Food Permits and Inspections

The first step in starting a food vending business is getting a food permit. A food vendor 
needs licensing before being able to legally sell any food. Not only that, but all fairs and 
 exhibitions will require you to have a Food Vendor Permit from the state or country of your 
 residence. No portable food vendor is permitted to sell or offer for sale any food or beverage 
of any kind on any street, sidewalk or parkway or in any area held open to the general 
public without first having the required license in hand. 


Your permit should be obtained from your state or country’s Health department, where 
you'll have to first fill out an application form. There will be a full inspection of your cart or  vehicle after you've submitted your application for a permit. 


Health and Agriculture Department Listings

Contact your local health department and your State Department of Agriculture.

Alabama

http://www.agi.alabama.gov
www.adph.org


Alaska

http://www.hss.state.ak.us/
www.hss.state.ak.us


Arizona

http://www.azda.gov
www.azdhs.gov


California

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/
www.dhs.ca.gov


Colorado

http://www.ag.state.co.us
www.cdphe.state.co.us


Connecticut

www.umass.edu/nefe/regulatory_requirements/index.html
www.dph.state.ct.us


Delaware

www.state.de.us/deptagri/foodprod/index
www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss


Florida

www.doacs.state.fl.us/fs/other.html
www.stateofflorida.com/agriculture.html
www.doh.state.fl.us


Georgia

agr.georgia.gov
http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/
www.health.state.ga.us


Hawaii

www.hawaiiag.org/foodsafe/foodsaf.htm
www.hawaii.gov/health


Idaho

http://www.agri.state.id.us/
www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov


Illinois

www.agr.state.il.us
www.idph.state.il.us


Indiana

www.in.gov/isda
www.in.gov/isdh


Iowa

www.iowafoodpolicy.org/qanda.htm
www.idph.state.ia.us


Kansas

www.ksda.gov
www.kdheks.gov


Kentucky

www.kyagr.com
www.uky.edu/Ag/FoodScience/links.html
www.chfs.ky.gov/dph


Louisiana

http://www.state.la.us
www.dhh.state.la.us


Massachusetts

www.mass.gov/agr
www.mass.gov/dph


Maine

www.maine.gov/agriculture
www.maine.gov/dhhs/


Maryland

http://www.mda.state.md.us/
www.dhmh.state.md.us/


Michigan

www.michigan.gov/mda
www.michigan.gov/mdch


Minnesota

www.mda.state.mn.us/
www.health.state.mn.us


Mississippi

www.mdac.state.ms.us
www.msdh.state.ms.us


Missouri

www.mda.mo.gov/
www.dhss.mo.gov


Montana

www.agr.state.mt.us
www.maic.montana.edu/resources.asp
www.dphhs.mt.gov


Nebraska

www.agr.state.ne.us
www.hhs.state.ne.us


Nevada

www.agri.state.nv.us/
www.health2k.state.nv.us
www.hr.state.nv.us/


New Hampshire

www.agriculture.nh.gov/rules/index.htm
www.dhhs.state.nh.us/


New Jersey

www.nj.gov/agriculture
www.state.nj.us/health


New Mexico

www.statefoodpolicy.org
www.health.state.nm.us


New York

www.agmkt.state.ny.us/FS/FSHome.html
www.health.state.ny.us


North Carolina

www.agr.state.nc.us/fooddrug/fdrprog.htm
www.dhhs.state.nc.us


North Dakota

www.agdepartment.com/Laws/Laws-ND%20Dept%20of%20Agriculture.html
www.health.state.nd.us


Ohio

www.ohioagriculture.gov
www.odh.state.oh.us


Oklahoma

www.state.ok.us/~okag/ais-formshome.htm
www.health.state.ok.us/


Oregon

www.oregon.gov/ODA/
www.ohd.hr.state.or.us


Pennsylvania

www.pfma.org/
www.agriculture.state.pa.us
www.health.state.pa.us


Rhode Island

http://www.dem.ri.gov/topics/agricult.htm
www.health.state.ri.us/


South Carolina

www.scda.state.sc.us
www.scdhec.net/
www.dhhs.state.sc.us


South Dakota

www.state.sd.us/DOA/
www.legis.state.sd.us/rules/RulesList.aspx
www.state.sd.us/DOH/


Tennessee

www.state.tn.us/agriculture/regulate/food/index.html
www.state.tn.us/health/


Texas

www.agr.state.tx.us
www.tdh.state.tx.us/
www.tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/ag.toc.htm


Utah

www.ag.state.ut.us/regsvcs/food_compliance.html
www.health.utah.gov/


Vermont

www.vermontagriculture.com/regulations.htm
www.healthvermont.gov/


Virginia

www.vdacs.virginia.gov
www.vdh.state.va.us


Washington

www.agr.wa.gov/
www.doh.wa.gov


West Virginia

www.wvagriculture.org
www.wvdhhr.org/


Wisconsin

www.datcp.state.wi.us/
www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/


Wyoming

www.wyagric.state.wy.us
www.wdhfs.state.wy.us