Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Chicago, IL (2026)
2 verified food trucks & mobile vendors rules for Chicago, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Food Truck Permits
Chicago requires a Mobile Food License ($700 for Preparer, $350 for Servers/two-year) from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). Chicago Municipal Code §7-38-115 enforces a strict 200-foot buffer from any brick-and-mortar restaurant — the rule upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2019 — and mandates GPS tracking on every truck.
Chicago Mobile Food License & 200-ft Restaurant Rule
Heavy RestrictionsVending Zones
Chicago restricts where food trucks can operate through the 200-foot restaurant buffer rule, ward-level restrictions, and designated vending zones. Specific locations may be designated or restricted by aldermanic action.
Chicago Food Truck Vending Zones
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Cook County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chicago city rules.
Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Cook County →