Clackamas County, OR Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Facility type covered
- food carts and mobile units
- Administering office
- Public Health Division
- License term
- expires each calendar year
- Plan review
- required before construction
- Closure trigger
- score under 70 twice in 30 days
- Appeal window
- 20 days after penalty order
Summary
A food cart or mobile food unit operating in unincorporated Clackamas County is a licensed 'food service facility' under county code, not a workaround from restaurant rules. The county Public Health Division, acting under state delegation, issues the license, requires plan review before the unit is built or converted, and requires the license or an identifying card, emblem, or device to be visibly affixed to the cart or truck itself.
"Food service facility" means restaurant, bed and breakfast, vending machine, food cart, warehouse, mobile unit, commissary combination or any other food service facility as defined by ORS 624.010, ORS 624.310 and OAR 333-150-000 and 333-157-0073.
1. Food Handlers Certificate. Any person handling food in a restaurant or food service facility licensed under this chapter is required by state law to obtain a certification within thirty (30) days of hire.
2. Food Service License Fees.
a. Every applicant for a food service facility license, temporary license, or renewal of a license shall pay a license fee to the Division, unless exempted under ORS 624.106. Licensees whose food service facility requires a critical item re-inspection shall pay a fee to the Division as set by OAR 333-12-0053.
b. The license or temporary license shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises of the licensee. For a vending machine or mobile unit the license shall be posted in a conspicuous place, and a card, emblem, or other device clearly showing the name and address of the licensee and the serial number of the licensee shall be affixed to each vending machine or mobile unit.
c. To reinstate a food service facility license after the expiration date, other than a temporary license, the operator must pay a reinstatement fee per ORS 624.490.
Full Breakdown
Clackamas County Code 8.04.030 adopts Oregon's food service laws (ORS 624.010 et seq.) by reference and defines 'food service facility' to expressly include food carts, mobile units, and vending machines alongside restaurants and bed and breakfasts. The Public Health Division of the Department of Human Services administers the program under authority the Oregon Health Authority delegates per ORS 624.510. Before building, converting, or establishing a mobile unit or pushcart, the operator must submit properly prepared plans and specifications to the Division and pay plan review fees (8.04.030(A)(3)).
Every operator then pays a license fee unless exempted under ORS 624.106, and the license (or, for a mobile unit, a card, emblem, or device showing the licensee's name, address, and serial number) must be affixed to the cart in plain view (8.04.030(A)(2)). Licenses expire at the end of each calendar year, are nontransferable, and are not refunded for the unused portion or a denied application (8.04.030(A)(4)). A facility whose sanitation score falls below 70 on two consecutive inspections within 30 days must shut down until it corrects the problem (8.04.030(B)(4)).
Violations & Fines
Operating a food cart or mobile unit without a current license, or continuing after the Division closes it for an imminent health danger, uncorrected priority-item violations, or a sanitation score under 70 on two straight inspections, is unlawful under 8.04.030(B). Building or converting a mobile unit without submitting plans first is also a violation. The Division first issues a written warning, then a Notice of Intent to impose a civil penalty set by the Board of County Commissioners; penalties are due 10 days after the order becomes final, and the operator can request a hearing within 20 days (8.04.030(C)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a food truck need a different permit than a restaurant?
Where does the food cart license have to be displayed?
Can the county shut down a food truck for failing inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clackamas County
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