Fort Smith, AR Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual permit fee
- $150 ($75 after June 30)
- Permit expires
- December 31 every year
- Issued to
- vehicle owner, non-transferrable
- ROW lottery fee
- $100 for marked location
Summary
Fort Smith requires an annual $150 permit for every mobile food truck or concession trailer, issued to the vehicle owner and valid through December 31 regardless of when it was issued.
Mobile food vendor annual permit. Mobile food vendors are allowed to operate on a temporary basis for one year in one location with administrative approval of the planning department. After the one-year period has expired, the mobile food vendor shall move to another location or may request a one-year renewal from the planning department. Mobile food vendor permits shall be issued to the owner of the mobile food vendor vehicle. All permits shall expire December 31.
2. Mobile food vendor permit requirements. Each application for a permit to conduct a mobile food vendor business on a private property shall contain the following:
a. A permit and processing fee of $150.00. For permits issued after June 30, the permit and processing fee shall be $75.00.
b. The name, address, contact information and signature of both the property owner and the mobile food vendor requesting to locate on private property.
c. Written permission, signed by the property owner or legal representative of record, stating that the mobile food vendor is permitted to operate on the subject property for a specified period of time.
d. Written verification that the applicant is registered with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
e. A statement on how and where solid and liquid wastes will be disposed, if applicable.
3. Permit transfer. The permit issued to a mobile food vendor shall not be transferrable to another owner
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Fort Smith's outdoor mobile food vending code covers food trucks, self-contained concession trailers and towed concession trailers. On private property, a vendor gets a one-year permit renewable annually, tied to a single lot; the fee is $150.00, dropping to $75.00 for permits issued after June 30. Applicants must show written property-owner permission, proof of state sales-tax registration, and a waste-disposal plan. Public-right-of-way vending in the C-6 downtown district carries its own $150.00 permit, plus a nonrefundable $100.00 fee for a marked location awarded through a city lottery when demand exceeds supply. All permits expire December 31 and are non-transferrable to a new owner or operator.
Violations & Fines
Fraud in the application, misrepresentation, or any violation of the vending rules lets the director revoke the permit in writing; a revoked permit's fee is forfeited and not refunded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my Fort Smith food truck permit to a new owner?
When does a Fort Smith mobile food vendor permit expire?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Smith
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