Wake County Environmental Health & Safety issues mobile food unit permits under NC Sanitation Rule 15A NCAC 18A .2600. An approved commissary is required as base of operations. Plan review takes ~10 business days. Food trucks may only operate in commercial zones unless part of a special event.
A Mobile Food Unit (MFU) is a fully enclosed unit with floors, walls, ceilings, refrigeration, cooking equipment, hood, three-compartment utensil sink, handwashing sink, and water heater. A 'pushcart' is hot-dog-only. Wake County requires plan review BEFORE construction or modification — submit through the online portal at wake.gov. The MFU must be linked to an approved commissary (a brick-and-mortar food establishment) that provides supplies, cleaning, and waste disposal. Operating without a permit or outside a commercial-zone parking lot in unincorporated Wake violates zoning. Permit fees are set annually by the Wake Board.
Operation without permit: closure plus civil penalty under NC Sanitation Code. Zoning violation (residential parking): UDO citation. Local cities (Raleigh, Cary) impose additional vending permit requirements.
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Cary, NC
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Wake County.
See how other cities in Wake County handle food truck permits.
See how Cary's food truck permits rules stack up against other locations.
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