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What Permits Does a Food Truck Need in Florida?

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What a Florida food truck most likely needs

A mobile food truck in Florida usually needs a state food-service license, a business registration, a local business tax receipt from the county and often the city, and — if you sell taxable items — a sales tax account. This page lays out what those are and the order that tends to save a second trip. It is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm every item with the issuing office before you spend money or sign a lease.

State license: DBPR Hotels & Restaurants

• A food truck is generally licensed by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
• Most mobile vendors also need a commissary agreement — an arrangement with a licensed commercial kitchen — in most cases.
• If you cook on board, expect a fire-suppression inspection for the truck's cooking equipment.
• This is different from a retail food store or a farmers' market stall, which fall under the Florida Dept. of Agriculture (FDACS), not DBPR. Confirm which category applies to you with the agency.

Registering the business itself

• Register your entity or fictitious name (DBA) with Sunbiz, Florida's Division of Corporations, as required under Fla. Stat. 865.09 for a DBA.
• Get an EIN from the IRS if you have employees or you formed an LLC or corporation.
• If you sell taxable goods, you generally need a Florida sales and use tax account with the Department of Revenue. Confirm with the department whether your specific sales are taxable.
• If you have employees, workers' compensation coverage rules under Fla. Stat. ch. 440 generally apply starting at four employees for a business like a food truck (construction trades have a lower threshold). Confirm the exact rule with the state.

County and city: business tax receipt, zoning, fees

• Most counties and cities require a local business tax receipt before you operate, under Fla. Stat. ch. 205. Expect to need one from the county and, often, a separate one from the city.
• Zoning and where you're allowed to park and sell still apply on top of the state license — confirm with your city or county planning office.
• Fees for these local receipts are set by the county or city, not by the state — see the link above and confirm the amount with your local tax collector's office.

Order that saves you a second trip

1. Register the entity or DBA with Sunbiz.
2. Get an EIN.
3. Apply for the DBPR food-service license and, most likely, the commissary agreement.
4. Check zoning rules for where you'll park and sell.
5. Get the county business tax receipt.
6. Get the city business tax receipt, if the city requires one.
7. Register for sales tax with the Department of Revenue, if applicable.
8. Pass the fire-suppression and health inspections.
9. Arrange insurance and, if you have employees, workers' compensation coverage.

Local rules differ by county and city, so this order is a general guide, not a guarantee. The Florida SBDC offers free one-on-one help working through it for your specific truck and location.

What to do next

The free tool asks what you're opening, where, and how — for example, a food truck versus a storefront or a home kitchen — and returns the permits that most likely apply, who issues each one, and the order to do them in. Nothing you enter is stored. It can be wrong, and it is not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm every item with the issuing office or the Florida SBDC before you spend money or sign a lease.

Local Permit Finder gives general guidance about Florida business licensing in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal, tax or financial advice. Requirements differ by county and city — confirm with the issuing office, the Florida SBDC, or a Florida business attorney. Nothing you paste is stored.