum) plus travel, and you pay even if the truck isn't ready.[15][17][18]

    Fee: $55.10 to $438.90 ($55.10 insignia fee with no plans. With plans, the $55.10 filing fee plus a $156.70 one-year or $383.80 master design plan fee. Inspection is extra at $111.80 an hour plus travel)Time: Plan review can take several monthsInsignia Application for Food Trucks and Concession Trailers That Do Not Require Plans (F623-040-000)

  5. Submit your plan to the county health department

    Send your home county health department a plan of operation: the truck's layout and equipment, your menu, your commissary and your servicing area. Get it approved before you build or remodel, and again before you change the menu, the vehicle or the commissary. The health department can limit what you prepare or ban some menu items if the truck's equipment can't keep the food safe. In King County, plan review can take 8 to 10 weeks and you also upload commissary and restroom agreements.[9][8][22]

    Fee: Plan review fee set by each county health department

  6. Pass the health inspection and pay for your permit

    Once your plan is approved, apply for the operating permit, pay the permit fee and pass a pre-operational inspection. Opening before that inspection can get you shut down and fined. The permit is not transferable: a new owner, a different truck or a different type of operation needs approval. Plan to have a toilet with a handwashing sink within 500 feet whenever you stay at one spot for more than an hour.[22][5][12]

    Fee: Operating permit fee set by each county health department, paid yearly

  7. Get fire permits and check where you can park

    Fire permits are set by each city or fire district. Fire departments that take part in the Washington State Association of Fire Marshals program, including Seattle, accept one yearly checklist inspection from any participating department, and most of them then give you a discounted permit. You usually still need a permit in each place you sell, and Seattle also wants a yearly inspection of your gas piping. Where you can park is a city decision: selling on a street or sidewalk in Seattle needs an SDOT Street Use vending permit, and other cities have their own zoning and parking rules.[24][25]

    Fee: Set by each city or fire district

  8. Put your name on the truck, post your permit and share your schedule

    Paint your business name on the outside of the truck in letters at least 4 inches tall. Post your health permit (or a copy) where customers can see it. Tell your health department the days, hours and places you plan to sell, by phone, email, letter or a social media link. Renew your health permit, commissary agreement and business license every year.[13][14]

Local rules

These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.

What it costs

StepFee
Get a state business license$50 (processing fee to open a new business; city endorsement fees are extra)
Get food worker cards for everyone who handles food$10 (per worker)
Get the truck inspected by L&I$55.10 to $438.90 ($55.10 insignia fee with no plans. With plans, the $55.10 filing fee plus a $156.70 one-year or $383.80 master design plan fee. Inspection is extra at $111.80 an hour plus travel)
Submit your plan to the county health departmentPlan review fee set by each county health department
Pass the health inspection and pay for your permitOperating permit fee set by each county health department, paid yearly
Get fire permits and check where you can parkSet by each city or fire district
Total if every fee applies to you$115.10 to $498.90

Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Submit your plan to the county health department; Pass the health inspection and pay for your permit; Get fire permits and check where you can park.

Recent changes

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate health permit for every county I sell in?

Yes, each county issues its own permit, but it is quicker and cheaper the second time. The new county must accept your approved plan review if you send your current permit, the approved plans, your latest inspection report and your commissary agreements. It can charge its yearly permit fee but not a plan review or inspection fee. It may also ask for restroom agreements.[1]

Can I skip the commissary?

Only if your truck can do everything on board: full prep of your menu, safe food temperatures, a dedicated handwashing sink, enough water to wash your utensils, food and ice from approved sources, and an approved way to get rid of wastewater and garbage. If it meets every condition and the local health officer approves your menu and plan, the health department must grant the exemption.[2]

I'm buying a used food truck. What should I check?

Check that it has an L&I insignia, which shows it was inspected and approved for use in Washington. If it doesn't, it has to go through the full L&I process for new units, possibly including plan review, before you can open. Once a truck is approved, L&I doesn't inspect it again on a schedule, but most changes, like new cooking equipment, wiring or plumbing, need an L&I permit and inspection.[15][16]

Does a hot dog cart or coffee cart need an L&I inspection?

Not if the staff work outside the unit. L&I covers trucks and trailers where workers are inside and customers stay outside. L&I doesn't regulate a push cart where you work outside, but you still need a health permit for it. If customers go inside, the unit may count as a commercial coach, which has its own L&I rules.[15]

Do I need a fire inspection in every city?

Often you need a fire permit in each city, but not always a new full inspection. Fire departments in the state fire marshals' association program accept a yearly checklist inspection from another participating department, and most give you a discounted permit. Ask the fire department in each city where you plan to sell.[24]

Do I need a bathroom on the truck?

No, but your staff must be able to reach a toilet with a handwashing sink within 500 feet if you stay at one spot for more than an hour.[12]

Sources

  1. RCW 43.20.149, Mobile food units — Reciprocity — Rule making, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  2. RCW 43.20.148, Mobile food units — Commissary and servicing area requirements, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  3. RCW 69.06.010, Food and beverage service worker's permit, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  4. WAC 246-215-01115, Definitions (Washington State Retail Food Code), Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  5. WAC 246-215-08355, Permits not transferable, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  6. WAC 246-215-08600, Permits required, suspension, revocation, enforcement, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  7. WAC 246-215-09100, Mobile food units: requirements, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  8. WAC 246-215-09105, Mobile food units: restrictions, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  9. WAC 246-215-09110, Mobile food units: plan review, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  10. WAC 246-215-09126, Commissary usage, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  11. WAC 246-215-09127, Commissary exemption, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  12. WAC 246-215-09150, Mobile food units: employee restrooms, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  13. WAC 246-215-09160, Required postings: business name and operating locations, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  14. WAC 246-215-09165, Required postings: permit, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  15. Food Trucks and Trailers, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Checked October 25, 2026.
  16. Food Truck Alterations, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Checked October 25, 2026.
  17. Insignia Application for Food Trucks & Concession Trailers That Do Not Require Plans (F623-040-000), Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Checked October 25, 2026.
  18. WAC 296-150V-3000, Conversion vendor units and medical units — Fees, Washington State Legislature. Checked October 25, 2026.
  19. Food Worker Card, Washington State Department of Health. Checked October 25, 2026.
  20. Apply for a business license, Washington Department of Revenue. Checked October 25, 2026.
  21. Variable business license processing fees, Washington Department of Revenue. Checked October 25, 2026.
  22. Mobile food service business permit, Public Health – Seattle & King County. Checked October 25, 2026.
  23. New or Remodeled Food Establishment Permits, Spokane Regional Health District. Checked October 25, 2026.
  24. Fire Code Permits (Food Trucks - Mobile Food Preparation Vehicles), Seattle Fire Department. Checked October 25, 2026.
  25. Mobile Food Vending, City of Seattle Office of Economic Development. Checked October 25, 2026.
  26. Vending Permits in the Public Right-of-Way, Seattle Department of Transportation. 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 Your local health jurisdiction (county or district health department), under the Washington State Retail Food Code or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.