Tulsa, OK Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Title 21, Ch. 23 (eff. 11/5/2025)
- License required
- Health Dept. license + Title 17 City license
- School buffer
- 150 feet during school session
- Time limit at one spot
- 12 hours on public property
- Max penalty
- $1,200 fine and/or 6 months jail
Summary
Tulsa requires every food truck, push cart and mobile retail vendor to hold both a Tulsa City-County Health Department food license and a separate City food license under Title 17 before operating, per Title 21, Chapter 23 of the Tulsa Revised Ordinances.
In addition to the regulations in this chapter, mobile vendors and seasonal food service establishments must meet all other applicable legal requirements, such as: A. Qualifying for and obtaining a food establishment license from the Tulsa City-County Health Department and a City food license pursuant to TRO Title 17, Chapter 4; and B. Complying with all laws, rules, and regulations concerning food handling and any vehicles, equipment, and devices used for the handling, storage, transportation and/or sale of food.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 23 of Title 21, rewritten in full by Ordinance No. 25698 effective November 5, 2025, governs mobile food establishments, mobile push carts and mobile retail food establishments in Tulsa. Section 2302 requires operators to first obtain a food establishment license from the Tulsa City-County Health Department and a separate City food license under Title 17, Chapter 4, before selling. Section 2305's operating standards add specifics: no vending within 150 feet of a school during session, curb-side service only, a fire extinguisher meeting NFPA 10 when cooking, and a 12-hour limit at one address on public property (longer on private property if the vendor has the owner's written consent). Operating without the required licenses is a misdemeanor under Section 2306.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food unit without the Health Department license and City food license, or violating Chapter 23's operating standards, is a misdemeanor: up to a $1,200 fine and/or 6 months in city jail, with each day a separate offense (Tulsa Revised Ordinances, Title 21, § 2306).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle food truck permits.