Jackson County, GA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- School separation
- 750 feet while in session
- Residential separation
- 150 feet
- Restaurant separation
- 150 feet, waivable by owner
- Operating hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Overnight parking in vending spot
- Not allowed
Summary
Food trucks in unincorporated Jackson County can't set up within 750 feet of an operating school, within 150 feet of a house on a single or two-family lot, or within 150 feet of a restaurant entrance unless that restaurant's owner waives it. They also can't run between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or sit parked overnight in a vending spot.
(e)Separation distances specified. No food truck shall operate (as measured in a straight line from property line to closest point of the approved food truck location, where distances are specified) within: 750 feet of a public or private elementary, junior or high school while school is in session; nor within 150 feet of a property with a single or two-family residential dwelling; nor within 150 feet of a restaurant entrance, unless a waiver is granted by the owner of property on which the restaurant is located.(f)Hours of operation. Food trucks and mobile food vendors shall not operate between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Food trucks shall not be parked in an approved operating location overnight.
Full Breakdown
Section 3-056(e) of the Unified Development Code fixes separation distances for food trucks and mobile food vendors, measured in a straight line from the property line to the closest point of the approved vending location: 750 feet from a public or private elementary, junior or high school while school is in session; 150 feet from any property holding a single or two-family residential dwelling; and 150 feet from a restaurant's entrance, unless the property owner of that restaurant grants a waiver. , and trucks cannot be left parked overnight in an approved operating spot even when not serving.
Subsection (g) layers on operational limits that affect where and how a truck can function: no vehicular drive-through or drive-up window is allowed, and no amplified microphones or bullhorns can be used as part of the operation. Every one of these siting and timing rules sits on top of the separate health department permit and property owner sign-off required under subsections (c) and (d), so a location that clears the distance and hours test still needs those approvals before the truck can legally set up there.
Violations & Fines
A truck operating inside a restricted distance, outside permitted hours, or with a prohibited drive-through or amplified sound system violates section 3-056 and is enforced as any UDC violation under article 22: notice of violation, possible stop-work or cease-and-desist order, misdemeanor exposure under section 2230, and a civil penalty of $300 to $2,500 per day under section 2232 for each day the violation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close can a food truck park to a house?
Can a food truck operate near a restaurant?
What hours can food trucks operate in unincorporated Jackson County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson County
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