Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Columbia, SC (2026)
3 verified food trucks & mobile vendors rules for Columbia, South Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Food Truck Permits
Columbia requires a nonexclusive council-granted franchise plus a business license before anyone can sell food, beverages or merchandise from a cart on a city street or sidewalk. The franchise runs at most one year, costs a $300 annual fee per location, and cannot be transferred to a new owner.
Columbia Sidewalk Cart Franchise and License
Significant RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances § 11-254
It shall be unlawful to sell, or offer for sale, any food, beverage or merchandise on any street or sidewalk within the city from a cart without first obtaining a franchise and business license therefor. ... An annual franchise fee of $300.00 per location shall be paid in advance. One business license for each franchisee shall be required at the applicable rate pursuant to Article II of this ch...
Vending Zones
Columbia only allows sidewalk food carts to operate inside a council-designated vending district, and even there a cart cannot sit within 50 feet of a competing food business entrance, within ten feet of any building entranceway, or within 25 feet of a bus stop or driveway.
Columbia Vending District Location Limits
Significant RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances §§ 11-252, 11-258
Vending district means the zone or area specifically designated for vending franchises. ... No cart location in a vending district shall be: (1)Within 50 feet of the principal public entrance to any food service business area not owned by the vendor which sells merchandise approved for sale by a vendor.(2)At any location which does not provide a clear passageway for pedestrians of at least four...
Sidewalk & Mobile Vending
Columbia limits sidewalk cart vendors to a fixed list of approved foods and merchandise, bans vending between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., forbids leaving a cart unattended or overnight on any street or sidewalk, and requires patron litter receptacles and daily cleanup.
Columbia Sidewalk Food Cart Operating Rules
Significant RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances §§ 11-253, 11-259
No merchandise shall be sold by a vendor from a cart in a vending district except the merchandise approved for the specific location of the cart. Permitted merchandise shall be limited to hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers, tacos, burritos, baked potatoes, bagels, pastries, candy, prepackaged sandwiches, chips, biscuits, popcorn, nuts, pretzels, ice products, ice cream, milk products, frozen yogurt...
Looking for Richland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Columbia city rules.
Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Richland County →