Pennsylvania
A mobile retail food business in Philadelphia needs a Food Establishment Retail, Non-Permanent Location License from L&I, a plan review and inspection from the Office of Food Protection, and — if you sell from a vehicle parked on the street — a separate Vendor Motor Vehicle License for each vehicle.
Last checked 2026-11-09 (America/New_York).
We only use verifiable sources. Every fee below links to its official page or PDF. Where an amount is not published, we point you to the office that issues it.
| Item | Amount | Term and source |
|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Retail, Non-Permanent Location License Required for mobile retail food businesses, including food trucks, movable stands, and carts. A $20 nonrefundable application fee is applied toward this $179 license fee; the balance is due when the application is approved. |
$179 | Annual (renew online in eCLIPSE or in person; late renewal more than 60 days after the due date adds 1.5% of the license fee per month since expiration) phila.gov Non-Permanent Location License |
| Mobile food business plan review Required before installing new food equipment or changing an already approved mobile food vending unit. Starting work before approval may add an extra fee — contact the Office of Food Protection for that amount. |
$150 | Plan review phila.gov mobile food plan review |
| Standard inspection fee Charged with the plan review for the Office of Food Protection inspection. |
$190 | Inspection phila.gov mobile food plan review |
| Expedited review and inspection (additional fee) Optional. Call the Office of Food Protection at (215) 685-7495. This $380 is in addition to the standard plan review and inspection fees. Materials must be complete and paid by money order or credit card; review and inspection completed within 10 business days. |
$380 | Expedite add-on phila.gov mobile food plan review |
| Vendor Motor Vehicle License Required to sell goods from a vehicle parked on the street and able to be moved. A separate license is required for each vehicle. A $20 non-refundable application fee is applied toward the $341 fee. Different fees apply in special neighborhood vending areas — contact L&I for those amounts. |
$341 | Annual phila.gov Vendor Motor Vehicle License |
Send your plans to the Office of Food Protection before installing equipment. Include support-facility (commissary / base of operations) information and its latest inspection report and food license, food-supply information, equipment spec sheets, a City of Philadelphia Food Safety Certificate (a certified person must be present during all hours of operation), and a complete menu with handling details. After you apply, the Office mails or emails a Plan Review Worksheet and Fee Assessment Letter within 30 business days. After you return the worksheet and fee, the Health Department contacts you within 30 business days. Most inspections can be scheduled within 10 business days at a public health office.
Apply for the $179 Food Establishment Retail, Non-Permanent Location License. To renew, you must be current on City taxes, have an Annual License Eligibility Report from the Department of Health, and have a valid email address.
If the truck is parked on the street and sells from the vehicle, you also need the $341 Vendor Motor Vehicle License per vehicle. Sidewalk stands or carts use a Sidewalk Sales License instead — contact L&I if that path applies to you. Special neighborhood vending areas have different fees; check with L&I rather than assuming $341.
Fire-suppression and propane rules are not fully priced on the license pages above. If you cook with propane or a hood system, contact the City fire authority and the Office of Food Protection for inspection and permit requirements and current fees.
License fee amounts also appear in L&I’s Business and Trade License Fees summary effective January 1, 2025 (Food Establishment Retail, Non-permanent $179; Vendor Motor Vehicle $341).
Online payments in eCLIPSE may include a credit-card surcharge as disclosed on the city pages.
Map pins use OpenStreetMap. Listings are not a complete official directory.
6250 Baltimore Ave, Yeadon, PA 19050
Commissary just outside city limits in Yeadon. Ask Philadelphia’s Office of Food Protection whether this support facility is acceptable for your plan review.
Last checked 2026-11-09. Ask the kitchen whether it can sign your official commissary paperwork before you rely on it.
FoodTruck Ready is not affiliated with the City of Philadelphia or the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (Office of Food Protection). It is a practical summary by Thirty and Beyond, LLC. Check the linked official sources before you spend money or start construction.
