Cicero, IL Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)

Section 82-8, unchanged in substance since its adoption in 1930 and last amended by Ordinance No. 74-06 in 2006, makes it unlawful for any person to sell, expose for sale, or solicit another person to purchase any article on any street, alley or public place in Cicero, with a standing exception for daily newspapers. Section 82-7 backs that up on the physical side: it is separately unlawful to erect or maintain any fruit stand, lunchstand, lunchwagon, flower stand, table, box, bin, rack, showcase, platform or similar structure in, upon or over a street, alley, sidewalk or public place for the display or sale of goods without a permit from the board of trustees, and the board is barred from granting that permit for anything except exhibiting daily newspapers for sale.

Together the two sections function as a blanket ban on sidewalk food carts, vending tables and similar street sales rather than a permit system food vendors could apply into. The one built-in exception outside newspapers is seasonal: Section 82-8 lets the board of trustees authorize the superintendent of police to issue temporary permits so street vendors can sell toys and novelties, but only between December 15 and 25 of each year, tied to the holiday season. There is no separate "sidewalk vending permit" category anywhere in these sections; a food cart or table set up on a Cicero sidewalk outside the holiday toy exception has no lawful path to a permit under Chapter 82.