Shreveport, LA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)

Shreveport's sidewalk vendor's license, created by Ordinance No. 155 of 1998, covers only carts selling goods, merchandise, photographs or portraits on public sidewalks in the B-4 central business district defined in chapter 106. A sidewalk vendor license committee, made up of the Downtown Development Authority's executive director, the Metropolitan Planning Commission's executive director, the police chief, the fire chief, the public works director and the chief building official, sets the rules for cart design, approved merchandise, vendor attire, assigned locations, hours and required unobstructed pedestrian space.

Applicants file an affidavit with the DDA at least ten days before starting, along with a photograph of the goods, Caddo-Shreveport sales tax registration, an occupational license, a certificate of occupancy for the location, insurance, a hold-harmless agreement and a description of the cart. Section 42-314 bars vending within ten feet of intersections, crosswalks, driveways, loading zones, bus stops, building entrances, fire hydrants or disabled parking, within 25 feet of another licensed vendor, or on the grounds of a festival, Riverfront Park or Barnwell Center; at least five feet of unobstructed pedestrian space must remain.

A separate license covers each location, capped at two locations per cart, and a vendor who idles more than 15 of 30 days or misses five scheduled operating days can be revoked.