San Diego, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit/License
- SD County DEHQ MFF Permit: $488–$889 annually
- Apply: 5500
- Apply: 5500 Overland Ave Suite #170, San Diego
- Fees/Costs
- City Business Tax Certificate required
- Zoning/Setbacks
- SDMC §141.0614 governs MFF operations on private property
- Requirements
- Written property-owner consent required for private lots
- Requirements
- Approved commissary required for water/waste/storage
Summary
San Diego food trucks need a Mobile Food Facility permit from San Diego County Department of Environmental Health & Quality ($488–$889/year depending on truck type), a city Business Tax Certificate, and must comply with SDMC §141.0614 mobile food truck regulations. Vending requires written property-owner consent on private lots and is restricted on public streets.
Existing law provides for the regulation of microenterprise home kitchen operations and limits those operations to not serving more than 30 individual meals per day and not more than 60 individual meals per week and to no more than $50,000 in verifiable gross annual sales, as adjusted for inflation. Existing law authorizes the local enforcement agency to decrease the limit on the number of individual meals prepared based on the food preparation capacity of the operation.
Full Breakdown
San Diego food trucks operate under San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) using the CalCode Mobile Food Facility (MFF) framework. Annual permit fees range from $488 for prepackaged-only trucks to $889 for full food prep units. All trucks must affiliate with a permitted commissary for daily servicing and pass an initial plan-check plus in-person construction inspection before opening. Within the City of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code §141.0614 governs Mobile Food Trucks on private property: operators must obtain written consent from the property owner, may not operate within 25 feet of a residential zone driveway, and must keep at least 100 feet from any school during school hours. On public rights-of-way, San Diego Police enforce California Vehicle Code §22455 (no stopping more than necessary) and SDMC §54.0117 limits on street vending. A city Business Tax Certificate from the Office of the City Treasurer is required.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a DEHQ permit is a misdemeanor with fines from $100 to $1,000 per day plus immediate closure. SDMC §141.0614 violations are subject to administrative citations starting at $100, $200, and $500 for successive offenses within 12 months. Selling food from an unpermitted commissary or expired plate can also result in food impoundment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego
California rules heatmap·Compare San Diego to another location·View the California food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Diego County handle food truck permits.