Port Townsend, WA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $350 per year
- Application fee
- $50, nonrefundable
- Zone restriction
- C-III zone only
- Cart size limit
- 4x6x5 feet max
- First violation penalty
- $200 civil infraction
Summary
Port Townsend requires a street vendor license to sell food or merchandise from a cart on public sidewalks, and confines vending carts to the C-III zone only, with a $350 annual license fee.
It shall be unlawful for any person to act as a street vendor or street performer or operate a take-out window adjacent to public right-of-way unless that person or his or her employees shall have first received a street vendor/performer license... No street vending cart, temporary stand or merchandise display shall be permitted, nor shall any permit be issued for any area within the city other than the C-III zone under the city zoning ordinances.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Anyone operating a vending cart, temporary stand, or take-out window adjacent to a public sidewalk in Port Townsend needs a street vendor/performer license from the planning and building director (PTMC 5.32.040). The $50 application is reviewed within 14 days and requires the abutting property owner's written consent, plus proof of liability insurance naming the city. Carts are capped at 4 feet wide by 6 feet long by 5 feet high, must keep a 5-foot sidewalk clearance, and are confined citywide to the C-III zone: nowhere else in Port Townsend qualifies for a vending permit. Everything must be removed from the right-of-way at close of business daily.
Violations & Fines
First violation is a $200 civil infraction under Chapter 7.80 RCW; a second violation within two years jumps to $400. Continuing after a warning becomes a misdemeanor, with arrest possible (PTMC 5.32.140).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set up a food cart anywhere in Port Townsend?
Do I need a license to sell food from a sidewalk cart?
How long does a street vendor license last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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