Jackson, NJ Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Township Code Section 204-12 sets separate fire-safety and licensing tracks for mobile food operations. Under Subsection D, any food vendor or food truck that can cook must obtain a Type 1 fire safety permit from the Fire Bureau in the district where it operates, and separately must apply for an annual Mobile Food Vendor License issued by Jackson Township. Trucks cooking under a tent must show the Fire Bureau documentation that the tent material is flame-resistant and approved for cooking underneath it, and any truck whose cooking creates grease-laden vapors needs an exhaust hood under NFPA 96 and a kitchen suppression system, inspected and tested every six months by an NJ Division of Fire Safety-licensed contractor.

Every truck must carry a 2A-40-BC fire extinguisher, plus a K-class extinguisher if it has a deep fat fryer, and propane cylinders, hoses, and regulators must be inspected under NFPA 58. Fees follow the NJUFC schedule, and applications submitted less than 14 calendar days before an event trigger a surcharge that rises from $25 (7-13 days out) to $50 (1-3 days out). Failing to get a required permit before operating carries a fee of $125 to $500 in addition to the permit fee, and continuing to operate after being ordered to stop can cost up to $5,000 per day under Section 204-12G and H.