Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in South Bend, IN (2026)
3 verified food trucks & mobile vendors rules for South Bend, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Food Truck Permits
Running a food truck in South Bend requires a city mobile food vendor vehicle license under Code section 4-45, $525 a year plus a $5 application fee, and a St. Joseph County Health Department permit tied to an approved licensed commissary.
South Bend Mobile Food Vendor Permits
Heavy RestrictionsSouth Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances ch. 4, Sec. 4-45
Mobile food vendor vehicle sales means eighty (80) percent of all revenues must come from food and beverages.
Vending Zones
South Bend food trucks may park only in business, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use zones, never in residential neighborhoods, for up to eight hours at one spot, and cannot vend within 1,000 feet of a school during school hours.
South Bend Food Truck Vending Zones
Heavy RestrictionsSouth Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances ch. 4, Sec. 4-45
Vehicles are prohibited from parking in restricted areas or areas that are residentially zoned neighborhoods, except that parking in a public park is authorized if the Parks Department has issued a permit to the vendor to operate in a public park.
Sidewalk & Mobile Vending
A South Bend mobile food vendor must leave at least 5 feet of unobstructed sidewalk for pedestrians and wheelchairs and sell only from a curbside window. Vehicles can't sit in one public or private spot for more than 8 hours, can't park within 25 feet of a corner, and can't set up outdoor seating, tables, canopies, or BBQ pits beside the truck.
South Bend Food Truck Sidewalk Clearance Rules
Some RestrictionsSouth Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances § 4-45(d)
(d)Guidelines for Mobile Food Vendor Vehicles: Mobile Food Vendors ("vendors") that hold a valid business license for operating a mobile food vendor vehicle ("vehicle") under this provision must follow the guidelines below:...(5)Vehicles shall not be operated at a fixed location on any private or public property for more than eight (8) hours and vehicles can be moved from place to place upon th...
Looking for St. Joseph County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement South Bend city rules.
Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in St. Joseph County →