You must have a Seasonal (Temporary) Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit to prepare and sell food from a pushcart or truck on a seasonal basis. This permit allows vendors to operate April 1 through October 31.

To apply for a permit, you must first apply to get on a waiting list. This waiting list is currently closed. If you are currently on a waiting list, you will be offered a permit as it becomes available.

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

A new local law changes how mobile food vendors can get a new Year-Round Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit. Vendors will need a new type of license called a supervisory license.

Supervisory License

The NYC Health Department will offer 445 supervisory license applications each year for 10 years beginning in July 2022. 

The citywide and non-Manhattan supervisory license waiting lists will open in November 2022.

Vendors eligible to join these waiting lists include:

• Vendors who were on a full-term citywide or borough-specific permit waiting list
• Vendors who continuously held a mobile food vending license from March 1, 2017 through February 28, 2021

Learn about supervisory licenses, including eligibility requirements.

You can download or request a permit application. It includes forms and information about requirements.

Online

Visit the Department of Health's permits and licenses page.

By Mail

To apply in person, you have to bring your completed application to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Licensing Center or the NYC Small Business Support Center. Appointments are required.

• DCWP Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon - Thu: 8 AM - 4 PM; last appointment at 3:30 PM
   
• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon - Thu: 8 AM - 4 PM; last appointment at 3:30 PM

Email or call DCWP to schedule an appointment.

By Email

Email LicensingAppointments@dcwp.nyc.gov.

By Phone

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

You can schedule an appointment to drop off your completed application and any required documents at the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Licensing Center or the NYC Small Business Support Center.

• DCWP Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon - Thu: 8 AM - 4 PM; last appointment at 3:30 PM
   
• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon - Thu: 8 AM - 4 PM; last appointment at 3:30 PM

Email or call DCWP to schedule an appointment.

By Email

Email LicensingAppointments@dcwp.nyc.gov.

By Phone

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 permit-specific questions and information about application requirements.

You can schedule a pre-permit inspection by phone.

A new local law changes how mobile food vendors can get a new full-term (year-round) mobile food vending permit. To get a new, full-term mobile food vending permit, you will need a new type of license called a supervisory license.

The NYC Health Department has established a waiting list for the supervisory license. It's currently closed to new applicants.

The waiting list for supervisory licenses for veterans and people with disabilities opened on February 22, 2023.

Learn about supervisory licenses, permits, and waiting lists.