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Food Cart Vendor License

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To sell food or drinks from a pushcart or truck, you need both a Mobile Food Vending Permit and a Mobile Food Vending License.

To apply for a license, you must attend and pass a Mobile Food Vendor Food Protection Course. You must have a license before you apply for a permit.

Fee

The license fee is $50. United States veterans are exempt from the fee.

The cost of the course is $53. Applicants apply for the license and register for the class at the same time.

Expiration Date

The license expires every 2 years on staggered dates.

Local Law 18 of 2021 changed how mobile food vendors can get a new full-term (year-round) citywide or non-Manhattan mobile food vending permit. A supervisory license is now required to apply for these permits.

Local Law 18 of 2021 and Local Laws 54 and 59 of 2026 increase the mobile food vending cap over time by increasing the number of supervisory licenses: 

  • From Fiscal Year 2023-2026, Local Law 18 of 2021 increased the cap each year by 445:  
    • 100 citywide supervisory licenses  
    • 300 for non-Manhattan supervisory licenses  
    • 45 citywide supervisory licenses for disabled people and U.S. veterans  
  • From Fiscal Year 2027-2031, Local Laws 54 and 59 of 2026 will increase the cap each year by 2,200:  
    • 500 citywide supervisory licenses
    • 1,500 non-Manhattan supervisory licenses
    • 200 citywide supervisory licenses for disabled people and U.S. veterans

For the latest information on open waiting lists and applications, visit the NYC Health Department's permits and licenses page.

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

Online

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

By Mail

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) to request a copy.

New applicants can submit an application by mail or in person.

By Mail

DCWP Licensing Center
42 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

In Person

You can schedule an appointment at:

DCWP Licensing Center
42 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
Mon - Thu: 8 AM - 4 PM; last appointment at 3:30 PM

Schedule by Email

LicensingAppointments@dcwp.nyc.gov

Schedule by Phone

  • Agency: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
  • Division: Licensing Appointment Line
  • Phone Number: (212) 436-0441
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 4 PM

You can get information on renewing your license online through the NYC Health Department's website. 

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

Licensed mobile food vendors must take an online refresher course in food protection and safe operating practices and pass a final exam every four years to maintain their license. 

The course takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and is free. Registration is required. 

Take the Mobile Food Vending Refresher Course.

You can check the status of your application by phone.

  • Agency: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
  • Division: Licensing Center
  • Phone Number: (212) 487-4104
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 4 PM

Visit the following pages for help with:

If you have permit-specific questions or concerns, you can get help by phone.

  • Agency: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
  • Division: Licensing Center
  • Phone Number: (212) 487-4104
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 4 PM

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