Aurora, IL — Food Truck permit
Aurora licenses food trucks under Chapter 25, Article XII of its city code, and the licence you can get depends on where your business is based. The annual licence ($500 bond) is only for Aurora-based businesses; everyone else uses the $40 event licence, which covers up to two consecutive days. No licence is issued within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant, measured property line to property line, unless a hearing officer grants a distance reduction. Trucks can't operate on gas-station lots or vacant property without the city's approval. You also need an Aurora Fire Prevention Bureau inspection and a health certificate from each county you operate in: Kane, DuPage, Will or Kendall.
In Aurora, IL, operating a food truck requires 6 permits or licenses. The City of Aurora Mobile Food Unit — Annual License costs $500. A realistic end-to-end timeline is 6–8 weeks, and first-year regulatory cost runs $7,000–$17,000. Verified September 24, 2026.
Commissary rent ($400–$1,200/mo) and general-liability insurance dominate first-year cost. Excludes the truck build itself.
What an Aurora food truck permit actually involves
An Aurora food truck licence is governed by Chapter 25, Article XII of the city code (Mobile Food Unit Vendors, last amended by Ord. O23-021 in March 2023). It's issued by Revenue & Collections. Before anything else, check which licence you qualify for. The annual licence is only for Aurora-based businesses. The code defines that as a verifiable physical address inside city limits for at least 12 months before you apply, plus registration with Aurora's Business Registration Program and no outstanding city debts. A truck based in Naperville or Joliet can only get an event licence.
What you actually need
The annual licence is listed on the city's application as a $500 bond, not a flat fee. It runs to December 31 and comes with monthly food-and-beverage tax filings. The event licence costs $40 per event and covers up to two consecutive days. Food carts can only get event licences.
Both licence types need the same paperwork:
- your Illinois Department of Revenue tax ID
- proof of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence liability insurance
- a signed indemnification and hold-harmless agreement
- a pass from the Aurora Fire Prevention Bureau inspection
- a visual inspection by the city (in person or by video), with exterior photos of every side of the unit
- a current certificate from the county health department for each county you operate in: Kane, DuPage, Will or Kendall
Submit at least 14 days before you plan to operate.
Where you can park
No licence is issued within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant, measured property line to property line. In shopping centres, plazas and strip malls, the 100 feet is measured from the restaurant's property line to any point on the truck. You can ask for a Distance Reduction Hearing before an administrative hearing officer, and you pay the hearing costs. If it's approved, you only go through the hearing once for that location. Trucks may not operate on gas-station lots or vacant or undeveloped property unless the licence administrator approves it. On private property, you need the owner's signed Private Property Consent Form.
Licenses
| License | Who needs it | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
City of Aurora Mobile Food Unit — Annual License | Aurora-based trucks and trailers that operate regularly in the city. Issued by Revenue & Collections under Chapter 25, Art. XII. Monthly food-and-beverage tax filings are required. | $500 Listed on the city's application as a '$500 Bond' (cash or check), not a flat fee. Only open to Aurora-based businesses with a physical address in the city for at least 12 months before applying. | Calendar year (expires December 31) |
City of Aurora Mobile Food Unit — Event License | Every truck not based in Aurora, plus food carts (which are event-only), and Aurora trucks that only work occasional events. | $40 Per event, covering up to two consecutive days. The inspections are done once a year and cover every event licence you buy that year. | Per event (up to 2 consecutive days) |
County health department certificate | All mobile food units. Aurora's code wants a certificate from the county or counties you operate in (Kane, Kendall, Will or DuPage), so a truck that works on both sides of a county line may need more than one. | Varies Set by each county. Kane County's 2026 schedule lists $590 (Category II mobile vendor) or $530 (Category III), non-refundable and CPI-adjusted every January 1. DuPage, Will and Kendall set their own fees, so confirm with the county before you pay. | 1 year |
Illinois Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) | At least one certified manager must be on-site during all hours of operation. | $99 Approximate cert cost; ServSafe and other ANAB-accredited courses vary. Replaced the old FSSMC in 2018 (existing FSSMC cards are still honored). | 5 years |
Illinois Food Handler Certificate | Every non-manager staffer who handles food. | $7 Typical online cost ~$7–$15. | 3 years |
Illinois Business Registration (Form REG-1) | All food sellers in Illinois. | Varies Free; registers you with the Illinois Department of Revenue to collect sales tax. Aurora's application asks for the resulting tax ID. | Ongoing |
Filling these Aurora forms
Every application above asks for the same details — business name, owner, EIN, license numbers, commissary address, insurance carrier and policy number. AutoFill PDFs reads the 6 applications and fills them from one saved vendor profile, whether the form is a fillable PDF or a flat scan. You review every field before you download and submit.
Free plan — 10 credits/month, no credit card required.
Requirements
- Aurora Fire Prevention Bureau inspection
Units with a griddle, grill, deep fryer or open flame need a Class K extinguisher, an Ansul R-102 or Class K suppression system, a 10 lb Class ABC extinguisher and working ventilation. Non-cooking units need one 10 lb ABC extinguisher. All extinguishers must carry a current commercial inspection tag. Generators must sit at least 10 feet from buildings, other vehicles and the public, and no fuel can be stored on the unit. The application caps propane on site at 100 lbs. A fire inspection from another Illinois municipality within the past 12 months may be accepted instead.
- County health certificate
Aurora wants a current certificate from the health department of each county you operate in: Kane, DuPage, Will or Kendall. Kane County, for example, requires an approved commissary and approval of your equipment layout before the unit is built.
- Stay 100 ft from any brick-and-mortar restaurant
No licence is issued within 100 feet of a restaurant, measured property line to property line. In a shopping centre, plaza or strip mall, it's measured from the restaurant's property line to any point on the truck. You can apply to the City Clerk for a Distance Reduction Hearing. You pay the hearing costs, and the officer may attach a plan of conduct to your licence.
- Private Property Consent Form (for private-property setups)
If you'll operate on private property, the owner's signed Private Property Consent Form (page 6 of the city's application) goes in with your payment. Gas-station lots and vacant or undeveloped property are off-limits unless the licence administrator approves them.
- Exterior photos and visual inspection
Submit photos clearly showing all sides of the unit and pass a visual inspection, either in person or by video. You can't change the exterior during the licence period unless you send new photos right away and the administrator approves the changes. The business name and contact details must be clearly displayed.
- General liability insurance
Aurora's code requires public liability, food-products liability and property-damage cover of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. The policy must guarantee 30 days' written notice to the City of Aurora Law Department before it can be cancelled. Your licence is invalid any time that coverage lapses.
Realistic timeline
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-application | Week 1–2 | Form the business with the state, register with IDOR (REG-1), line up a commissary, and start CFPM training. Before you plan for a year-round licence, check whether you count as an Aurora-based business. Stall: Planning around the annual licence without a 12-month Aurora business address. Non-local trucks can only buy event licences. |
| County health permit + plan review | Week 2–5 | Submit your equipment layout, menu and commissary details to the health department for each county you'll operate in, then pass the unit inspection. Stall: Only permitting in one county, then taking a booking across the Kane/DuPage/Will/Kendall line. |
| City of Aurora licence | Week 4–6 | Send Revenue & Collections the application with your county certificate, IDOR tax ID, insurance, signed hold-harmless, exterior photos, and the consent form if you'll be on private property. Book the Fire Prevention Bureau inspection and the visual inspection. Submit at least 14 days before you plan to operate. Stall: Choosing a spot within 100 ft of a restaurant without asking for a Distance Reduction Hearing. |
| Final checks + open | Week 6–8 | Display the city decal on the unit, keep your insurance current, file monthly food-and-beverage tax if you hold an annual licence, and move the unit to a zoned location at the end of each day. |
Common rejection / stall reasons
- The annual licence is only for Aurora-based businesses
The code limits it to businesses with a physical address in Aurora for at least 12 months, registered with the city and current on city taxes and debts. Out-of-town trucks can only buy $40 event licences.
- The 100-ft restaurant buffer is measured between property lines
Aurora doesn't measure door to door, so many curb spots are disqualified once you measure the parcels. You can apply for a Distance Reduction Hearing, but you pay for it and it takes time.
- Vacant lots and gas stations are off-limits by default
The code bars trucks from gas-station lots and vacant or undeveloped property unless the licence administrator approves it. Owner consent alone isn't enough.
- Aurora straddles four counties for the health certificate
The city sits in Kane, DuPage, Will and Kendall counties, and the code wants a certificate from each county you operate in. Taking a booking across a county line without that county's certificate is a common miss.
- The fire inspection is its own step
The Aurora Fire Prevention Bureau signs off separately from the county. A unit missing a Class K system or tagged extinguishers, or storing fuel on board, won't be licensed.
- Overnight parking in the operating spot is not allowed
The unit must be moved to an appropriately zoned parking spot when it isn't operating, and it can't be left unattended on a public way.
Official sources
- City of Aurora — Mobile Food Unit Rules, Regulations & Information
- City of Aurora — MFU License Application (PDF)
- City of Aurora — Operating a Mobile Food Unit (trifold PDF)
- City of Aurora — Code of Ordinances (Ch. 25, Art. 25-XII)
- Kane County Health Department — EH Permit Fees
- Kane County Health Department — Mobile Vendor Requirements (PDF)
- Illinois Department of Public Health — CFPM / FSSMC
- Illinois Department of Revenue — Business Registration (REG-1)
Contacts
- City of Aurora — Revenue & Collections
- 44 E. Downer Pl., Aurora, IL 60505 · 630-256-3560
- Aurora Fire Prevention Bureau
- 630-256-4130
- Kane County Health Department — Environmental Health
- 630-444-3040
- DuPage / Will / Kendall County Health
- 630-682-7400 / 815-727-8480 / 630-553-9100
FAQ
- How close can my food truck be to a restaurant in Aurora?
- No licence is issued within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant, measured property line to property line. In shopping centres, plazas and strip malls, it's measured from the restaurant's property line to any point on the truck. If you want a closer spot, apply to the City Clerk for a Distance Reduction Hearing. You pay the hearing costs, and if it's approved the officer can attach conditions to your licence.
- What does it actually cost to permit a food truck in Aurora?
- The city's annual licence is listed as a $500 bond and is only open to Aurora-based businesses. Everyone else pays $40 per event licence, which covers up to two consecutive days. On top of that you pay a county health fee (Kane County's 2026 schedule lists $590 or $530 depending on category), an Illinois CFPM cert (~$99 every 5 years) and food handler certs (~$7–$15 per staffer). Commissary rent and the required $1M liability insurance usually cost far more than the permits.
- Can I get an annual licence if my business isn't based in Aurora?
- No. Aurora's code limits the annual licence to 'local businesses': a verifiable physical address inside city limits for at least 12 months before you apply, registration with the city's Business Registration Program, and no outstanding city debts. Out-of-town trucks can still work in Aurora on $40 event licences.
- What hours can I actually serve?
- Aurora doesn't cap hours citywide. The code limits service to 7 a.m.–10 p.m. in residential areas, or to the hours on your permit or the posted signs at designated locations. Event licences are limited to the event's hours.
- Aurora is in four counties — which one issues my health certificate?
- Aurora's code asks for a current certificate from the health department of the county or counties you operate in: Kane, DuPage, Will or Kendall. If you work events on both sides of a county line, plan on more than one county permit, and confirm with each county before you book.