Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Simi Valley, CA

Simi Valley maintains 136 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with food trucks & mobile vendors. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Simi Valley falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Sidewalk & Mobile Vending

No one may vend from a sidewalk cart anywhere in Simi Valley without a Police Department-issued sidewalk vending permit. The permit sets cart size, hours, placement distances from crosswalks and schools, and carries administrative fines starting at $250 for unpermitted vending.

Key details: Permit required: SVMC 5-45.04, issued by Police Dept.. Permit term: 1 year, non-transferable. Max carts per applicant: 3 carts. Max cart size: 15 sq ft, 5 ft per side. First unpermitted-vending fine: $250.

Vending without a permit draws an administrative fine of $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second within one year, and $1,000 for a third and each later offense in that year, under Section 5-45.11(a). Other chapter violations, such as placement or operational breaches, carry fines of $100, $200, and $500 for successive offenses, with a fourth violation triggering permit revocation under Section 5-45.11(b). Fines can be cut to 20 percent upon a proven inability to pay at an adjudication hearing. Appeals go to the City Manager within 14 days under Section 5-45.14.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Simi Valley actively enforces its sidewalk & mobile vending requirements.

Vending Zones

Mobile food vending in Simi Valley is limited to specific commercial and industrial zoning districts under Municipal Code Section 9-52.080(I)(9)(b): CPD, CN, CO, CR, AI, LI, GI, CI, BP, SR, and RCC. The site also needs an existing Planned Development Permit or Conditional Use Permit, and a food truck cannot set up within 300 feet of a restaurant or coffee shop.

Key details: Allowed zones: CPD, CN, CO, CR, AI, LI, GI, CI, BP, SR, RCC. Site requirement: Existing PD Permit or CUP on the parcel. Restaurant buffer: 300 feet for Type 4 facilities. Vendor cap: One per site up to 150,000 sq ft GFA. Second vendor: Allowed only above 150,000 sq ft GFA.

Setting up a mobile food operation in a zoning district outside the eleven listed, on a parcel without an underlying Planned Development or Conditional Use Permit, or within 300 feet of a restaurant or coffee shop as a Type 4 facility, puts the vendor outside Section 9-52.080(I)(9)(b) regardless of whether a Temporary Use Permit was otherwise issued. A second vendor operating at a site under the 150,000-square-foot gross floor area threshold exceeds the one-vendor cap and is a permit violation subject to Director review and revocation.

Food Truck Permits

A food truck in Simi Valley needs a Temporary Use Permit from the Director before it sells anything. The permit lasts at most 12 months, covers one location, and works only in 11 commercial, industrial and business park zones on a site with an approved Planned Development or Conditional Use Permit. Sites up to 150,000 square feet of floor area get one vendor.

Key details: Permit: Temporary Use Permit issued by the Director. Duration: 12 months maximum, one permit per location. Filing deadline: At least 10 days before the proposed start. Allowed zones: CPD, CN, CO, CR, AI, LI, GI, CI, BP, SR, RCC. Vendor limit: One vendor up to 150,000 sq ft, one more above.

Operating without a valid TUP violates subsection B. Under I(9)(f) the Director can review any permit after a complaint, a condition violation or a change to the property, and can revoke it, leaving the permittee ineligible for further mobile food vendor TUPs. Under H(13), breaking any rule in the section bars the permittee and the property from a new TUP for 12 months after expiry. Subsection J sends appeals and revocation procedure to Article 7.

This is one of the stricter rules in Simi Valley's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Simi Valley is tougher than many cities when it comes to food trucks & mobile vendors. Out of the 3 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Simi Valley, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Simi Valley can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, which shows when its source was last checked.