Mobile Food


License Overview 

A City of Chicago Mobile Food License is required to sell food from a vehicle or cart. Food may not be prepared on or in any mobile food cart. Food prepared outside a licensed food establishment may only be prepared on a food truck with a Mobile Preparer License.   

License Overview Mobile Food Operational Requirements

  • Food preparation or storage at home is not allowed. All food sold from a mobile food vehicle or cart and all food prepared on a food truck must have been previously prepared or stored in a licensed brick and mortar food establishment such as a commissary kitchen.
  • Food preparation on the street or sidewalk is not allowed, including on or in any mobile food cart.
  • All Mobile Food licensees must also hold a Shared Kitchen User license in order to service the mobile food vehicle or cart at a licensed commissary kitchen, where food preparation and storage may also occur.

Food sold from a food truck can be either prepared in the truck, or pre-prepared in a licensed food establishment and sold from the truck in totally enclosed portions. The preparation and sale of food from a food truck requires a Mobile Preparer license. The sale of individual, pre-prepared and totally enclosed portions of food from a food truck requires a Mobile Food Dispenser license. Both license types require the operator to also obtain a Shared Kitchen User license in order to service the truck at a licensed commissary kitchen.

Sale of portions of food, coffee, or other beverages that are totally enclosed in a wrapper or container and which have been prepared or wrapped in a licensed food establishment requires a Mobile Prepared Food Vendor license. Depending on the exact nature of the business, other license types may be required. This license requires the operator to also obtain a Shared Kitchen User license in order to service the food cart at a licensed commissary kitchen.


Related Licenses

  • All Mobile Food licensees must also obtain a Shared Kitchen User license in order to service the food truck or cart at a licensed commissary kitchen.
  • Sale of individual portions of ice cream and other frozen desserts from two or three-wheeled vehicles requires a Mobile Frozen Desserts Vendor license.
  • Mobile sale of liquor is not permitted. A Liquor License is required to serve liquor at a brick and mortar establishment.