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Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in New Bedford, MA (2026)

3 verified food trucks & mobile vendors rules for New Bedford, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Food Truck Permits

New Bedford requires every food truck to hold an individual $600 annual permit from the health department under section 15-72, stay at least 300 feet from any food establishment, and operate only within one of four designated zones or on qualifying private property during set hours.

New Bedford Food Truck Permit Requirements

Some Restrictions

New Bedford, Mass., Code of Ordinances § 15-72(b)(1)

a.No person, business entity or any other organization shall be permitted to operate a food truck in any public or private space or location within the city without first obtaining a permit from the health department.b.Each and every food truck must be individually permitted in order to operate in any public or private space or location.c.Annual fee for a permit shall be six hundred dollars ($6...

Vending Zones

Permitted food trucks in New Bedford may only operate in four designated location categories, each with its own permitted hours, plus outside those zones on private property in common ownership with the truck. Parks, the Working Waterfront, Historic Downtown and city beaches each carry distinct hour windows and site rules.

New Bedford Food Truck Vending Zones

Some Restrictions

New Bedford City Code § 15-72(d)(1)

Food trucks that have acquired the proper permits pursuant to this ordinance may operate on public property or, where applicable, on private property with permission of owner ... in the following areas only during the times designated for each area and three hundred (300) feet from food establishments: Location A: Parks (paved areas of parks only, not to be established on grass covered areas), ...

Sidewalk & Mobile Vending

New Bedford requires every mobile food truck to hold an individual health department permit before operating anywhere in the city, public or private property alike. The annual fee is $600, and trucks must stay 300 feet from any brick-and-mortar food establishment unless operating on commonly owned private property.

New Bedford Food Truck Permit Rules

Some Restrictions

New Bedford City Code § 15-72(b)(1)

No person, business entity or any other organization shall be permitted to operate a food truck in any public or private space or location within the city without first obtaining a permit from the health department. Each and every food truck must be individually permitted in order to operate in any public or private space or location. Annual fee for a permit shall be six hundred dollars ($600.0...

Looking for Bristol County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement New Bedford city rules.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Bristol County