Pasco, WA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Before any mobile vending
- License term
- One year
- Applied through
- Business Licensing Service
- Health compliance
- Benton-Franklin Health District
- First-offense fine
- $100
- Third offense penalty
- 90-day license ineligibility
Summary
Pasco requires every mobile vendor, including food trucks, to hold a mobile vending license before operating under PMC 5.75.020. Licenses run one year, are non-transferable, and require compliance with Benton-Franklin Health District food-handling rules under PMC 5.75.080.
5.75.020 License required. It shall be unlawful for a mobile vendor to engage in business within the City of Pasco except when licensed as provided in PMC 5.05.020, in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. ... 5.75.080 Health regulation. All food vendors shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations regarding food handling, and all vehicles used for the sale of food shall comply with all the laws, rules and regulations respecting such vehicles as established by the Benton-Franklin Health District and as set forth in the Pasco Municipal Code.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).
Full Breakdown
030). 020 and this chapter. 060). 070). 080, all food vendors must comply with food-handling laws and all vehicle-related rules set by the Benton-Franklin Health District as well as the Pasco Municipal Code. 040). 100 sets operating standards regardless of location: vendors cannot obstruct sidewalks or public ways by causing crowds to congregate, must serve customers curbside rather than street-side when abutting a public street, cannot create traffic hazards, and must maintain a 3-foot pedestrian clear zone on sidewalks. It is recommended, though not mandatory, that mobile vendors using heat or open flame be inspected annually by the Pasco Fire Department. Only food trucks or push carts may be used for public-space vending, and tents may only provide shade, never merchandise display.
Violations & Fines
The Community and Economic Development Director may revoke a mobile vending license in writing for fraud or false statements in the application or in selling products, any violation of Chapter 5.75, conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or conducting business unlawfully or in a manner that breaches the peace or endangers public health and safety (PMC 5.75.110). Violations are code infractions under Chapter 1.40 PMC with escalating penalties under PMC 5.75.130: a $100 fine for a first offense, $500 for a second, and a third offense within two years makes the vendor ineligible for a license for 90 days. Denials or revocations can be appealed to the City Hearing Examiner within 14 calendar days (PMC 5.75.120).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a food truck need a separate license from a regular business license in Pasco?
What happens on a third mobile vending violation in Pasco?
Are farmers selling produce from a truck exempt from the mobile vendor license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco
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