Richmond, VA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Section 6-267 defines a food establishment broadly enough to sweep in 'pushcarts, mobile food units and similar places,' so a food truck or cart falls under the same permit rules as a restaurant kitchen. Section 6-287 makes it unlawful to operate any food establishment in the City without obtaining a permit from the Director of the District Health Department and posting it conspicuously on site. Section 6-288 requires the Director to issue that permit annually to any operator who complies with the division, and that permit is what entitles the operator to then get a business license from the Director of Finance; permits aren't transferable between people or locations.

00 if a follow-up plan review is needed. Section 6-290 lets the Director suspend or revoke a permit for any violation of the article, but only after written notice and a chance for the operator to be heard. Section 6-291 lets an operator apply for reinstatement at any time; the Director must reinspect within one week of that application, and as many more times as needed, and must reinstate the permit once the operator is back in compliance. Section 6-317 backs this with at least one inspection of every food establishment each year, with a second inspection to confirm any violation was fixed, and a repeat violation on that second inspection can support immediate suspension or revocation.