West New York, NJ Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)

Chapter 254 of the Code of the Town of West New York, adopted by the Board of Commissioners as Ord. No. 23/17, makes the permit the gate to all mobile food vending. Section 254-2A allows no more than 25 permits for mobile or street food entities within the Town. Current holders keep a permit active year by year through renewal, but a permit not renewed by the last business day of November must start the application process anew and is treated like any first-time applicant, with no preference for lapsed holders (amended 7-27-2022 by Ord. No. 17/22).

Applications are filed with the Health Officer on the Health Officer's forms (§ 254-3). Section 254-6 requires the business name, the applicant's age and date and place of birth, the address and proposed use of the premises, any prior revocation or denial, details of any arrest or conviction, a business telephone number, and three preferred locations. A corporate applicant supplies its certificate of incorporation and the names and addresses of each person owning 10% or more of its shares. Section 254-2C applies Chapter 207 (Food Handling), including the food handler's certificate.

The fee is $275 for each truck or stand, and each additional vehicle or stand adds $275; the current fee text is § 186-10Y. The Health Officer sends the application to the Police and Fire Departments and the Zoning Officer or Construction Official for investigation, and also inspects for food handling, nuisance, disease and State Sanitary Code compliance (§ 254-4). Under § 254-5 the Commissioner over the Department of Health issues or denies the license within 10 days after all investigative reports are submitted. A denied applicant appeals within 10 days to the Board of Commissioners or the Special Hearing Officer/Special Counsel, with a hearing set not less than 30 and not more than 45 days after the notice of appeal.

Section 254-7 requires a certificate of insurance before any license issues to a vendor selling from a truck. A reinspection fee of $150 applies after an unsatisfactory or conditional satisfactory rating (§ 254-10).