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Fitchburg, WI Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License required
Sec. 67-1, before any street/sidewalk sale
Annual license term
April 15 to April 14 following year
Monthly license
30 days from issuance
Liability insurance
$1,000,000.00 aggregate, city named insured
First-offense forfeiture
$25.00 to $500.00

Summary

Fitchburg, Wisconsin requires anyone selling food, goods or services on a public street, alley or sidewalk to first obtain a vending license from the economic development director, with annual, monthly and special-event license options and a $1,000,000.00 liability insurance minimum.

It shall be unlawful for any person to vend, sell or offer for sale or procure the sale of any services, goods, wares, tokens, or foodstuffs, or any other article of any kind by putting up a booth, preparing or setting up the vending cart, stand or equipment, preparing food, beverage or articles for sale, stopping a vehicle or person on foot, interacting with potential customers in or around a vending site, taking names for the purpose of making future sales, offering applications or other materials for future sales, or in any other manner participating in the vending operation or attempting to publicly sell or offer for sale any such articles or services upon any highway, street, alley, sidewalk, unless such person shall have first applied for and obtained the appropriate license required by this chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30).

Full Breakdown

City Code Chapter 67, Sec. 67-1 makes it unlawful to vend, sell or offer for sale any goods, wares or foodstuffs on any highway, street, alley or sidewalk by setting up a booth, cart or stand, preparing food or beverages, or stopping vehicles or pedestrians to sell, without first obtaining the license required by the chapter. The definition of vending sweeps in nearly every step of the operation, including interacting with potential customers or taking names for future sales, though delivering the cart or supplies to and from the site is exempt.

Sec. 67-3 routes applications to the economic development director, who must designate a specific vending site unless the vending is non-stationary, such as summer ice cream sales. Three license types exist: an annual license issued April 15 and expiring the following April 14, a monthly license good for 30 days, and a fee-free special-event license that can cover multiple vendors at a community festival. 00 aggregate limit, evidenced by a certificate requiring 30 days' notice to the city before cancellation or material change. Licenses are issued and signed by the city clerk and must be conspicuously displayed at the point of sale, and issuance is contingent on the vendor having no outstanding fees owed to the city.

Violations & Fines

Sec. 67-6 sets penalties for Chapter 67 violations under the general Sec. 1-21 schedule: $25.00 to $500.00 for a first offense and $50.00 to $1,000.00 for repeat offenses within a year, plus prosecution costs. Beyond fines, Sec. 67-7 lets the public safety and human services committee revoke, suspend or refuse to renew a vending license, or limit it by conditions, after notice and hearing, for any violation of Chapter 67, repeated parking or standing violations, or other city or state violations substantially related to the vending activity; a vendor may appeal that decision to the common council within ten days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a food vendor sell on a Fitchburg sidewalk without any license?
No. Sec. 67-1 makes it unlawful to vend, sell or prepare food for sale on any street, alley or sidewalk without first obtaining a license under Chapter 67, and unlicensed helpers cannot loiter around the site either.
What insurance does a Fitchburg street vendor need?
Sec. 67-3(2) requires commercial general liability insurance, including contractual liability coverage, with the city, its employees and agents named as additional insureds and a minimum $1,000,000.00 aggregate limit, evidenced by a certificate of insurance.
How long does an annual vending license last?
Sec. 67-3(1)(a) issues annual licenses on April 15 each year, expiring on April 14 of the following year, while monthly licenses under Sec. 67-3(1)(b) run for 30 days from issuance.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fitchburg

All Fitchburg rules

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