Rock Island County, IL Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License class
- Class C (mobile food unit/store)
- Annual fee
- $200 (§ 117.15(D))
- License term
- 1 year from issuance
- Pre-license step
- Health Authority inspection required
- Issuing agency
- County Department of Public Health
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor, up to $500/day
Summary
Operating a food truck or mobile retail food stand in unincorporated Rock Island County requires a Class C license from the County Department of Public Health. § 117.15 sets a written application, a pre-issuance inspection, and an annual fee of $200, with the license valid for one year from issuance.
(A) Any person desiring to operate a food service establishment or retail food store, or to renew an expired license, shall make written application for a license on forms provided by the Health Department... (C)(1) Facilities shall be classified as either food service establishments or retail food stores and licensed accordingly... (c) Mobile food unit or mobile retail food store: Class C... (D) The annual license fee for a food service establishment or retail food store shall be based upon the type of operation... Mobile food unit or mobile retail food store $200
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-1: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2024-12-A, passed 12-17-2024; and State legislation current through 2024 Illinois Legislative Service, Pamphlet #6).
Full Breakdown
15 requires anyone who wants to run a food service establishment or retail food store, including a mobile operation, to file a written application with the Health Department listing the operator's name and address, the location and type of proposed operation, and the applicant's signature. 15(C)(2) requires that food service establishments operate within the limits of the specified license classifications. 15(D) sets the Class C mobile food unit and mobile retail food store fee at $200, distinct from the $300 to $450 tiered fees fixed operations pay based on square footage.
15(F) directs the Health Department to issue the license once that inspection passes and the fee is paid. 15(B); only temporary food service licenses are capped at 14 days, so a standing mobile food unit renews annually rather than event by event.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food unit without the required Class C license, or outside the scope of that classification, violates § 117.15(C)(2) and falls under the chapter-wide penalty at § 117.99: a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500, with each day of unlicensed operation charged as a separate offense. The Health Authority can also withhold a license until the required inspection and fee are satisfied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What license does a food truck need to operate in unincorporated Rock Island County?
How much does the county charge for a mobile food unit license?
Does the county inspect a food truck before issuing the license?
How long does a Rock Island County mobile food license last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rock Island County
Compare Rock Island County to another location·View the Illinois food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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