Salem, OR Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- Pushcart size cap
- 3 ft 6 in wide by 6 ft long (SRC 30.905)
- Sidewalk clearance
- 5 feet minimum (SRC 30.915(b))
- Buffer zones
- 10 ft crosswalk/alley, 8 ft doorway (SRC 30.915(a)(3))
- Unattended cart ban
- Midnight to 6 a.m. (SRC 30.915(e))
- Insurance
- Required before license issues (SRC 30.910)
Summary
Salem street vendors selling from pushcarts must keep carts no larger than three feet six inches by six feet, maintain five feet of sidewalk clearance, and stay clear of crosswalks, alley entrances, doorways, and restaurant fronts. Carts cannot sit unattended on a sidewalk between midnight and 6 a.m., and licenses require public liability insurance.
A street vendor's pushcart or other conveyance shall be structurally and mechanically sound and its design shall not create a hazard to the public. No pushcart or similar conveyance shall be no larger than three feet six inches in width and six feet in length. ... [SRC 30.915(a)(3)] no street vendor ... shall ... [b]e allowed to occupy any area within ten feet from the inside crosswalk mark at the corner of each block, ten feet from the entrance to an alleyway, eight feet from the entrance to any building doorway, or in front of any restaurant that fronts on the street or alleyway.(b)Pushcarts or other conveyances used shall be located upon the public sidewalk and shall maintain a minimum sidewalk clearance of five feet at all times.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
905 caps the size of a street vendor's pushcart or similar conveyance at three feet six inches in width and six feet in length, and requires the cart to be structurally and mechanically sound so its design does not create a public hazard. 915(a) then restricts where a vendor may set up: no vendor gets an exclusive right to any sidewalk location or a permanent stationary spot, and none may occupy space within ten feet of the inside crosswalk mark at a corner, ten feet of an alleyway entrance, eight feet of a building doorway, or in front of any restaurant fronting the street or alley.
915(b) requires the cart to stay on the public sidewalk with a minimum five-foot clearance maintained at all times so pedestrians can pass. 915(d) bars loud or unreasonable noise used to advertise or attract attention. 915(e). 300), naming the City as an additional insured with 30 days' notice before cancellation. 930 further requires all state and county health and sanitary licenses before a vendor can operate.
Violations & Fines
Occupying a restricted zone near a crosswalk, alley, doorway, or restaurant, leaving a cart unattended overnight, or failing to maintain sidewalk clearance violates SRC 30.915. Operating without the state or county health license required by SRC 30.930 is an infraction, as is soliciting a fee from a vendor for a sidewalk spot under SRC 30.935.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a Salem street vendor's cart be?
How close to a corner or doorway can a Salem vendor set up?
Does a Salem sidewalk vendor need insurance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salem
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