Chicago, IL — Food truck permit
Chicago issues two motorized food-truck licenses (MFD or MFP) plus a separate CDPH plan review and a Chicago-specific food manager certificate. Expect 2–3 months end-to-end and $7K–$9.5K in first-year regulatory cost.
Permit fee is ~5% of year-one regulatory cost. Insurance and commissary dwarf it.
Licenses
| License | Who needs it | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
Mobile Food Dispenser MFD | Trucks that only assemble or reheat pre-prepped food — no raw-to-cooked on board. | $700 | 2 years |
Mobile Food Preparer MFP | Trucks that cook on board — grill, fryer, griddle, burners. | $1,000 | 2 years |
CDPH Food Service Sanitation plan review | Required before any inspection. Must be approved before you build the truck. | $150 Check or money order to City of Chicago | Per submission |
Requirements
- Signed Chicago-licensed commissary letter
Must be on file at submission. Cook County–only commissaries are NOT accepted for Chicago-based trucks.
- State CFPM (ServSafe or equivalent) + Chicago FSMC
Chicago is the one IL jurisdiction that still requires its own city-level Foodservice Sanitation Manager Certificate on top of the statewide ANAB-accredited CFPM. Take both through the same approved provider to avoid record mismatches.
Cost: $250–$400 combined
- Active GPS device + GPS affidavit
Must be permanently installed and report real-time location to a service provider you name on the application.
- General liability insurance, COI with City of Chicago as additional insured
Typical premium $2,000–$3,000/year.
- Permanent driver/prep area divider
Built into the vehicle. Inspected as part of CDPH approval.
- Business registration, EIN, IL sales tax (IBT), IDOR account
Standard. The IBT and IDOR fields specifically trip up out-of-state operators.
Realistic timeline
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Business setup | Weeks 1–2 | EIN, Illinois sales tax (IBT), business registration. Mostly online. |
| Food manager certs (both) | Weeks 2–3 | State CFPM + Chicago FSMC, ideally through the same approved provider in one session. Stall: Operators take the two certs from different schools and CDPH bounces the reciprocity application. |
| Commissary + insurance | Weeks 3–4 | Sign a Chicago-licensed commissary agreement and bind general liability insurance. Stall: Most common stall point. Out-of-city commissary agreements get applications kicked back, sometimes weeks after submission. |
| CDPH plan review | Weeks 4–5 | Submit menu, equipment list, sanitation plan, plumbing, grease handling, commissary letter, vehicle floor plan + $150. |
| Build / outfit truck | Weeks 5–6 | Build to the CDPH-approved plan. Do NOT build first. Stall: Operators who build before plan review often end up redoing hood placement, sink configuration, or partitioning. |
| Inspection + license | Weeks 6–8 | CDPH health inspection → CFD fire inspection (if you cook) → BACP issues license. |
Common rejection / stall reasons
- Licensing as MFD when the menu requires MFP
Any raw-to-cooked prep on board pushes you to the $1,000 MFP. CDPH flags menu/license mismatches during plan review.
- Cook County–only commissary
Chicago CDPH requires a Chicago-licensed commissary. The most common late-stage rejection.
- ServSafe and Chicago FSMC from different providers
Mismatched records mean the reciprocity application stalls.
- Building the truck before CDPH plan approval
Hood, partition, and plumbing configurations often need rework. Costly.
- 200-foot rule violation tracked by GPS
The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the 200-foot rule and GPS tracking in 2019. The city actively monitors.
Official sources
Contacts
- BACP phone
- (312) 744-6249 / 312-74-GOBIZ
- TTY
- (312) 744-1944
- businesslicense@cityofchicago.org
- In person
- City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 800 (Small Business Center)
FAQ
- Do I need an MFP or MFD license?
- MFP ($1,000 / 2 yrs) if you cook on board — grill, fryer, griddle, burners. MFD ($700 / 2 yrs) if you only assemble or reheat pre-prepped food.
- Why does Chicago need both ServSafe and a Chicago-specific food manager certificate?
- Since 2018, Illinois recognizes only the ANAB-accredited CFPM (ServSafe is the most common) — except in Chicago, which still requires its own Foodservice Sanitation Manager Certificate (FSMC) on top. Take both through the same approved provider in one session to avoid record mismatches.
- Will a Cook County commissary work?
- No. The commissary listed on your application must be Chicago-licensed. Cook County–only commissaries are the most common reason late-stage applications get rejected.
- Is the 200-foot rule still in effect?
- Yes. The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously upheld the rule and the GPS-tracking requirement in LMP Services, Inc. v. City of Chicago (May 23, 2019). No subsequent ordinance has rolled it back.