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

Chapter 12.42 (Mobile Food and Ice Cream Vending Vehicles) starts from a ban. A mobile food vendor, vending vehicle or ice cream truck cannot remain or park on public property or a public roadway unless the chapter expressly permits it (§ 12.42.040). Section 12.42.050 then limits vending to the commercial and industrial zones in the City of Paramount and to the location authorized in an approved mobile food vendor permit, with vending allowed only between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Overnight parking on a public roadway is prohibited.

Public roadway standards (§ 12.42.080). A vehicle can stay for a period not to exceed five hours on any one street block and cannot be within 500 feet of licensed restaurant establishments, including cafes and tea shops, schools, public park concession stands or approved City-sponsored special events. It cannot operate within 100 feet of a street intersection controlled by a crosswalk, traffic light or stop sign, or within 100 feet of a bus stop. A minimum of 100 feet is required between a mobile food vendor and another licensed mobile food vendor, and between a mobile food vendor and a licensed sidewalk vendor. Street sweeping hours and residential permit parking districts apply, vending is prohibited on the traffic side of the vehicle, and tables and chairs cannot be set up outside it.

Private property (§ 12.42.090). Written authorization from the property owner is required, the stay is limited to six hours at any location within a single private property, and the vehicle must stay 100 feet from schools, public park concession stands and approved City-sponsored events. Vending hours there run from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the vehicle cannot park within required property setbacks or driveway areas, and vacant lots and undeveloped parcels are off limits other than under a special event permit.

Ice cream trucks (§ 12.42.110) are limited to public roadways in residential zones with speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less, or City-sponsored event areas with written City authorization. They get one and one-half hours on any one residential block, cannot sell within 75 feet of an intersection or within 200 feet of another ice cream truck, and sell only from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or one-half hour after sunset, whichever occurs first.