Charles County, MD Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitting agency
- Planning and Growth Management Department
- Health permit
- Required under COMAR 10.15.03.02 before county permit
- Max vehicle size
- 24 ft long, 12 ft tall, 8.5 ft wide
- Operating hours
- 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Fire hydrant setback
- No operation within 15 feet of a hydrant
- Appeal deadline
- 7 days to appeal suspension or revocation
Summary
Operating a mobile food truck in Charles County requires a permit from the Planning and Growth Management Department, plus a Maryland Department of Health mobile food service permit under COMAR 10.15.03.02. Applicants must file a site location map, setback details and written property-owner permission before the county will issue the permit.
A. Permit required; fee. (1) A mobile food services facilities application, associated fee and permit is required by the Charles County Planning and Growth Management Department. (2) Health Department permits for mobile food service facility (COMAR 10.15.03.02) must be obtained prior to issuance of the Charles County planning and growth management permit. (3) A general site location map which illustrates the location of the proposed facility and setbacks to the property lines and access areas and a written description of the desired location is required along with written permission of the property owner at the time of application.
Full Breakdown
330 sets the conditions mobile food trucks must satisfy in the zones where the use is permitted. 02 before the county permit is issued. 5 feet wide while in motion, and any sign must either attach to the unit or be a ground-placed reader board no larger than three feet by five feet, set within five feet of the facility. Units that look dirty, damaged or in disrepair are not allowed to operate. , paved off-street parking must be designated for the truck, sound amplifiers and noise-making devices are prohibited, and the code bars tables, chairs or umbrellas at the site.
Trucks cannot block ingress or egress for an abutting property, sit in a restricted parking zone, or park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, and a ten-foot radius around the operating space must stay free of refuse. Operators must carry insurance and file a copy of the policy with the Planning and Growth Management Department, and placing propane tanks or generators into the public right-of-way is prohibited.
Violations & Fines
The Zoning Officer can suspend or revoke a mobile food permit for violating these conditions, knowingly misstating or omitting facts on the application, refusing to leave when lawfully directed by a property owner or official, or falling out of compliance with local, state or federal law. An appeal of a suspension, revocation or denial must reach the Zoning Officer in writing within seven days; reissuance follows once the violation is fixed, with further appeal to the Board of Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a food truck in Charles County?
What hours can a Charles County food truck operate?
Can a Charles County food truck permit be revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charles County
Compare Charles County to another location·View the Maryland food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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