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Annapolis, MD Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

City license required
Under Chapter 7.40, § 7.40.020(C)
County permit also required
Anne Arundel Mobile Food Facility License copy
Review period
45 days to approve, condition, or deny
License term
Up to one year, no vested right
Appeal window
15 days to Building Board of Appeals

Summary

Food trucks must hold a City of Annapolis mobile food service vendor license under the Peddlers and Itinerant Merchants chapter, and the application must include a copy of the operator's Anne Arundel County Mobile Food Service Facility License before the city will act on it.

C.A person may not engage in the business of a mobile vendor without first obtaining a license as provided in this chapter... Mobile food service vendors shall provide a copy of their Anne Arundel County Mobile Food Service Facility License.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Mobile food service vendors, food trucks, apply to the Department of Planning and Zoning under City Code Chapter 7.40, the same licensing chapter that covers peddlers and hawkers. The application must list the operator, describe the vehicle, and attach a copy of the Anne Arundel County Mobile Food Service Facility License; the city license does not substitute for the county health permit. The Department has 45 days to approve, approve with conditions, or deny, and can refuse a location that creates a safety hazard or interferes with traffic. Licenses run up to one year and carry no property right. A denied, suspended, or revoked applicant can appeal to the Building Board of Appeals within 15 days.

Violations & Fines

Operating as a mobile food service vendor without a City license is a municipal infraction under § 7.40.095(A), punishable by a fine set by City Council resolution, and the City may separately pursue judicial remedies under § 7.40.095(B).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the county health permit replace the city license?
No. Annapolis requires its own mobile vendor license under § 7.40.020(C); the county Mobile Food Service Facility License is a separate document you must attach to the city application under § 7.40.040(A)(7).
How long does the city take to decide?
The Department of Planning and Zoning must act on a completed application within 45 days, approving, approving with conditions, or denying it under § 7.40.050(A).
What happens if my license is denied?
You can appeal to the Building Board of Appeals within 15 days of the decision under § 7.40.060; the Department's ruling is reversed only if it was arbitrary or capricious.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Annapolis

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All Annapolis rules

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