Broward County, FL Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Certificate of use, renewed annually
- Insurance
- $300,000 general liability minimum
- Dwell time
- 1 hour per stop, 3 returns/12 hrs
- First-offense fine
- $175, then $350 repeat
- Coverage
- Unincorporated area only (Sec. 39-2)
Summary
Unincorporated Broward requires a certificate of use, annual renewal, and $300,000 liability coverage before a mobile food unit can sell on private property.
Mobile food units...shall be permitted to remain on private property for the purpose of selling food products for a maximum of one (1) hour, and shall not return to the same location more than three (3) times in any twelve (12) hour period... The owner of such mobile food units shall obtain a certificate of use, which shall be renewed on an annual basis for a period not to exceed five (5) years... together with proof of general liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00), which includes product liability.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 | Administrative Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Broward County Code Sec. 39-300(t) caps most mobile food units at one hour per stop on private property, with no more than three returns to the same location in any 12-hour period (frankfurter-only units get up to eight hours). Operators must hold a certificate of use, renewable annually for up to five years, and prove general liability insurance of at least $300,000 covering products. This is a Chapter 39 zoning rule, so under Sec. 39-2 it only binds the unincorporated pockets of the county, not Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, or Coral Springs, which license food trucks under their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food unit without a certificate of use draws a $175 fine for a first violation and $350 for a repeat violation under the county's civil penalty schedule (Sec. 8½-16(a)(13)), enforced by Broward County code inspectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood?
How long can a food truck park at one spot?
What happens if I operate without a certificate of use?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broward County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Broward County to another location·View the Florida food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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