Allentown, PA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Allentown treats a food truck's health permit and its zoning permission as two separate approvals. A requires a food facility applicant to be in compliance with the chapter, applicable state statutes, and "all other applicable City ordinances and regulations, including, but not limited to, Building, Zoning and Fire Prevention Codes, business privilege tax, earned income tax, local services tax, and solid waste and recycling" before the Bureau will issue a license. Fees are set separately in § 270-45(2)(c): a new mobile food unit license costs $1 plus a $274 operational fee, and a renewal costs $1 plus $249.

Operational licenses run for one year, and the Bureau may issue a conditional license, capped at 60 days, if an applicant needs extra time to come into compliance, for a $50 administrative fee. Where the truck can actually park is governed separately by the zoning code. Section 660-46 applies to food trucks operating as accessory uses on private property and bars them outright from MX-N, GX-N, and N Zones. Where allowed, a food truck may occupy no more than 25% of the site, must sit on a paved, level pad at least 35 feet by 15 feet (70 by 15 feet if the truck exceeds 27 feet in length), must be set back at least 10 feet from street lot lines, 35 feet from side or rear lines next to N-zoned lots, and 20 feet from all other lot lines, and cannot park within 100 feet of a restaurant's public entrance.

Two off-street parking spaces must be provided per truck, alcohol sales are prohibited, and operators must supply trash and recycling receptacles and police a 25-foot litter radius around the truck.