Tennessee Department of Health regulates mobile food units statewide through Rule 1200-23-01, requiring food service permits, commissary agreements, and inspections that cities cannot waive.
Under T.C.A. 68-14-301 et seq. and TDH Rule 1200-23-01, every mobile food unit operating in Tennessee must obtain a food service establishment permit, operate from an approved commissary, and pass health inspections. Operators must hold a Certified Food Protection Manager certificate. The permit follows the truck, and reciprocity exists across counties through TDH. Cities may add zoning, vending location, and business license rules on top, but cannot waive state health requirements.
Operating without a TDH permit: closure, fines up to $500 per day, and confiscation of food product.
See how Columbia's food truck permits rules stack up against other locations.
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