Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Riverside County, CA (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 7 cities in Riverside County, California.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Riverside County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Food Truck Permits

Riverside County requires a mobile food truck permit before any truck operates on private property in the unincorporated area, with permits expiring annually and renewal due 30 days before expiration.

Riverside County Mobile Food Truck Permits

Some Restrictions

Riverside County Code § 17.300.030

No mobile food truck shall operate without a mobile food truck permit approved in accordance with this chapter and chapter 17.216 of this title. ... An approved permit for a mobile food truck shall expire one year from the date of approval, unless a renewal application and applicable filing fee is timely submitted and approved in accordance with section 17.300.070 of this chapter.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Vending Zones

Riverside County bars mobile food trucks within 500 feet of schools during school hours, 15 feet of fire hydrants and driveways, and on a long list of named county roads in the unincorporated area.

Riverside County Food Truck Vending Zones

Some Restrictions

Riverside County Code § 5.76.060(B)(1)

Mobile food truck vendors shall not idle or park any motorized vending conveyance within five hundred (500) feet of primary or secondary schools between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, during school days. ... Mobile food trucks shall not be located within fifteen (15) feet from any fire hydrant, internal drive aisle, emergency vehicle route, or driveway entrance to ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Sidewalk & Mobile Vending

California SB 946 (Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, 2019) restricts Riverside County's ability to prohibit sidewalk vending. The county adopted Ordinance No. 875 implementing SB 946, requiring a sidewalk vending permit, health permit (for food), and compliance with sanitary and zoning rules.

Street Vendor Permits in Riverside County

Heavy Restrictions

California Government Code Sections 51036-51039 (Chapter 6.2. Sidewalk Vendors, SB 946 Safe Sidewalk Vending Act)

51036. For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (a) 'Sidewalk vendor' means a person who sells food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other nonmotorized conveyance, or from one's person, upon a public sidewalk or other pedestrian path. (b) 'Roaming sidewalk vendor' means a sidewalk vendor who moves from place to pl...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗