Auburn, WA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- ACC 5.20.260
- License-free threshold
- 10 days or fewer per year
- Same-parcel limit before license
- 3 consecutive days
- Right-of-way vending
- Separate ROW use permit (Ch. 12.60 ACC)
- Open flame/propane
- Valley Regional Fire Authority permit
- Max misdemeanor penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 90 days jail
Summary
Auburn food trucks and mobile vendors skip a city business license only if they operate 10 days or less per year and never sit on one parcel more than three straight days, under ACC 5.20.260. Anyone selling longer needs a business license, and vending in the street right-of-way needs a separate right-of-way use permit.
B. License Application. 1. Exemptions. Mobile vendors or food trucks parked on a public or private parcel operating 10 days or less within a 365-day period and that are not located on the same parcel for more than three consecutive days are exempt from the requirement to obtain a city business license or a temporary use permit. 2. City Business License Required. Any mobile vendor or food truck operating for more than 10 calendar days in a 365-day period or located on the same parcel for more than three consecutive days is required to obtain a city business license prior to operation... 3. Operating in the City Right-of-Way. Mobile vendors and food trucks that operate in the public right-of-way such as along streets or sidewalks shall first apply for and obtain a right-of-way use permit for a specific single location and not transferable to a new location.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
260 defines a mobile vendor broadly, covering any motorized or nonmotorized vehicle, trailer, kiosk, pushcart, stand, tent or table setup used to sell or serve food, beverages or goods, and defines a food truck specifically as an onboard-powered vehicle equipped to prepare or serve food with room for up to four employees. A vendor or truck that operates 10 calendar days or less within any 365-day period, and that never sits on the same parcel more than three consecutive days, is exempt from both a city business license and a temporary use permit.
52 ACC. 60 ACC, on top of the business license unless the vendor is exempt on days. 22 ACC for trucks tied into city utilities, and a Valley Regional Fire Authority permit for any propane or open-flame cooking equipment.
Violations & Fines
Operating past the 10-day/three-day exemption thresholds without a city business license, or vending in the right-of-way without the required permit, is enforced under the general Chapter 5.20 scheme (ACC 5.20.080, 5.20.070): a civil infraction/civil penalty under Chapter 1.25 ACC, or a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, 90 days in jail, or both, with license revocation possible for continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every food truck in Auburn need a business license?
Do food trucks need a separate permit to sell on a public street?
Are food trucks subject to Auburn's temporary use permit rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
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Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle food truck permits.