Street vending cart rules in San Jose, CA — also called pushcart, food cart, or sidewalk vendor regulations — set where mobile vendors can operate and what permits they need.
Street vending carts in San Jose must be non-motorized conveyances per SB 946 definitions. Food carts must comply with Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health requirements including proper food handling, temperature maintenance, and handwashing facilities. Carts must display valid permits and may not be stored on public property overnight.
Under SJMC Chapter 6.54 and SB 946, sidewalk vendors in San Jose must use non-motorized conveyances: pushcarts, stands, displays, pedal-driven carts, wagons, showcases, racks, or other non-motorized equipment. Motorized food trucks are regulated separately under different permitting. Food vending carts must meet Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) requirements, including: approved food-contact surfaces, overhead protection, handwashing station with potable water, proper food temperature maintenance (hot foods above 135F, cold foods below 41F), waste receptacles with lids, and a visible health permit. The DEH conducts inspections of mobile food facilities. Propane and open-flame cooking equipment must comply with San Jose Fire Department regulations. Carts must display the vendor's permit number visibly. Equipment may not be left on public sidewalks or in parks overnight — all vending setups must be removed at the end of each operating day. Cart dimensions must not exceed what allows maintenance of required pedestrian clearance on the sidewalk.
Health code violations: Santa Clara County DEH enforcement, potential closure. Overnight storage on public property: impoundment. Missing permit display: administrative citation. Fire code violations on cooking equipment: SJFD enforcement.
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