You must have a Mobile Food Vending Permit and a Mobile Food Vending License to sell food from a pushcart or truck. The license is required before applying for the permit.

You must have a Seasonal Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit to prepare and sell food from a pushcart or truck on a seasonal basis. Seasonal food vendor permits allow vendors to operate April 1 through October 31.

The NYC Health Department is releasing Seasonal mobile food vending permits.

To apply for a Seasonal mobile food vending permit, you must first apply to get on a waiting list. This waiting list application period will be open from February 7, 2022 through April 30, 2022. Applications to be added to the waiting list must be submitted by email or by mail and postmarked by April 30, 2022.

Instructions and an application for the waiting list can downloaded at nyc.gov/health/mobilefood or you may request an application be mailed to you.

You must have a Year-Round Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit to prepare and sell food from a pushcart or truck year-round.

Under a new Local Law enacted in 2021, the NYC Health Department will issue an additional 445 mobile food vending permits each year for 10 years beginning in July 2022. People who are already on a mobile food vending waiting list and have held a mobile food vending license since March 1, 2017 will be eligible first. More information will be available in the Spring of 2022.

You can request a license application, which includes forms and information about requirements.

Online

Visit the NYC Business mobile food vending license page.

By Mail

You will have to complete an application and bring it to the Department of Consumer Affairs Licensing Center or the NYC Small Business Support Center.

• DCA Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Wed: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The centers are closed on major holidays. If you need to take an exam, you should arrive before 3 PM.

Several weeks before your permit expires, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will mail you a renewal package.

You can drop off your completed application and any required documents at the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Licensing Center or the NYC Small Business Support Center.

• DCA Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Wed: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
   
• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The centers are closed on major holidays. If you need to take an exam, you should arrive before 3 PM.

You can get the status of your application.

If you’re using the NYC Health Department online license and permit system, you can get help with:

• Renewing your permit
• Payment problems
• Obtaining a PIN
• Linking or relinking a PIN
• Resetting user names or passwords
• Problems uploading documents
• Error messages
• Web page not loading
• Button not responding

Online

Submit a help request online.

By Phone

You can get answers to license-specific questions and information about application requirements.

You can schedule a pre-permit inspection by phone.

Under a new Local Law enacted this year, the NYC Health Department will issue an additional 445 mobile food vending permits each year for 10 years beginning in July 2022. People who are already on a mobile food vending waiting list and have held a mobile food vending license since March 1, 2017 will be eligible first.

The public is invited to provide comments on the proposed changes to the waiting list. Comments can be provided online, by mail or at a public meeting on September 27, 2021.

Submit comments.

Learn more about the public hearing and the opportunity to comment.