Manhattan street vending requires DOHMH food vendor or DCWP general vendor licenses; caps and a lottery system apply under NYC Local Law 18 of 2021.
Street vending in New York County (Manhattan) requires specific licenses. Food vendors need a Mobile Food Vendor license from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) plus a permit for each cart. General merchandise vendors need a General Vendor License from the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP); veterans and disabled veterans have statutory preferences under NY General Business Law §35-a. NYC Local Law 18 of 2021 expanded the supervisory license system, added 445 new food-vending permits per year for 10 years, and created enforcement reforms. Permits are distributed by lottery due to longstanding caps far below demand. Vending is banned on many Midtown streets and within specified distances of building entrances, bus stops, and crosswalks.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how New York County's vendor permits rules stack up against other locations.
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