Tulare County, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Per vehicle, County mobile food vendor license
- Renewal
- Annual, fee set by Board resolution
- Health sign-off
- Health Officer certification required
- Community-event exemption
- Health & Safety Code § 114295 events
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Tulare County only
Summary
Every mobile food truck or cart operating in unincorporated Tulare County must hold a County mobile food vendor license under Ordinance Code Chapter 6-20, separate from the state health permit, with a distinct license issued per vehicle and renewed annually.
§ 6-20-1020. LICENSE REQUIRED. Any person engaging in, or vehicle used in, the business of a mobile food vendor shall have a valid license to engage in or be used in such business.
Full Breakdown
" The license application must specify each vehicle by license and registration number, describe on-board storage, and, per section 6-20-2000, include written permission from the property owner and a site plan if the truck plans to park in one unincorporated-county location for more than an hour a day. Section 6-20-2010 requires a copy of the Health Officer's certification that the operation complies with food, health, safety, and sanitation law before the license issues; vendors that plan to stop on a public highway must also sign an indemnification agreement with the County.
The license collector issues a separate license per vehicle and charges a per-vehicle annual fee set by Board of Supervisors resolution under section 6-20-2020, with renewal required every year at the fee then in effect. Section 6-20-1060 requires each truck to display identifying information in contrasting letters on both sides, sized as required by Health and Safety Code section 114299. A community-event exception under section 6-20-1030 exempts operators at events covered by Health and Safety Code section 114295 from the county license. Vendors must display their license on request to any County official or business patron under section 6-20-1050, and this chapter's licensing scheme applies only to trucks operating in unincorporated county territory, not inside Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, or Dinuba.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food business without the County license, without the required Health Officer certification, or without a per-vehicle license for each truck used is a Chapter 6-20 violation. Under the general business-licensing penalty at section 6-01-5000, a willful violation is an infraction punishable under section 125: a fine up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for a third. The license collector may suspend or revoke a vendor's license under sections 6-01-4020 and 6-01-4030 for health, safety, or zoning noncompliance, subject to administrative review and appeal to the County Hearing Officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate license for each food truck in my fleet?
Does a state health permit substitute for the county mobile food vendor license?
Can I skip the county license for a one-time community event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulare County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tulare County to another location·View the California food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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