Apex, NC Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Apex Police Department
- Allowed hours
- 6:00 a.m. to midnight
- Permit term
- 1 year, non-transferable
- Zoning limit
- Banned in residentially zoned areas
- Right-of-way permit
- Requires $1,000,000 liability insurance
Summary
Apex requires a Town police department permit before anyone operates a mobile food unit, with fixed operating hours, zoning limits, and a separate right-of-way permit for street vending.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in transient or mobile food vending in the town without first obtaining a permit issued by the town police department unless an exemption applies under section 13-69.3 of this article.
Mobile food vendors shall maintain permits required by the applicable county health, environmental services, or food and sanitation departments and comply with all state department of health and human services, division of health services regulations.
(Ord. No. 2016-0503-58, § 2, 5-3-2016; Ord. No. 2019-0305-02, § 1, 3-5-2019)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
Under Apex Town Code §§ 13-60 through 13-69.5, anyone engaged in transient or mobile food vending within town limits must get a permit from the Apex Police Department before operating, unless a narrow exemption applies (farm-product sales, 501(c)(3) fundraisers, HOA-invited vendors, or town-approved special events and farmers markets). Vendors may operate only 6:00 a.m. to midnight, are barred from residentially zoned areas, and need written property-owner permission, or a separate right-of-way permit requiring $1,000,000 in liability insurance, to serve from a public street. Permits run one year, are non-transferable, and the chief of police can deny or revoke one for false statements or nuisance operation.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a permit, violating any operating standard, or violating a permit's terms is unlawful under § 13-69.4; the town or any individual may also pursue available civil remedies against a violator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a food truck operate in a residential neighborhood in Apex?
How long is an Apex mobile food vendor permit valid?
Does an Apex food truck need a separate permit to serve from a public street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apex
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