Polk County, IA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Polk County Zoning Ordinance Article 4, Division 5, Section 4(F) defines a Mobile Food Unit as any annually licensed food establishment that is a readily movable, self-propelled, towed or pushed vehicle used to vend food or beverages to the public, and it requires every operator to apply to Polk County Public Works for a permit before setting up. The application must reach Public Works at least three business days before the sale date and must include the applicant's full name, age, permanent address and phone number; a description of the food to be sold; the business name and address; the start date and duration of the sale; the address of the private property where the sale will occur along with the property owner's name and address; a written statement from that owner authorizing the use; the applicant's history operating the same or similar business in other jurisdictions over the past year; a description of the vehicle, tent, trailer or other setup used; copies of all required permits and licenses, including a retail sales tax permit from the Iowa Department of Revenue, plus proof of insurance; and a plan for restroom access, which the ordinance separately requires through a written agreement with the property owner or an adjacent business.

The site itself must offer at least three paved off-street parking spaces dedicated to the mobile unit, served by a paved driveway connecting to a public right-of-way; a unit can share parking with an existing business only if that lot has enough capacity for both, and any overflow parking into the street or a neighboring lot within the past year creates a presumption that shared parking is insufficient. Once granted, the permit is not permanent: Polk County Planning and Development requires the license to be renewed every year.