Rapid City, SD Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)

56. 56 sidewalk vendor license, then apply to the Community Development Department for a site permit within the City Council-approved vending cart area in the Central Business District; the Director must approve or deny within 14 business days, and an individual may hold no more than 4 cart sites in a calendar year, renewed annually by the last business day in January. 5 feet high and 6 feet long, occupying no more than 60 square feet, and cannot sit within 10 feet of a sidewalk intersection or accessible parking space, 15 feet of a fire hydrant or building entrance, or 2 feet of the curb face; the sidewalk itself must be at least 10 feet wide with a 5-foot clear pedestrian path.

Food vendors must submit a copy of their South Dakota Department of Health permit with the application, and the Rapid City Fire Department must inspect and approve any propane cooking equipment attached to the unit; mobile electric generators are prohibited outright. Vendors carry at least $2,000,000 in aggregate and $1,000,000 in per-occurrence liability insurance naming the city as additional insured, and a lapse gives the permit holder only 24 hours to reinstate coverage before revocation. The Planning Commission can suspend a permit for up to 30 days or revoke it for a year for violations, appealable to the Common Council.