Newark, NJ Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Food peddler license from Director of Finance
- Cart license fee
- $250/year, $100 if 62 or older
- Vehicle license fee
- $500/year
- Selling curfew
- Banned 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Cart size cap
- 2 ft wide, 4 ft long, 4 ft high
- Peddler spacing
- At least 50 feet apart
- Penalty range
- $100-$1,000 fine, up to 90 days jail
Summary
Newark requires anyone hawking or peddling food, drinks, candy or other consumables from a cart, wagon or vehicle on a public sidewalk to first obtain a food peddler license from the Director of Finance. Carts must stay under fixed size limits, respect a 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. selling curfew, and keep 50 feet from other peddlers. Violators risk fines, license suspension, or jail time under Chapter 8:7 of the Revised General Ordinances.
No person shall hawk or peddle any food, drink, candy or other consumable or shall operate any peddler's cart, wagon, motor vehicle or other vehicle which sells, dispenses, vends or peddles any food, drink, candy or other consumable item without first procuring a license therefor from the Director which license shall bear the notation food peddler.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5019615; v61 updated 2026-06-17; through 06-17-2026).
Full Breakdown
" Applicants must submit a physician's certificate, issued within 60 days of the application, certifying they are free of contagious disease and physically fit to handle food safely, plus proof of New Jersey sales-tax registration (§ 8:7-2). Annual fees run $250 for a cart-based hawker and $500 for a motor-vehicle vendor, dropping to $100 for anyone 62 or older, or $50 per day for peddling at a parade or public event; every license expires April 30 regardless of issue date (§ 8:7-3). Once licensed, vendors carry a numbered plate or badge issued by the Director (§ 8:7-5).
Section 8:7-6 sets the operating rules: carts may not exceed 2 feet wide, 4 feet long and 4 feet high, must ride on wheels at least 8 inches in diameter, and cannot be left unattended or stored overnight on a sidewalk. m. Anyone selling for immediate consumption, such as food or ice cream, must keep a marked litter receptacle and clean up after each sale. Vendors must give a written, sequentially numbered receipt for every sale and keep a week's worth on hand for inspection.
Violations & Fines
The Director of Finance may suspend a peddler's license for up to 10 days for ignoring a police or Division of Tax Abatements/Special Taxes order, and may revoke it outright for fraud in the application, false statements, or three convictions under Chapter 8:7 (§ 8:7-7). Each violation is also a criminal offense: a fine of $100 to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or up to 90 days of community service, with every day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense (§ 8:7-8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to sell food from a cart in Newark?
How much does a Newark food peddler license cost?
Can I sell food on a Newark sidewalk late at night?
What happens if a Newark food vendor breaks the peddling rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newark
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