Novato, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit term
- One calendar year, not transferrable
- Clear width
- At least 48 inches left open
- School limit
- 1,500 feet for added-sugar foods, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Vendor spacing
- 200 feet from any other sidewalk vendor
- Quiet hours
- No vending 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Unpermitted citation
- $250, then $500, then $1,000
Summary
In the City of Novato, only a sidewalk vendor holding a city sidewalk vending permit can stop or stand in a public right-of-way. The permit lasts one calendar year and cannot be transferred, and it comes with limits on 48-inch clearance, school distance, vendor spacing, slope, and operating hours from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
18-17.4 General Regulations. a.To maintain accessibility standards for the city's disabled residents, every sidewalk vendor must ensure that no obstruction is placed that would reduce the width of the public right-of-way to less than 48 inches, exclusive of the top of the curb. ... f.To reduce the exposure to children of unhealthy foods, every sidewalk vendor vending foods with added sugar cannot operate within 1,500 feet of the nearest property line of any public or private school between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on regular school days. g.To reduce the possibility of collisions, every sidewalk vendor is prohibited from vending within any public right-of-way with a posted speed limit greater than 35 miles per hour. ... k.To prevent potential obstructions to traffic, every sidewalk vendor shall maintain a distance of 200 feet from any other sidewalk vendor. ... r.To preserve the peace and tranquility of residential neighborhoods, every sidewalk vender shall cease all activities between the hours of 7:00 p.m. through 9:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
Section 18-17 of the Novato Municipal Code, adopted as Ordinance No. 1708 on November 14, 2023, regulates people who sell food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, pedal-driven cart, wagon, rack or other nonmotorized conveyance, or from their own person, on a public right-of-way. Motorized food trucks fall under section 18-15 instead.
Permit. Under § 18-17.3 only a vendor holding a valid sidewalk vending permit issued by the City of Novato can stop or stand in the public right-of-way. The permit is valid for one calendar year unless revoked, gives no exclusive right to any specific portion of the right-of-way, is issued only to natural persons, and is not transferrable. It is not issued until all fees and any outstanding fines and penalties are paid. The application can ask for contact details, a description of the goods, a California driver's license or identification number, a California Department of Tax and Fee Administration seller's permit and a Marin County Department of Public Health mobile food facility permit as required, and a certification that the information is true.
Operating limits. Section 18-17.4 requires that no obstruction reduce the right-of-way to less than 48 inches, exclusive of the top of the curb. Food sellers wear a hairnet and food service gloves. A vendor selling foods with added sugar cannot operate within 1,500 feet of a school from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on regular school days. Vending is prohibited on a right-of-way with a posted speed limit greater than 35 miles per hour or a slope greater than five percent, and each vendor keeps 200 feet from any other sidewalk vendor. No vendor operates within 500 feet of a permitted certified farmers' market, a permitted swap meet, or an area under a special use permit for the duration of that permit. Stationary vendors are barred from exclusively residential areas and from city parks covered by an exclusive concession agreement. All activity stops between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Generators are prohibited, refuse containers must handle all refuse within a 25-foot radius, and the city permit and county health permit are displayed on the street-side portion of the vehicle.
Violations & Fines
Under § 18-17.5, a vendor operating without a valid permit is subject to an administrative citation of $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second violation within one year of the first, and $1,000 for each additional violation within one year. A permitted vendor who breaks any rule is cited under § 1-7. The city manager or designee can revoke a permit on a fourth or subsequent violation. Each day is a separate violation, and unpaid fines can lead to a civil action or a lien on the vendor's property, including the vending vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Novato sidewalk vendor need a permit?
How far must a Novato sidewalk vendor stay from schools and farmers' markets?
What hours can sidewalk vendors operate in Novato?
Can a Novato sidewalk vendor appeal a denial or citation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Novato
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