Puyallup, WA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Food truck definition
- PMC § 5.65.010(6)
- Governing permit pathway
- Food truck guidelines + Ch. 20.70 PMC
- Zoning time cap (C/MX/M)
- 30 days per year per site
- Health authority
- Tacoma-Pierce County health department
- Violation classification
- Class I civil infraction
Summary
Puyallup licenses food trucks under the city's adopted food truck program guidelines and Chapter 20.70 PMC zoning rules rather than the general mobile vendor chapter, and enforces both as a civil infraction if the guidelines or Chapter 5.65 PMC are violated.
"Food truck" shall mean a motor vehicle, or trailer, used to prepare and serve food and that vends food from a curbside location or on private property. Food trucks that comply with the city of Puyallup food truck program guidelines and have an active food truck license are exempt from this section through PMC § 5.65.130 and/or Chapter 20.70 PMC, Temporary Uses. ... Violation of any provision of this chapter or the city of Puyallup food truck guidelines adopted by the Puyallup city council, as they currently exist or as they may be modified in the future, by a person, firm, party, corporation, or other legal entity shall constitute a Class I civil infraction subject to the provisions of Chapter 1.02 PMC. ... Temporary businesses established for the sale of retail products, services, and food, when located within designated parking areas, subject to not more than 30 days of site occupation and/or operation in any one-year period.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
65. 70 PMC, the zoning code's temporary uses chapter. 012(3), temporary food businesses located within designated parking areas in commercial (C), mixed-use (MX) and manufacturing (M) zones are capped at 30 days of site occupation per year, though the development services director can exempt temporary food stands sited outside driveway and fire-lane areas from that time limit. 140 still makes violating either the chapter or the adopted food truck guidelines enforceable. 090, which applies chapter-wide to food handling, equipment and vehicles.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 5.65 PMC or the city's adopted food truck program guidelines is a Class I civil infraction under § 5.65.140 and Chapter 1.02 PMC; a second violation is a misdemeanor under PMC § 9A.05.010(2). Operating beyond the 30-day annual site limit in C, MX or M zones without director approval violates § 20.70.012(3) and PMC Title 20's temporary use permit requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Puyallup treat food trucks the same as other mobile vendors?
How long can a food truck operate at one commercial site?
What health rules apply to Puyallup food trucks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
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Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle food truck permits.