Denver, CO Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing agency
- Department of Excise and Licenses
- Menu approval
- Submitted in writing before licensing
- Display requirement
- License firmly attached, visible on vehicle
- Commissary
- Approved location listed on the license
- Governing sections
- DRMC §§ 23-50 and 23-51
Summary
Denver requires a license from the Department of Excise and Licenses to operate a mobile retail food establishment or pushcart, with menus and routes subject to manager approval before the license is issued.
Except as provided in section 23-56, it shall be unlawful for any person to ... operate a mobile retail food establishment or pushcart ... without first having obtained a license from the director. No license to ... operate a mobile retail food establishment or pushcart ... shall be issued without the manager's approval. All licenses shall be prominently displayed and visible at all times.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver Revised Municipal Code Section 23-50 makes it unlawful to operate a mobile retail food establishment or pushcart without a license from the director of excise and licenses, and no license issues without the manager's approval. Section 23-51 adds mobile-specific conditions: the operator must submit menus for advance approval, keep the license firmly attached and visible on the vehicle, list the food truck's approved commissary on the license, and file the scheduled route if the manager requires it. Pushcarts may only operate at the licensed location or a manager-approved temporary site, with written permission posted there.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile retail food establishment or pushcart without the excise and licenses department's license, or without displaying it, is a licensing violation enforceable under Denver's general license provisions in Chapter 32.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Denver require a permit for food trucks?
What has to be on a Denver food truck's license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
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