Arlington Heights, IL Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 12-1002, 12-1005, 12-1008, 12-1009
- Permit required
- Before any street/sidewalk vending
- Time limit per spot
- 1 hour on any single day
- Relocation distance
- At least 1,000 feet after 1 hour
- Vending hours
- 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., no Sundays
- Max fine
- $750.00 per offense (§ 12-1014)
Summary
Arlington Heights treats sidewalk food sales as peddling: Section 12-1005 bars soliciting on public streets or sidewalks without a permit, and Section 12-1008 limits any peddler to one hour in a spot before moving at least 1,000 feet away. Section 12-1009 folds food peddlers into Chapter 11's food-dealer licensing on top of the Article X permit.
a.No peddler or solicitor may park anywhere in the Village in a given place for longer than one hour on any single day, and after the expiration of one hour, he or she must move on to a different location which is at least one thousand feet away from the last location. These limitations do not apply if a peddler or solicitor is part of a special event in which case the peddler or solicitor may remain for the duration of the special event.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Article X of Chapter 12, Peddlers and Solicitors, defines a peddler in Section 12-1001 as any person who, going from place to place, sells or offers goods, wares, merchandise, or other articles or services from a vehicle or otherwise. Section 12-1002 requires a permit before engaging in the business of a peddler or solicitor in the Village, and Section 12-1005(a) separately makes it unlawful to solicit, in person or by agent, upon the public streets, sidewalks or any other public place without first securing a permit.
, and bars it entirely on Sundays. Section 12-1008(a) governs how a peddler conducts business once permitted: no peddler or solicitor may park in a given spot for longer than one hour on any single day, and after that hour expires, the peddler must relocate to a spot at least 1,000 feet from the last one, unless the peddler is part of a Village-approved special event, in which case the time and distance limits do not apply. Section 12-1009, Food Peddlers, requires peddlers of food to also comply with Chapter 11's food-dealer application regulations, layering the food-safety licensing scheme on top of the Article X peddler permit. Section 12-1013 lets the Village Manager revoke a peddler's permit for violating the Article or any other Village, State or Federal law.
Violations & Fines
Section 12-1014 fines any person, firm or corporation violating Article X's peddler and solicitor provisions, including the Section 12-1009 food-peddler rule, not more than $750.00 for each offense. Section 12-1013 separately allows the Village Manager to revoke a peddler's permit for any violation of the Article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell food from a cart on an Arlington Heights sidewalk?
How long can a food peddler stay in one sidewalk spot?
What hours can sidewalk food vending happen?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington Heights
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