Montgomery County, MD Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- License issuer
- Director of Permitting Services
- License term
- One year
- Vending hours
- 9 a.m. to sunset
- School buffer
- 500 feet
- Violation class
- Class A violation
Summary
Montgomery County requires anyone selling goods or services on public streets, sidewalks, or door-to-door to hold a Director-issued vendor license under County Code Chapter 47.
Any vendor must obtain a license from the Director by: (a) completing a form supplied by the Director; (b) providing written permission from the owner or owner's agent of any private property on which a vendor will be temporarily located while goods are sold or services dispensed; (c) filing a surety bond if required by the Director in an amount and with terms as provided in regulation under method (2); and (d) paying a fee in an amount set by regulation under method (2) sufficient to offset the cost of enforcing and administering this Chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-90: Montgomery County Code contains legislation effective through May 7, 2026 | Zoning Updated Effective: April 13, 2026 | COMCOR Regulations effective as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Montgomery County Code § 47-3, any vendor must obtain a license from the Director of Permitting Services by filing an application, providing written permission from the property owner for any private-property vending site, posting a surety bond if the Director requires one, and paying a fee set by regulation. Licenses issued under § 47-4 run one year. Vendors must display the license at each vending location, on any vending vehicle, or on their person (§ 47-5). Street sales are further restricted to 9 a.m.-sunset (5 a.m.-10 p.m. for food trucks) and barred within 500 feet of a school (§ 47-2).
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Chapter 47 is a class A violation. Enforcement agencies may warn a vendor, then seize goods sold after a warning and hold them at a County storage facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to sell on a Montgomery County sidewalk?
What happens if I vend without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery County
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