How Simi Valley Handles Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: A Practical Guide

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

Operating a food truck on private property in Simi Valley requires a Temporary Use Permit good for up to 12 months under Municipal Code Section 9-52.080(I)(9). Vendors also need a Ventura County health permit for the vehicle itself, a City Business Tax Certificate, and must limit hours to 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Key details: Permit: Temporary Use Permit required per location. Duration: Up to 12 months, renewable. Health permit: Ventura County Mobile Food Facility permit. Hours: 7am-11pm Fri-Sun, 7am-10pm Mon-Thu. Signage: One vehicle sign, max 12 square feet.

Operating without a valid Temporary Use Permit, County health permit, or City Business Tax Certificate is a violation the Director can act on directly under Subsection (I)(9)(f), which authorizes review of any mobile food TUP on a substantiated complaint or a change in circumstances. A vendor found in violation faces revocation and becomes ineligible for another mobile food TUP; operating outside the permitted hours, playing amplified music, or displaying more than one 12-square-foot vehicle sign is likewise out of compliance.

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, where we track updates as they happen.