Modesto, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)

210 requires anyone operating a mobile food facility, defined as any vehicle, trailer, or non-foundation structure selling food at retail, to get a City permit before vending. The application goes to the Community and Economic Development Department and must include a government ID, seller's permit number, a description of the food and heating equipment, proposed hours and a site plan, and the name of the commissary or permanent food facility the truck uses. Property owner consent is required before the City issues the permit, and a City business license follows afterward.

212(i), the truck may only operate on private property zoned C-1, C-2, C-3, C-M, M-1, or M-2, on a paved or all-weather surface, and outside the public right-of-way; the sidewalk vendor ordinance (Ord. No. ) explicitly does not cover these trucks. 210(e) adds operating conditions: no permanent structures, no signs or banners beyond what is affixed to the vehicle itself, no outdoor music or amplified sound, canopies under 120 square feet that come down each night, and no more than two small tables and ten chairs for dining, also removed daily.

The operator must maintain a written agreement for restrooms within 200 feet of the truck and keep a Stanislaus County Department of Environmental Resources health permit current; losing that county health permit automatically suspends the City permit and can lead to revocation. 301.