Chico, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit term
- 2 years
- Issued by
- Planning Director
- Zoning limit
- Non-residential zones only
- Hours near homes
- 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Summary
Chico requires a mobile food vendor permit, valid for two years, before operating a food truck or trailer on private property in a non-residential zoning district.
Mobile food vendor permits shall be issued for a period of two years upon the approval of a mobile food vendor permit application form provided by the Director that includes all information necessary to allow the Director to determine if the proposed use will comply with the standards in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Supplement contains local legislation current through: Codified Resolution No. 53-26, adopted 7-14-26 and Ordinance No. 2622, adopted 6-2-26).
Full Breakdown
Under Chico Municipal Code § 19.23.020, anyone operating a licensed food truck or trailer on a parcel must first obtain a mobile food vendor permit from the Director, valid for two years, by submitting an application that lets the City confirm the use meets the operating standards in § 19.23.040: hours limited to 9 a.m.-9 p.m. near residential zones, off-premises storage during closed hours, litter control, and inspected electrical and wastewater connections. Vendors that can't meet those standards must instead apply for a full use permit under Chapter 19.24.
Violations & Fines
Operating a food truck without the Director's mobile food vendor permit, or outside the permitted hours and site standards, is a code violation subject to enforcement and permit denial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do food trucks need a permit to operate in Chico?
Where can a permitted food truck operate in Chico?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chico
California rules heatmap·Compare Chico to another location·View the California food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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