Temecula, CA Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)
Key Facts
- Food handler course
- certification required in permit application
- County health approval
- Riverside Co. Dept. of Environmental Health
- Cart display
- mobile food facility permit shown in plain view
- First citation, permitted vendor
- up to $100
- First citation, unpermitted vendor
- up to $250
- Permit term
- 12 months, nontransferable
Summary
Anyone applying for an outdoor vending permit to sell food or food products on public property in Temecula must submit certification of completing a food handler course and proof of all required Riverside County Department of Environmental Health approvals under TMC 8.60.030(H).
If an outdoor vendor of food or food products, certification to completion of a food handler course and proof of all required approvals from the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4862229; v11 updated 2026-04-14).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 8.60 (Outdoor Vending on Public Property) requires anyone vending outdoors, food or otherwise, to hold a permit from the director before operating (8.60.020). The application, filed with a nonrefundable council-set processing fee, must include the applicant's identifying information, a business license under Chapter 5.04, a California seller's permit number under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 6067, general liability insurance of at least one million dollars naming the city as an additional insured, a trash plan, cart dimensions and photos, proposed hours, and, specific to food: certification of completing a food handler course plus proof of all required Riverside County Department of Environmental Health approvals (8.60.030(H)).
Beyond the application, operating standards require food vendors to display a valid mobile food facility permit from the county health department in plain view on the cart at all times (8.60.090(H)), and the director may inspect a food cart for fire and safety issues before issuing the permit (8.60.040(C)). The permit is valid for 12 months, must be renewed before expiring, and cannot be transferred (8.60.050, 8.60.080). The director can deny a permit for false information, an incomplete application, an inability to meet the operating standards, or unpaid fines from a prior violation, and can revoke a permit after a fourth violation (8.60.040(A), 8.60.060).
Violations & Fines
A permitted outdoor vendor who violates Chapter 8.60, including the food handler certification requirement, faces an administrative citation under Chapter 1.21 of $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional violation within that year (8.60.100(A)). Vending without a valid permit at all draws a steeper citation of $250, $500, and $1,000 for successive violations within a year (8.60.100(B)), and a fourth violation can trigger permit revocation under 8.60.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Temecula food vendor need a food handler certificate?
What else must a food cart display while operating in Temecula?
What is the penalty for vending food without a permit in Temecula?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Temecula
California rules heatmap·Compare Temecula to another location·View the California public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Food Handler Certification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle food handler certification.