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

A street vending permit from the city manager is required under Sec. 2 before anyone sells food or drinks from a non-self-propelled cart in a Roanoke right-of-way or on city property such as a park or greenway. The permit is not needed for vending in a designated public market space, for vending tied to an already-permitted special event, or for vending entirely on private property. Applicants file a vending site plan showing dimensions, distances to fixed landmarks, adjacent street or park names, and sidewalk width, plus a photo of the cart.

Permits run one to twelve months and carry an application and permit fee set in the city's fee compendium. Vendors must indemnify the city, carry at least $1,000,000 in general liability insurance naming the city as an additional insured, and hold both a Virginia Department of Health permit and a city itinerant merchant license for the life of the vending permit. The city manager notifies owners of property within 50 feet of a proposed site by mail. Site rules under subsection (13) confine vending to the commercial-general, commercial-neighborhood, recreation and open space, and institutional planned unit development zoning districts; require the site sit at least 100 feet from the entrance of any eating establishment that is the sole principal use on its lot; keep carts out of on-street parking spaces; and bar blocking a cellar door, manhole, hydrant, or standpipe connection.

Vending is suspended in any area covered by a valid special event assembly permit, even one issued after the vending permit, and the city manager must give the permit holder five calendar days' notice of the conflicting event.