Kirkwood, MO Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Fire Code Official
- Vehicle spacing
- 10 feet between vehicles
- Structure setback
- 20 feet from any building
- Multi-vehicle event
- Event permit needed at 3+ vehicles
- St. Louis-certified trucks
- Exempt with valid sticker
Summary
Kirkwood requires every mobile food preparation vehicle to get an operational permit from the Fire Code Official before each deployment, under the amended Fire Prevention Code. Vehicles must keep 10 feet of clear space between units and 20 feet from any structure.
Section 319.2 Permit required. Any mobile food preparation vehicle shall require an operational permit from the Fire Code Official for each deployment or location prior to placing the vehicle in its proposed set-up location. ... Section 319.2.1 Event Permit Required. An event permit is required from the Fire Code Official for any location where three (3) or more mobile food preparation vehicles will be set up or in operation at any one (1) time on the same property or at the same venue. ... Section 319.2.2 Separation between vehicles. There shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet of clear space between any vehicles as measured from the furthest extent of the vehicle or anything tethered to the vehicle except for a connection to a public utility (water, power, etc.). Section 319.2.3 Separation from structures. There shall be a minimum of twenty (20) feet from any mobile food preparation vehicle and any structure measured from the furthest extent of the vehicle or anything tethered to the vehicle (except for a connection to a public utility) to the outermost edge of the building roof overhang projected in a vertical plane directly down to the ground surface.
Full Breakdown
2 requires an operational permit from the Fire Code Official before a mobile food preparation vehicle sets up at any location, and a fresh permit is needed for each deployment or venue. A vehicle already carrying a current annual fire safety inspection sticker and certification from the City of St. Louis is exempt from a separate Kirkwood permit, though the Fire Code Official can still inspect it. Any event bringing together three or more mobile food preparation vehicles on the same property at once needs a separate event permit, which the Fire Code Official may issue annually for recurring events.
Spacing rules follow: at least 10 feet of clear space between vehicles (measured from the vehicle's furthest extent or anything tethered to it, except utility connections), and at least 20 feet between any mobile food preparation vehicle and a structure, measured to the outermost edge of the building's roof overhang. A commercial property that hosts or allows an unpermitted mobile food preparation vehicle to operate risks having its own occupancy permit suspended or revoked by the Fire Code Official.
Violations & Fines
Violating the fire code adopted at § 8-1, including the mobile food unit permit and separation requirements, is an ordinance violation under § 112.4 of the amended code, punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both, with each day the violation continues after notice constituting a separate offense. Hosting an unpermitted vehicle can also cost the property its own occupancy permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Kirkwood food truck need a new permit for every location?
How far must a Kirkwood food truck park from a building?
Can several food trucks set up together in Kirkwood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkwood
Compare Kirkwood to another location·View the Missouri food trucks & mobile vendors overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in St. Louis County handle food truck permits.