Reading, PA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Filed with
- Property Maintenance Division
- License term
- One calendar year
- Application review
- Denial in writing within 10 days
- Look-back on revocation
- 5 years disqualifies
- Look-back on felony/drug sale
- 10 years disqualifies
- Amended by
- Ord. No. 34-2022 (4-25-2022)
Summary
Reading requires mobile food vendors to file a detailed license application with the Property Maintenance Division, including unit photos, a sale-items list, health permits and a business privilege license, before a one-year mobile vendor license can be granted.
A. Notice of license availability. Applications for mobile vending license will be available in the Property Maintenance Division. B. Application. (1) Any person interested in applying for a mobile vendor's license may make application by filing such forms containing the required information with the Property Maintenance Division with a nonrefundable application fee as provided in Chapter 212, Fees... (2) Applications will be initially reviewed by the Property Maintenance Division for completeness. Incomplete applications may be amended one time and resubmitted. C. Review of applications... An application shall be denied and the applicant shall be ineligible for a mobile vendor license if: (1) The application is incomplete in any material respect. (2) The proposed mobile vendor unit does not comply with the design criteria, standards or specifications and/or applicable health requirements... D. Each license shall be issued for one calendar year and shall be subject to review during the calendar year for adherence to the requirements of this Part.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 453-306 sets the mobile vendor license application process. B(1)). Utility connections to neighboring properties are prohibited. Incomplete applications may be amended and resubmitted once. C). A denied applicant must be notified in writing of the reasons within 10 days. D). This Part was amended by Ord. No. 34-2022 on April 25, 2022.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a valid mobile vendor license, or vending under a license obtained on a materially false or incomplete application, exposes the operator to the § 453-313 penalty: a summary-offense fine of $75 to $1,000 per offense or up to 90 days' imprisonment, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The Property Maintenance Division, Fire Marshal and Reading Police Department all enforce this Part under § 453-312.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents does Reading require for a mobile food unit license?
Can Reading deny a mobile vendor license application?
How long does a Reading mobile vendor license last?
Can an incomplete mobile vendor application be fixed and resubmitted?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
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