Stanislaus County, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- County health officer
- Permit term
- 12 calendar months from issuance
- Definition covers
- Itinerant restaurants and food vehicles
- Appeal window
- 10 days after revocation
- Posting requirement
- Permit posted in conspicuous place
Summary
Stanislaus County treats mobile food vehicles and itinerant restaurants as restaurants under Chapter 6.48, so operators need a health-officer-issued permit before serving food anywhere in the unincorporated county. The permit must stay posted on the unit, expires after 12 months, and can be revoked for violating any operating regulation.
B. 'Itinerant' restaurant means any restaurant, operating from temporary facilities, serving, offering for sale, selling or giving away food or beverage and includes, but is not limited to, a restaurant where only wrapped sandwiches or other wrapped and packaged, ready-to-eat foods are served, and any mobile unit on which food is prepared and served. ... E. 'Vehicle' means any vehicle upon which food or beverage is displayed, sold or offered for sale, or given away. § 6.48.020. Permit—Required. It is declared unlawful for any person to engage in the business of conducting a restaurant within the county without first having obtained, and thereafter keeping posted in a conspicuous place on the premises for which it is issued, an unexpired permit to conduct such business as in this chapter provided.
Full Breakdown
010(E) separately defines 'vehicle' as any vehicle on which food or beverage is displayed, sold, or given away. 020 makes it unlawful to conduct a restaurant business in the county, which by definition includes these mobile operations, without first obtaining a permit and keeping it posted in a conspicuous place on the unit. 030, the operator applies to the county health officer, and any new construction or remodeling plans for the unit must be submitted for approval before the permit issues. 040 requires the health officer to inspect the vehicle and its equipment for compliance with the chapter and state law before issuing the permit, and the permit is non-transferable between owners.
050 sets the permit term at 12 calendar months from issuance, ending sooner if the operator stops running the unit. 070 layers on operating regulations enforceable against mobile units just like fixed restaurants, covering equipment condition, ventilation hoods over cooking equipment, three-compartment sinks or approved dishwashing, handwashing facilities, refrigeration at or below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, food storage at least 18 inches off the ground, and posted first-aid instructions for choking. 060, though the operator may appeal to the board of supervisors within 10 days of revocation.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a posted, current permit is unlawful under Section 6.48.020. The health officer may revoke a permit for any regulatory violation under Section 6.48.070, and the unit must stay closed while an appeal to the board of supervisors, filed within 10 days under Section 6.48.060, is pending. The permit also lapses automatically after 12 months under Section 6.48.050.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a food truck need a Stanislaus County permit to operate in unincorporated areas?
How long does a Stanislaus County mobile food permit last?
What can get a food truck's county permit revoked?
Does this permit apply inside Modesto or Turlock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stanislaus County
California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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