Boulder, CO Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License term
- Twelve consecutive months, unless set otherwise
- Required docs
- Driver's license, registration, insurance, food license
- Tax license
- Valid sales and use tax license required
- Operating hours
- 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. only
- Time per site
- Maximum four hours at one location
Summary
Every mobile food vehicle operating in Boulder needs an annual license under Subparagraph 9-6-5(d)(2). Applicants must show a valid driver's license, vehicle registration and insurance (or ID and insurance for a bicycle cart), a Colorado retail food license for a mobile unit, a sales and use tax license, and pay the fee set in Section 4-20-66.
(2)Mobile Food Vehicle License.(A)License: No person shall operate a mobile food vehicle without a license or in violation of the conditions of a license. The license will be valid for twelve consecutive months or such time as the city manager may by rule designate. The license applicant shall meet the following requirements in the application and, as applicable, during the license term:(i)Provide proof of, and maintain, a valid driver's license, motor vehicle registration, and current motor vehicle insurance;...(iii)Provide proof of, and maintain, a Colorado retail food license for a mobile unit;(iv)Provide proof of, and maintain, a valid sales use tax license;(v)Pay the fee prescribed by Section 4-20-66, "Mobile Food Vehicle Sales," B.R.C. 1981.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 167 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
' No person may operate a mobile food vehicle without a license issued by the city, and the license runs for twelve consecutive months unless the city manager sets a different term by rule. To qualify, the applicant must provide proof of a valid driver's license, motor vehicle registration, and current motor vehicle insurance, or, for a bicycle-based mobile food vehicle, a valid driver's license or state identification card plus the insurance required under Section 4-1-8. ' The general licensing provisions of Chapter 4-1, 'Licenses and Permits,' apply on top of these unit-specific requirements, and the applicant must sign an agreement accepting responsibility for the acts of employees and agents.
The city manager can also prohibit issuance of additional licenses in specified areas of the city to manage traffic congestion or protect public health, safety, and welfare. , no more than four hours at any one approved location, no amplified music, no tables, chairs or canopies set up, and the license must be displayed at all times in the food handling area. Failing an operating requirement can jeopardize the license as well as trigger a separate citation.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food vehicle without a license, or violating a licensing or operating condition under Subparagraph 9-6-5(d)(2)(C), is enforced under Chapter 4-1's general licensing provisions and the general penalty in Section 5-2-4: a fine of up to $2,650 per violation, up to ninety days in jail, or both, in addition to potential license suspension or revocation under Section 4-1-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to get a food truck license in Boulder?
How long does a Boulder mobile food vehicle license last?
Can Boulder limit how many food truck licenses it issues in an area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder
Compare Boulder to another location·View the Colorado food trucks & mobile vendors overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle food truck permits.