Washington County, UT Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- County business license, every calendar year
- Permitted zones
- C-1, C-2, C-3, PDC (§ 10-10-2)
- License renewal
- Half-fee after July 1, expires Jan 31
- Operating without license
- Class B misdemeanor
Summary
A mobile food business operating in unincorporated Washington County needs a County business license under § 3-1-2 for every calendar year it operates, and food trucks are a listed permitted use in the county's C-1, C-2, C-3 and PDC commercial zones under § 10-10-2's commercial use chart.
3-1-2: BUSINESS LICENSE REQUIRED: A. Every person who, whether directly or indirectly, transacts, engages in, or operates a business within the unincorporated area of the County, shall obtain, maintain and renew a County business license for that business for each and every calendar year in which said business is in operation unless specifically exempted in subsection B of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
" A parcel hosting two or more such businesses becomes a MOBILE FOOD COURT under the same section. Operating this business in the unincorporated area triggers the general licensing rule in § 3-1-2: "Every person who, whether directly or indirectly, transacts, engages in, or operates a business within the unincorporated area of the County, shall obtain, maintain and renew a County business license for that business for each and every calendar year in which said business is in operation," unless the narrow youth-enterprise or minor home-occupation exemptions in subsection B apply.
Under § 3-1-4, the fee follows a schedule set by the county commission, and licenses issued after July 1 carry a half-year fee and expire the following January 31. On the zoning side, § 10-10-2's Commercial Use Chart lists "Food truck" as a permitted (P) use in the C-1, C-2, C-3 and PDC commercial zones, alongside catering establishments and restaurants, meaning no conditional use permit is required to operate from a qualifying commercial parcel in those zones once the business license is in hand.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food business without the required County business license is unlawful under § 3-1-3 and is a class B misdemeanor, subject to penalty under § 1-4-1. Operating outside a zone where food trucks are a permitted use is a separate Title 10 zoning violation, enforced under § 10-1-22 with a $250 per day civil penalty after a 10-day cure notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a food truck need a County business license in Washington County?
Which zones allow food trucks in Washington County?
What happens if my food truck license lapses mid-year?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Utah food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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