Miami, FL Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Business Tax Receipt (BTR) required
- Stand size limit
- 3x6x5 feet max
- School buffer
- 500 feet during school hours
- Stationary vending allowed
- Downtown Miami and Civic Center only
- Max penalty
- $500 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Miami requires a Business Tax Receipt to vend food or merchandise from any street, sidewalk, or public park, and bans stationary sidewalk vending outside two designated special vending districts entirely.
It shall be unlawful to sell, or offer for sale, any food, beverage, service or merchandise on any street, alley, sidewalk, or public park within the city from any wagon, truck, auto, pushcart, vehicle or by any other means upon the streets, sidewalks, or alleys of the city until the proper BTR has been issued by the city manager or designee, at which time a metal or plastic tag shall be furnished, upon which tag shall be the words describing the kind of vendor, and the year for which the BTR is paid.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).
Full Breakdown
Selling food, beverages, or merchandise from a stand, pushcart, or vehicle on any Miami street, sidewalk, alley, or public park requires a Business Tax Receipt (BTR) issued by the city manager under Chapter 39, Article II, with an application listing the goods sold and a health inspection certificate. Stationary sidewalk vending is banned citywide except inside the Downtown Miami and Civic Center special vending districts, where vendors compete in an annual lottery for a numbered zone and pay a monthly franchise fee. Vending stands may not exceed 3 feet wide, 6 feet long, and 5 feet tall, and are barred within 500 feet of schools during school hours and 5 feet of any building entrance.
Violations & Fines
Vending without a BTR, in a prohibited location, or with an oversized stand is punishable under Sec. 1-13's general penalty: up to $500 and 60 days in jail per day of violation; illegal stands may be seized by police.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell food from a cart on any Miami sidewalk?
What permit do I need to sell merchandise on a Miami street?
How big can a vending stand be in Miami?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami
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Sidewalk & Mobile Vending in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle sidewalk & mobile vending.