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Loveland, CO Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

License required
Vendor license required under § 12.30.030 before selling
Sidewalk only
Trucks serve from sidewalk only, never the street
School buffer
200-ft buffer required from any K-12 school
Park ban
Banned in or beside city parks
Competitor buffer
100-ft buffer from directly competing businesses
Suspension notice
License suspended on 5 days' written notice

Summary

Loveland requires a vendor's license under Municipal Code § 12.30.030 before any mobile food truck can sell from a public right-of-way. Trucks must serve customers from the sidewalk, stay 200 feet from any K-12 school, and cannot operate in or beside a city park, on a state highway, or within 100 feet of a directly competing business without that business's written approval.

It is unlawful for any person to vend from or upon any public right-of-way without first obtaining a vendors license in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. ... D.Mobile food trucks must serve the public only from the sidewalk and not from the street or adjacent parking spaces.E.Mobile food trucks shall not stop to vend within 200 feet of the property boundary of any kindergarten or primary or secondary school. ... G.No licensee shall operate within a park, on a public street or sidewalk abutting a park, or within any city-owned facility except as a concessionaire pursuant to an agreement with the city.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).

Full Breakdown

070, who weighs congestion impact, proximity to existing street fixtures, and impact on other licensed vendors before approving. 050) must list the truck's plate number and photos of all four sides, proposed hours, and a specific location; mobile food trucks may instead list 'within the City of Loveland' as their location. Block or address assignments are first-come, first-served, with ties broken by lot. G). L). N).

Violations & Fines

Vending without a license is unlawful under § 12.30.030. The city clerk may suspend or revoke a license on five days' written notice for any violation of Chapter 12.30, though the licensee can request a hearing before the clerk within that five-day window to keep the license active pending the outcome, and can appeal an adverse decision to the city manager under § 12.30.130.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to run a food truck in Loveland, Colorado?
Yes. Municipal Code § 12.30.030 makes it unlawful to vend from any street, sidewalk or other public right-of-way in Loveland without a vendor's license from the city clerk. The application must include the truck's license plate number, photos of all four sides, proposed hours, and either a specific block or 'within the City of Loveland' as the operating location.
How close to a school can a food truck park in Loveland?
Not closer than 200 feet from the property boundary of any kindergarten, primary or secondary school, under Municipal Code § 12.30.110.E. Trucks must also serve customers from the sidewalk rather than the street, use flashing lights when stopped in the roadway, and may never stop to vend on a state highway or arterial street.
Can a food truck set up in a Loveland city park?
No. Section 12.30.110.G bars any licensed vendor, including food trucks, from operating within a park, on a public street or sidewalk that borders a park, or at any city-owned facility, unless the vendor is a concessionaire under a separate agreement with the city's parks and recreation department.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Loveland

All Loveland rules

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