New Orleans, LA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Citywide permit cap
- 100 permits maximum
- Issuing agency
- Dept. of Finance
- First-year cost
- $50 application + $400 permit fee
- Expires
- Dec. 31 annually; renew by Jan. 31
- Insurance minimum
- $500,000 general liability
- Max fine
- $500.00 per violation
Summary
New Orleans caps mobile food truck permits at 100 citywide and requires Department of Finance approval plus sign-off from the State Department of Health and Hospitals and the Fire Department before one issues. Permits expire every December 31, cost $450.00 the first year, and must be visibly displayed on the truck's windshield.
(a)A mobile vending permit shall be applied for with the department of finance ... No permit shall be issued until all requisite approvals by the State Department of Health and Hospitals and the Fire Department are finalized and received by the department of finance. ... (b)...Permits shall be issued on an annual basis and shall expire on December 31. Renewal applications shall be made by January 31. ... (c)The number of permits issued under this division shall at no time exceed 100 for the entire city.(d)Permits shall be conspicuously displayed and affixed to the front windshield, lower corner, passenger side and be clearly visible from outside the mobile food truck at all times during operation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 116 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 110-187 requires anyone who wants to use New Orleans' public right-of-way to sell food from a mobile unit to first obtain either a mobile vending permit from the department of finance or a mobile vending franchise ordinance from the city council. ' Every permit must be affixed to the truck's front windshield, lower corner, passenger side, and stay visible during operation. 00 first-year total. 00 and commercial vehicle insurance under Section 110-193 before any permit issues. Section 110-191 layers on operating rules that affect every permit holder: trucks cannot exceed 26 feet in length or 8 feet in width, drivers need a valid Louisiana driver's license, trucks must be registered in Louisiana, and no vendor may remain in one location more than four hours unless otherwise permitted by law.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of the mobile-vending rules is grounds for permit revocation and is an infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500.00 per violation under Section 110-194. Cases go to administrative adjudication under Chapter 6 of the Code or to municipal court. Operating without state Health Department clearance, exceeding the 100-permit citywide cap, or failing to keep insurance current are all independent grounds for the department of finance to deny or pull a permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Orleans
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