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What is a mobile food business?
Mobile food businesses include food carts, trailers, and trucks as well as food kiosks. Mobile food business owners must submit plans for review before construction, remodeling, or changing ownership takes place.
How to get a new mobile food business permit
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Mobile food service plan guide
Review the Mobile Food Unit Plan Review and Permitting Guide (1.3 MB). This guide is for businesses that serve food from food vehicles, espresso carts, and kiosks*. It includes a checklist of items you will need to include in your final mobile food service plans. The checklist will make sure you cover every area of your mobile food business.
*Kiosks without permanent plumbing may require a variance. Please contact us at 206-263-7833 or ehfoodandfacilitiesplan@kingcounty.gov for more information.
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Mobile plan review application
Once you complete your final business plans, you will need to submit them for review along with the Plan Review Application. The preferred and most efficient way to submit your plans and application is online.
View instructions for submitting a mobile food plan review application online.
The following 4 documents will need to be printed, filled out, and uploaded to your online application.
- Use of Commissary Agreement (247 KB)
- Use of Restroom Agreement (350 KB)
- Mobile Food Unit Contact Information for Route or Site Location (122 KB)
- Mobile Questionnaire - Operational Procedures (276 KB)
If you can’t submit online, please complete and mail in the above 4 documents, and the 2 documents below to:
Environmental Health Food Protection Program
- For Seattle/western King County, address: 401 5th Avenue, Suite 1100, Seattle, WA 98104
- For Bellevue/eastern King County, address: 14350 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98007
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Pay your operating permit fee
Once you receive approval by a Plans Examiner, we will email an approval letter to you. The letter will state which permit you need to pay and instructions on how to make the payment. Pay the permit fee at least 10 business days before scheduling the Pre-operational inspection.
- Application to operate a mobile food unit/commissary (260 KB)
This is the permit that allows you to operate and open your business to the public.
Contact the Plan Reviewer at 206-263-9566 or ehfoodandfacilitiesplan@kingcounty.gov for current fee information and how to pay the permit fee.
- Application to operate a mobile food unit/commissary (260 KB)
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Schedule a Pre-operational inspection
Contact the plan reviewer to schedule a Pre-operational inspection at least 1 week in advance before your food business will open. Refer to the Pre-operational inspection checklist for details.
Download the Pre-operational inspection checklist (56 KB)
The food establishment operating permit will be approved and issued after a successful completion of a Pre-operational inspection.
A Pre-operational inspection is required before starting operations. Opening without completing a Pre-operational inspection may result in closure of the business and fees, including 50% of the annual permit fee.
How to renew an existing mobile food business permit
If you are renewing an existing food business permit (with no changes to ownership, facility, or menu) you can use the online services portal.
How to change ownership
You are strongly encouraged to contact the Food Plans Examiner before a change of ownership.
Contact: 206-263-7833 or ehfoodandfacilitiesplan@kingcounty.gov
When changing ownership of an existing mobile food business, the original owner does not receive any refund of paid permit fees. New owners must submit menu, operational plans, use of commissary form, use of restroom agreement. and apply for a permit to operate.
These applications can only be mailed in, not submitted online. Please complete the application for change of ownership permit (466 KB) and mail it in with payment. Make checks payable to SKCDPH.
Mail to:
Public Health – Seattle & King County
Environmental Health
401 5th Avenue, Suite 1100
Seattle, WA 98104
Employee requirements
- Food Worker Card
All employees of a food business must get a Washington State Food Worker Card. You can take the class and test online or go to any of our in-person classes. - Meat cutter license
If you cut fresh beef, veal, lamb and/or pork, you will need to pass an exam to get a meat cutter license along with the food worker card exam. - MAST / alcohol server permits, Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
Anyone who serves, mixes, sells, or supervises the sale of alcohol at a business with a liquor license must take the Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST).
Resources
- Cook Chill - Reduced Oxygen Packaging application checklist
- Dried Fermented - Cured Meats application checklist
- Smoking for Preservation - Cured Meats application checklist
- Sous Vide - Reduced Oxygen Packaging application checklist
- Vacuum Packaging - Reduced Oxygen Packaging application checklist
- Important agency contacts
- King County Board of Health food codes
- Request for variance from the food code
- Risk levels and permit classifications
- Risk-based inspection program
- Washington State Retail Food Code