Washington County, MN Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Ordinance No. 215, the county's Food Code Ordinance approved October 18, 2022, defines a Food Establishment by reference to Minnesota Rules 4626.0020 and folds Mobile Food Units into that licensing scheme alongside Food Carts, Seasonal Temporary Food Stands and Special Event Food Stands (§ 5.5). Section 5.1 bars operating any Food Establishment unless a current-year license of the applicable type has been obtained from the Health Authority. Licenses are not transferable between owners or locations and must be posted for public inspection (§ 5.2). While most establishments get their first-year fee prorated by start date, § 5.5 expressly excludes Mobile Food Units, Food Carts and Special Event Food Stands from that proration; instead they face a flat $30 late fee under § 5.9 if the license application arrives three calendar days or less before the unit's first day of operating.

The county's Minnesota Food Code standards (Minnesota Rules 4626, with limited exceptions) are adopted by reference under § 8.1, and construction or remodeling plans must reach the Health Authority at least 30 days before work begins (§ 8.2). Before issuing a license the Health Authority inspects the unit and will not license it until required corrections are made (§ 7.3), and it may re-inspect as often as needed to meet the minimum frequency set by Minnesota Statutes § 157.20 (§ 7.1). Establishments listed in Minnesota Statute § 157.22 are exempt from the ordinance entirely (§ 6.1).