Passaic, NJ Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- License required from
- City Clerk, per § 211-2(A)
- Annual license fee
- $400 (+ $150/helper)
- Citywide license cap
- 35 per calendar year
- License term
- Calendar year, expires Dec. 31
- Background check
- Fingerprinting by Chief of Police
Summary
No one may peddle goods, wares, merchandise or food in Passaic without first obtaining a peddler's license from the City Clerk. Licenses run a calendar year, cost $400 (plus $150 per helper), and the City caps the total number issued at 35 per year.
No person, persons, firm or corporation shall engage in the business of a peddler within the corporate limits of the City of Passaic until a peddler's license therefor is first obtained from the City of Passaic.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978046; v41 updated 2026-07-01; through 07-01-2026).
Full Breakdown
' Separate temporary licenses cover special events and nonfixed-location peddling limited to 24 hours under § 211-2(B). § 211-4 requires every applicant for a peddler's or helper's license to undergo a Chief of Police background search and fingerprinting; the Chief may deny a license for fraud, misrepresentation, or a conviction involving moral turpitude, fraud or dishonesty under § 211-5(B). Applications involving food are forwarded to the Health Officer for approval under §§ 149-12 through 149-25. § 211-9 caps the City at issuing no more than 35 peddler's licenses per calendar year, with 10 of those reserved for mobile food establishments; licenses for mobile retail food establishments operating exclusively on a higher education facility's property are exempt from that cap. 1.
Violations & Fines
Peddling without a license, or an applicant's fraud, misrepresentation or a disqualifying prior conviction, lets the Chief of Police, City Clerk or Health Officer suspend a license under § 211-10.5, with revocation referred to a City Council hearing under § 177-10. Because Article I sets no separate fine, the general penalty in § 1-3 applies: up to a $2,000 fine, 90 days imprisonment, or 90 days community service, with each day of unlicensed peddling a separate violation. A denied applicant has seven days for the Chief of Police to reconsider under § 211-6, then may appeal to City Council.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to peddle goods on Passaic streets?
How much does a Passaic peddler's license cost?
How many peddler's licenses does Passaic issue each year?
Can a peddler's license be denied or revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Passaic
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Sidewalk & Mobile Vending in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Passaic County handle sidewalk & mobile vending.