Sterling Heights, MI Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Hours
- Until 8 p.m. (9 p.m. Jun-Aug)
- School buffer
- 250 feet, during school hours
- Covers
- Ice cream trucks, hot dog carts, similar
- Also requires
- Valid license, proper lighting
Summary
Sterling Heights limits mobile food vending units to daytime hours, 8 p.m., or 9 p.m. in summer, and bars them from operating within 250 feet of an elementary school during school hours.
22-43. NIGHT OPERATION. Vending units shall not be operated later than 8:00 p.m., except during the months of June, July, and August when the hours of operation shall be allowed until 9:00 p.m. ... 22-44. OPERATION NEAR SCHOOLS. No vending unit shall be operated within 250 feet of an elementary school during school hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 22-43 caps mobile vending unit hours at 8:00 p.m., extended to 9:00 p.m. during June, July, and August. Section 22-44 separately bars any vending unit from operating within 250 feet of an elementary school during school hours. Both provisions sit in Chapter 22, Article III, which covers mobile units selling ice cream, hot dogs, and similar foodstuffs from a motor vehicle, moped, cycle, or trailer; a unit must also carry proper equipment lighting under § 22-45, referencing the Chapter 49 vehicle code, and remains subject to the licensing rules in §§ 22-39-22-42.
Violations & Fines
Operating outside permitted hours or within 250 feet of an elementary school during school hours violates Chapter 22, enforced under the Code's general penalty (§ 1-9): up to a $500 fine and 90 days imprisonment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How late can a food truck operate in Sterling Heights?
Can a food cart set up near an elementary school?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
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