Iowa City, IA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Food safety licensing in Iowa is centralized at the state level. Iowa Code Chapter 137F (Food, Food Establishments, and Food Processing Plants), as administered by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL, formerly the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals/DIA) Food and Consumer Safety Bureau, governs all food establishments in Iowa City including mobile food units. Operators apply through DIAL for a Mobile Food Unit license, submit a HACCP/menu plan, identify a commissary (a licensed commercial kitchen where the truck is cleaned, restocked, and waste is dumped), and pay the state license fee. DIAL inspectors conduct pre-licensure and routine inspections under the FDA Food Code as adopted by Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 481. Iowa City does NOT have a delegated local health authority - unlike Bethlehem PA or Philadelphia, Iowa health authority lies with DIAL and Johnson County Public Health does NOT inspect food establishments. At the local level, Iowa City regulates the location of mobile vending rather than the food itself: the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall (Ped Mall) requires a mobile vending cart permit and lottery selection from the City Clerk's office (Iowa City Code Title 10), street and sidewalk vending requires a right-of-way permit from Iowa City Public Works, and special events (Iowa City Jazz Festival, Iowa Arts Festival, Iowa Soul Festival, University of Iowa home football tailgating with the special-events team) require event-specific vendor authorization. Title 14 (Zoning) limits where stationary mobile vending is permitted in private parking lots and commercial districts. Operators must also remit Iowa state 6% sales tax under Iowa Code Chapter 423 plus the Iowa City 1% Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) where applicable to prepared food.