Scranton, PA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Chapter 256, Article I, adopted July 18, 2013 by Ordinance No. 34-2013, requires every restaurant, food cart and food truck in Scranton to apply for and hold a City license, renewed on an annual basis under § 256-6A. Beyond the license, operators must file an annual business privilege and mercantile tax return with the Single Tax office to get the required tax license under § 256-6B. Fees are set out in § 256-5: in addition to the $1 state fee under the Pennsylvania Public Eating and Drinking Law, food carts pay $50 and food trucks pay $250, while brick-and-mortar restaurants pay $150 or $200 depending on seating capacity, and any establishment licensed by the PLCB pays $200.

Licenses must be renewed within five business days of expiration under § 256-7, or the operator owes a late fee equal to double the license cost. The City Health Inspector, appointed under § 256-3, physically inspects trucks and carts for compliance with Pennsylvania's food code (7 Pa. Code Ch. 46 and 76) as well as this article, and can revoke or suspend a license under § 256-10 for violations, closing the operation immediately; reinstatement costs double the original license fee. Food trucks must also keep propane tanks secured on the vehicle, may not run generators off the truck onto City streets or sidewalks, and must clear trash after each selling session, all under the § 256-1 definitions section.