Winston-Salem, NC Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Application fee
- $75.00 per mobile food unit
- Permit term
- One year, July 1–June 30
- Badge rule
- City-issued ID badge, worn always
- Issuing office
- Office of Business Inclusion & Advancement
- Max penalty
- $500.00 fine, class 3 misdemeanor
Summary
Winston-Salem requires a permit from the office of business inclusion and advancement before operating any mobile food unit or pushcart, plus a city-issued ID badge that must be displayed at all times while vending.
It shall be unlawful to sell, or offer for sale, any food, beverage or merchandise on foot or from any pushcart or mobile food unit on any right-of-way, street, sidewalk or public park within the city without first obtaining a permit therefore, pursuant to the provisions contained in this article, from the office of business inclusion and advancement. All persons who sell or offer for sale any food, beverage or merchandise from any licensed pushcart or mobile food unit shall display a city-issued identification badge.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102 | Personnel: Supplement 96 | Water and Sewer: Supplement 56 | Solid Waste: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Before vending from a mobile food unit or pushcart anywhere in the city, including rights-of-way, streets, sidewalks and public parks, an operator must first obtain a permit from the office of business inclusion and advancement under Chapter 74, Article IX. The application costs $75.00 per unit plus $10.00 for each identification badge beyond two, and an approved permit runs for one year, from July 1 through June 30. Everyone who sells from a licensed unit must display a city-issued ID badge at all times, and any new employee needs a badge from the city within five days of being hired.
Violations & Fines
Selling food, beverages or merchandise from a mobile food unit or pushcart without a permit, or violating any part of the vendor's permit article, is a class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4, punishable by a fine of up to $500.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues Winston-Salem's mobile food unit permit?
How much does a Winston-Salem food truck permit cost?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winston-Salem
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