Washington County, OR Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)

090 makes it an offense to park or leave standing a vehicle on the right-of-way of any public road in the unincorporated county for more than 24 hours for the purpose of advertising, selling or offering merchandise, including food, unless the operator has written permission from the county's Department of Land Use and Transportation. Independent of the 24-hour clock, the vehicle can never be left in the right-of-way if it impedes pedestrian or vehicular traffic or creates a safety hazard; that prong applies immediately, with no grace period.

The registered owner is presumed to be the person who parked the vehicle, and the burden falls on the owner to prove otherwise, though a deputy with probable cause may cite a different operator directly. A first violation is punishable by a fine of up to $250, rising to $500 for anyone with a prior conviction under this section within the past year, and each day the vehicle remains is charged as a separate offense, meaning a truck left in place for a week can draw a new citation daily.

If the vehicle isn't removed within 72 hours of a citation, the county may have it towed using the same procedures state law provides for illegally parked vehicles. Vendors parked immediately adjacent to their own residence or principal place of employment have an affirmative defense against the 24-hour/permission violation, but that defense does not excuse creating a traffic hazard or impeding traffic flow.