Sanford, FL Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)

The City of Sanford's mobile food vendor standard for issuance limits where a licensed unit can set up. On private property, a vendor may only operate with the owner's written permission and only on a developed site zoned commercial, industrial, or a non-residential planned development, and that site must sit at least 100 feet from any residential use or residentially zoned property, measured from the closest point of the vendor's vehicle to the residential property line. Operating on public ways instead requires separate city approval, and a license never entitles a vendor to claim any specific street or sidewalk location exclusively.

The ordinance then flatly bars vending at several named downtown locations regardless of zoning: within 250 feet of First Street and Second Street between French Avenue and Sanford Avenue, and within 250 feet of Sanford Avenue between Commercial Street and Thirteenth Street. Beyond those named blocks, a vendor may not set up within 250 feet of any other mobile food vendor unless the city specifically permits it, measured truck-to-truck, and may not set up within 500 feet of any licensed restaurant in a permanent structure while that restaurant is open, measured to the restaurant's closest building corner.

All mobile food units must also be registered as state law requires and cannot operate, move, park, stop or stand on a public way unless properly equipped under state law.