Boise, ID Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Boise City Code chapter 3-5, enacted to regulate businesses that prepare, sell or serve food or beverages, defines a mobile food and beverage establishment as any operation selling, serving or transporting food or beverages from a truck, van, trailer, pushcart, bicycle or other movable station, with or without wheels. Section 3-5-6 makes it unlawful to operate a food or beverage establishment in the City, fixed or mobile, without first obtaining a Food and Beverage Establishment License from the City Clerk's Office, and requires additional alcohol-specific licensing from the state, county and City if alcohol will be sold.

Applications must state what food or beverages will be served, whether a Central District Health Permit is required, and whether the operation will be fixed or mobile; fixed establishments must submit a current, valid Health Permit with the application. Annual licenses for both fixed and mobile operators are issued by the City Clerk as of June 30th of the year issued, meaning every license runs on the same citywide renewal date regardless of when a truck first applied. Section 3-5-7 requires the license to be prominently displayed on the licensed premises (or, for a truck, on the vehicle) and requires every operator to keep a current, valid health permit available on site for inspection by the Health Officer, a City licensing officer, a state health inspector or law enforcement.

The chapter exempts private clubs, fraternal or church groups serving food less than once a week, private homes, bed and breakfasts, sellers of only factory-sealed non-hazardous food, agricultural markets and farm stands, and producers selling homemade shelf-stable or perishable food directly to consumers under the Idaho Direct-to-Consumer Commerce Act (Idaho Code title 37, chapter 2).