Thousand Oaks, CA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 500 feet from the school property line
- Restricted hours
- 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on school days
- Exception
- Written approval from the City Engineer, if no safety/traffic hazard
Summary
Thousand Oaks bars mobile food and merchandise vendors from stopping or parking within 500 feet of any public school between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on school days, unless the City Engineer signs off in advance. The rule targets vendor trucks and carts selling food or other commodities near schools during the hours students are present.
Prohibited during certain hours. No person operating or controlling a vehicle designed for, or intended to be a vehicle for, the selling of any merchandise consisting of food or other commodity may stop or park within five hundred (500) feet of the property line of any public school between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the days the public school is in session, unless approved by the City Engineer. A written request shall be evaluated by the City Engineer or designee and only approved if determined that no hazard to persons or property or interference with traffic will result. (§§ 1 through 4, Ord. 123, as amended by § 3, Ord. 1188-NS, eff. October 12, 1993, as amended by part 3, Ord. 1656-NS, eff. January 1, 2019)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-78: 2026 S-78 Supplement contains: Current city legislation passed through March 31, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The 500-foot buffer and 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. window only apply on days the school is actually in session, vendors are free to operate near the same school on weekends, holidays, and after hours. A vendor can still get City Engineer approval to operate closer to a school during restricted hours by submitting a written request, which is only granted if the Engineer determines the operation won't create a safety hazard or interfere with traffic.
Violations & Fines
Stopping or parking a food/merchandise vending vehicle within 500 feet of a public school during school hours without City Engineer approval violates § 4-3.415.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an ice cream truck park near a Thousand Oaks school at lunchtime?
Does the near-school vending rule apply on weekends?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thousand Oaks
California rules heatmap·Compare Thousand Oaks to another location·View the California food trucks & mobile vendors overview
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