Richmond, VA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)

Section 6-481 makes it unlawful to sell or offer food, beverage or merchandise on any Central Business District sidewalk without the Division 2 permit. Section 6-482 opens that permit only to someone who already holds a valid City peddler or itinerant merchant license, runs for up to one year and always expires December 31, and ties each permit to one specific location; the Department of Finance investigates every application against the section's siting criteria. A location fails if it's within 100 feet of a school, on a sidewalk under ten feet wide, more than five feet or less than one foot from the curb, within 15 feet of a building entrance or exit, or within 50 feet of a hospital emergency room entrance, within five feet of a driveway, alley or crosswalk, inside a loading zone, within ten feet of a hydrant or five feet of a fire escape, within 25 feet of another permitted location, or on a block face that already has three vending permits, though the Coliseum and Festival Park area can carry more.

00 to replace a lost or stolen vending tin. Section 6-484 dictates the physical setup, a 2½-by-6-foot table with an Urban Design Committee-approved drape, and any umbrella or canopy from an approved supplier. 00 insurance, business license, health permit, photo ID and TIN display requirements as elsewhere.