Fontana, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Operating a food truck in Fontana requires three layers of authorization. First, a Mobile Food Facility (MFF) permit from the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health under California Health and Safety Code Sections 113700 through 114437 (the California Retail Food Code). Trucks must pass a commissary inspection, meet sanitation standards, and carry the county permit decal. Second, a Fontana business tax certificate issued by the Finance Department for any mobile business operating in the city. Third, compliance with FMC Title 17 zoning rules on where and how long a truck may operate. Food trucks cannot park on public streets for extended vending; operation on private property (office parks, commercial centers, industrial yards) requires property owner permission and is typically limited to specific time windows set by zone. Fontana special events, farmers markets, and permitted festivals may allow temporary food-truck operation under an event permit. SB 946 (the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act) applies primarily to pedestrian vendors, not motorized food trucks, so the stricter mobile-food regulations apply. Trucks must carry commercial insurance and maintain a registered commissary location. Fontana does not cap the number of food-truck vendors citywide but does restrict residential-zone operation.