Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in San Francisco, CA (2026)
2 verified food trucks & mobile vendors rules for San Francisco, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Food Truck Permits
San Francisco requires a Mobile Food Facility (MFF) permit from SF Public Works (~$8,500 first-year application + hearing fees) plus a SF Department of Public Health health permit (~$886/year). Each vending location requires its own permit under SF Public Works Code Article 5.8, with 75-day public hearing process and 75-ft buffer from brick-and-mortar restaurants.
San Francisco Mobile Food Facility Permit Process
Heavy RestrictionsVending Zones
San Francisco designates specific vending zones for mobile food facilities through DPW permits. Food trucks must operate in permitted locations and comply with spacing requirements from restaurants and other vendors. The city has streamlined permitting to support street food culture.
San Francisco Food Truck Vending Zone Rules
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Government Code Sec. 51038 (SB 946 — Limits on Local Sidewalk Vendor Vending-Zone Restrictions)
51038. (a) A local authority may adopt a program to regulate sidewalk vendors in compliance with this section. (b) A local authority's sidewalk vending program shall comply with all of the following standards: (1) A local authority shall not require a sidewalk vendor to operate within specific parts of the public right-of-way, except when that restriction is directly related to objective health...