DC food trucks must obtain a Mobile Roadway Vendor (MRV) or Mobile Delicatessen license from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), a DC Health mobile food unit permit, and a Clean Hands certificate. Operators pay annual fees of roughly $755 and must operate from a DC Health-approved commissary. Sales tax registration with OTR is required.
DC's food truck permitting is coordinated through the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP, formerly DCRA's business licensing) and DC Health. Required credentials include a Mobile Roadway Vendor (MRV) Basic Business License, a DC Health Mobile Food Unit permit after a food establishment inspection, a Certified Food Protection Manager credential, a DC Clean Hands certificate confirming no outstanding DC tax debt over $100, a Certificate of Occupancy for the commissary, and a Certificate of Resale registration with the Office of Tax and Revenue. General liability insurance of at least $1 million is required. Fees include the MRV license (roughly $355 biennial), DC Health mobile food permit (around $400 annually), plus commissary agreement costs. Propane-fired units must pass a fire marshal inspection from DC Fire and EMS. Under DC Code 47-2884 and DCMR Title 24 Chapter 5, all mobile food businesses must be serviced by a DC Health-approved commissary for potable water refill, wastewater disposal, and overnight storage; home kitchens and parking on the street overnight are prohibited. Vendors must display a Vending Site Permit and their DLCP license visibly on the vehicle. Renewal inspections occur annually with DC Health, and vendors must maintain cold holding, hot holding, and handwashing compliance.
Operating without MRV license: $500-$2,000 per DLCP plus cease and desist order. No DC Health permit or failed inspection: immediate closure and $500-$1,000. Propane without fire permit: vehicle impound plus $500. Clean Hands non-compliance: license hold until tax debt resolved.
See how District of Columbia's food truck permits rules stack up against other locations.
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