Restricted Area Mobile Food Vending Permit

Important: Anyone who wishes to apply for a mobile food vending permit must already have a current Mobile Food Vending license issued by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

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Applicants for a "Restricted Area" Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit must present a valid contract or lease with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation or the owner of the private property where the unit will operate.

New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

Review the application and requirements to apply for a Restricted Area Mobile Food Vending Permit.

Mobile Food Vendor Permit Information

If you intend to manufacture or sell frozen desserts, a separate Application for Permit form must also be completed. This separate permit is NOT for the pushcart or truck; it is for the frozen dessert machine. The annual fee for the "frozen dessert permit" is $25.00.

Permit to Manufacture Frozen Desserts for Retail

Proof of a Certificate of Authority to Collect Sales Tax. The address on the Certificate must match that of the applicant or establishment for which an application is being submitted. The address on the Certificate must match that of the applicant or establishment for which an application is being submitted.

Application for Registration as a Sales Tax Vendor (Certificate of Authority)

A New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) is required to determine that there are no Health Code or New York City Administrative Code violations issued to the applicant and for which outstanding fines are due. If the applicant is a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC), the clearance must reflect the corporate, partnership or LLC name. Payment of any outstanding fines must be made prior to submission of a permit application. Payment of fines can be made only by visiting OATH, located at 66 John Street, 10th floor, New York, New York 10038.

Please Note: Requests for a “Clearance letter” indicating that there are no outstanding fines due for adjudicated violations are no longer issued by the OATH. Instead, OATH staff will provide vendors with either:

(a) a dated form statement indicating a search was made of the vendor’s record and no violations were found, or

(b) an itemized billing statement and an itemized receipt (for payments made) which need to match. Receipts that do not match the billing statements will not be accepted and must be reconciled at OATH. NEITHER DCWP NOR DOHMH CAN RECONCILE ANY DIFFERENCES.

Proof that OATH staff conducted a search for outstanding violations and found none, or the combination of an itemized listing of your violations and a matching itemized receipt must be dated within 30 days of submitting a license or permit renewal application.

The Administrative Code requires that an applicant for a Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit provide, to DOHMH, a list of who will operate the unit. For more information on this, please click the Summary Checklist link, above. The form to complete this list may be found in the Application Forms link above.

Proof of Worker's Compensation and Disability Insurance, including the name of the insurance carrier, the policy number, and the expiration date must be submitted when you apply for a permit and when you renew. Or, if exempt, a copy of Form CE-200 registered with the Worker's Compensation Board with the New York State-assigned Exemption Certificate Number.

The proof of insurance must list the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as the Certificate Holder.

Workers' Compensation Insurance and Disability Benefits Insurance

A Power of Attorney is required if someone other than the business owner will be filing the application. An acceptable version of this form is available at the Application Forms link above. The person submitting the application on the applicant's behalf must also show a form of acceptable photo identification. All required affidavits must be notarized prior to submission. A representative of the applicant may only submit an application for the Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit. If the applicant also needs to submit an application for a new Mobile Food Vending License, then he /she must register for the Food Protection Course for Mobile Food Vendors, at the same time when submitting applications for both the Mobile Food Vending License and Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit in person. Only after the applicant passes the Food Protection Course for Mobile Food Vendors and receives his/her license can he/she schedule an inspection of their mobile food vending unit.

Authority to Act Form

List of Permit Fees.

Restricted Area Permit - Processing (P) for units in which food is prepared or processed on-site

New Application: $200.00

Renewal Application: $200.00

Restriced Area Permit - Non-Processing (NP) for units in which food is pre-packaged or does not involve preparation or processing on-site

New Application: $75.00

Renewal Application: $50.00

There is no permit fee if the applicant presents proof of honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Services in the form of a New York State Peddler's Certificate or Form DD-214 (discharge document) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This benefit is also available to a surviving spouse or domestic partner of a veteran with this proof.

List of accepted payment methods.

• Personal Check (made payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene)
• Certified Check (made payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene)
• Check (Government Check: (made payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene)
• Money Order (made payable to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene)

Beginning one week after the applicant submits the application and is issued a receipt, he/she should call (212) 676-1600 or (646) 632-6203 and ask for the Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation to schedule a pre-permit inspection of their mobile food vending unit.

The New York City Administrative Code requires that all mobile food vending units pass an inspection within six (6) months of the date an application is submitted or the application becomes void. There is no waiver of this time requirement.

IMPORTANT: PERMIT HOLDERS MUST ACCOMPANY THEIR UNITS TO THE PRE-PERMIT INSPECTION - NO EXCEPTIONS.

The applicant may begin vending from the mobile food vending cart/truck immediately after passing an inspection and is issued an inspection decal. The actual permit document will be sent via mail to the applicant's mailing address.

Food cannot be sold from a pushcart, stand, or truck without a valid DOHMH Mobile Unit Permit/Inspection Sticker (decal), even when the operator has a valid Mobile Food Vending License issued by DOHMH.

This permit type will expire up to two years from the end of the month in which the applicant applied or on the expiration date on the contract or lease, whichever comes first.

All New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (Health Department) permits and licenses that have listed expiration dates after March 13, 2020 remain valid because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. All seasonal mobile food vending permits/licenses and seasonal bathing establishments/beaches with listed expiration dates on or after October 31, 2019 also remain valid.

We encourage you to renew your permit or license now.

The Health Department's easy-to-follow compliance guide can help mobile food vendors avoid violations and keep customers safe from foodborne illnesses. Download What Mobile Food Vendors Should Know (PDF). For other languages and Additional Operating Guidance click here.

All mobile food vendors must obey the regulations regarding vending on restricted streets.

RESTRICTIONS TO VENDING ON NYC STREETS (PDF)

Mobile food vending operators must obtain their food from a licensed commissary or other establishment licensed, permitted or regulated by a government agency.

Approximately 3 months before your permit or license expires you will receive a renewal notice in the mail. The notice will provide the expiration date and instructions on how to renew.

This permit does not satisfy the requirements of other City and State Agencies. It is the vendor's responsibility to apply for all other permits, licenses, and authorizations required. Failure to comply with all relevant regulations, including those under the jurisdiction of other Agencies, may result in the suspension of this permit until proof of compliance is provided.

Complete application with supplemental forms must be submitted, in person, at one of the following two locations.

NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)

Citywide Licensing Center

42 Broadway, Lobby

New York, N.Y. 10004

NYC Small Business Support Center

90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor

Jamaica (Queens), N.Y. 11435

All required documentation must be submitted when filing your application. Partial or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Pay the permit fee (if applicable) after the application for the Mobile Food Vending Unit Permit is reviewed and accepted. The DCWP Citywide Licensing Center will issue a receipt. Applicants may NOT operate with the receipt and must wait until their mobile food vending unit (cart or truck) passes an inspection to receive an inspection decal before they may operate.

You must make an appointment ahead of time. To schedule an appointment, either email LicensingAppointments@dca.nyc.gov or call 212-436-0441. A DCWP Licensing Center representative will respond to your request within two business days.

A DCWP Licensing Center representative will call you within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment to conduct a health screening. You must pass this screening to enter the Licensing Center.

You must wear a face covering that covers your nose and mouth at all times while you are in the DCWP Licensing Center.

You must arrive alone for your appointment. Please be prompt and bring with you all needed paperwork. If you arrive late or your application is incomplete, your appointment may need to be rescheduled.

After you submit your renewal documents and payment, you must call (212) 676-1600 to schedule an appointment for your vending unit to be inspected.

Please note: all permit holders must accompany their units to the inspection – they may not send anyone on their behalf.

Please read the Mobile Food Vending packet before submitting your application. This specific package includes:

• a summary of important changes to the renewal process

• the revised renewal application checklist

• DOHMH forms and non-DOHMH Clearance Request forms which were updated with new information.

Mobile Food Vending Permit Renewal Packet

At this time, the only way to renew your Mobile Food Vending License or Permit is by regular mail.

The completed renewal application form*, supporting documentation (copies only), and fee (payable by check or money order only) if required, should be submitted ONLY BY REGULAR MAIL to:

DOHMH ELP

P.O. BOX 22137

New York, NY 10087-2137

*If you have not received your renewal application, you may request a copy of your application via email to MFVLicenseHelp@health.nyc.gov or you can call 311 and request a copy.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you are updating your mailing address with your license/permit renewal application at this time and you also have a MFV license/permit which will have to be renewed at another time, please make sure you write the other record number next to the record number already on the renewal notice. This is so Licensing Center staff will know to update your address for BOTH records.

You can follow up on the status of your application by sending an email to MFVLicenseHelp@health.nyc.gov. Please allow 2 weeks for processing before inquiring.