Nashua, NH Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Mobile food units operating in Nashua must clear a three-stage city stack: (1) Nashua Environmental Health Department — submit a Mobile Food Service Vendor Application plus a signed commissary agreement. The City uses the 2017 FDA Food Code as adopted by Nashua Revised Ordinances Chapter 170 (Food-Service Establishments). The Plan Review Fee is $125.00 (one-time) and the Annual Mobile Food Vendor Fee is $200.00. The commissary kitchen — where the unit is stored, cleaned, and serviced — must be a licensed food-service facility. If the commissary is located outside Nashua, the application must include the signed commissary agreement and a copy of the facility's food-service license. After application, Environmental Health conducts plan review and then an on-site inspection. Contact: 603-589-3530 or EH@NashuaNH.gov. (2) Hawkers and Peddlers Permit from the City Clerk — annual fee $100.00. The City Clerk issues the Hawkers and Peddlers Permit only after the Environmental Health Department has issued the food-service license. The Hawkers and Peddlers regime sits under Chapter 231 (Peddling, Soliciting and Vending). (3) Fire Marshal inspection — required for any food truck or trailer, covering propane systems, fire suppression, electrical, and egress. Coordinated with the Environmental Health on-site inspection when feasible. State law — NH RSA Chapter 143-A is the statewide food-service licensure law. RSA 143-A:12 (Homestead Food License Required) governs cottage-food operations (homestead food products are exempt from licensure for direct retail sales but require a Class H homestead license at $150 if selling to restaurants, retail stores, by mail order, or online). Mobile food units are not homestead operations and require the full mobile food service license, not a cottage-food license.