New Orleans, LA — Food Truck permit
New Orleans is the rare city that caps its permits: only 100 Mobile Food Truck Permits are issued per calendar year, and they're banned outright from the French Quarter, the Central Business District, and Faubourg Marigny — the exact tourist zones operators most want. Vending those areas requires a City Council–approved franchise, not a permit, and franchises are rare. Permits run on a hard calendar year (expire Dec 31, renew by Jan 31).
City fees ~$655 year one. The commissary ($700–$1,400/mo) is the real cost driver; add LDH health permit, fire inspection, and $500k liability insurance.
What a New Orleans food truck permit actually involves
New Orleans runs one of the most restrictive mobile-vending regimes in the country, and two facts drive everything. First, the city caps Mobile Food Truck Permits at 100 per calendar year (in effect since January 1, 2014) — if the cap is hit, you wait for the next year or for a slot to open. Second, food trucks are banned from the entire French Quarter, the Central Business District, and Faubourg Marigny — the highest-traffic tourist zones. Operating there requires a City Council–approved franchise, not a permit, and those are rare.
What you actually need
The city permit is assembled at the One Stop Shop (Bureau of Revenue): an Occupational License ($150), a Mayoralty Permit ($400.25), a Sales Tax Deposit ($50), a $5 ID card, and a one-time $50 application fee for new applicants. On top of the city stack you need a Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) retail-food permit for the mobile unit — issued after a plan review by the parish State Sanitarian — plus New Orleans Fire Department approvals and inspections. You'll also need commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 naming the City as additional insured, current auto insurance, and a Louisiana DMV registration. The truck itself is capped at 26 ft long × 8 ft wide.
What it actually costs
City fees land at roughly $655 the first year (about $605 to renew, since the $50 application fee is new-applicant only). The real cost driver isn't the permit — it's the commissary. LDH will not accept a mobile-unit application without a signed commissary letter, and New Orleans commissary kitchens typically run $700–$1,400/month. Budget the state health permit (~$150–$200/year plus plan review) and the fire inspection as additional line items.
How long it actually takes
Plan on 8–10 weeks. The LDH plan review needs a minimum of 10 days before an inspection is scheduled, and the city, fire, and health approvals stack rather than run in parallel. Because permits expire December 31 and renew by January 31 regardless of when you started, timing your first application matters.
Licenses
| License | Who needs it | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
Mobile Food Truck Permit (Mayoralty Permit) | Every food truck vending on public property. Capped at 100 permits citywide per calendar year (since Jan 1, 2014). | $400 | Calendar year — expires Dec 31, renew by Jan 31 |
Occupational License | All food truck operators — the base business license. | $150 | 1 year (annual renewal) |
Sales Tax Deposit | All operators — a refundable-style deposit collected with the city permit stack. | $50 | 1 year (annual renewal) |
Application Fee | New applicants. Non-refundable; not charged on renewal. | $50 | One-time (new applicants only) |
Vendor ID Card | Each vendor/operator working the truck. | $5 | Per card |
Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) mobile-food permit | Every mobile food unit. Issued after LDH plan review and inspection; requires a signed commissary letter. | Varies Varies — typically ~$150–$200/year for a mobile unit, plus a one-time plan review fee. Confirm with the parish State Sanitarian. | 1 year |
New Orleans Fire Department inspection/permit | Trucks with cooking equipment, propane, or generators. | Varies Varies — required approvals and inspections for cooking/fuel systems; confirm current fee with NOFD. | Annual inspection |
City Council franchise (French Quarter / CBD / Marigny) | Only operators seeking to vend inside the prohibition zone (French Quarter, CBD, Faubourg Marigny). | Varies Varies — negotiated per franchise; rarely granted. This is NOT a standard permit. | Per franchise agreement |
Requirements
- Commissary letter (required before LDH will process)
LDH will not accept a mobile-unit application without a signed commissary agreement. The commissary is where you prep, store, refill water, and dump wastewater. New Orleans commissary kitchens typically run $700–$1,400/month.
Cost: $700–$1,400/month
- Commercial general liability insurance
Minimum $500,000 coverage, naming the City of New Orleans as an additional insured. Required at the city permit stage.
- Auto insurance + Louisiana DMV registration
Current automobile insurance and a Louisiana DMV registration for the vehicle are required with the application.
- LDH plan review + inspection
Submit a Mobile Food Establishment Plans Review Questionnaire (menu, equipment specs, plumbing, commissary letter) to the parish State Sanitarian. Minimum 10 days before an inspection is scheduled.
- Fire Department approvals
The New Orleans Fire Department must approve and inspect cooking, propane, and generator setups before the city permit is finalized.
- Truck dimensions + photo
A photograph showing the truck's dimensions is required; the vehicle may not exceed 26 ft in length or 8 ft in width.
Realistic timeline
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-application | Week 1–3 | Register the business, secure a commissary (get the signed letter), line up $500k liability + auto insurance, and confirm a permit slot is available under the 100-permit annual cap. Stall: Planning routes through the French Quarter/CBD/Marigny — those zones are franchise-only, not permit-eligible. |
| LDH plan review + health inspection | Week 2–6 | Submit the Mobile Food Establishment plan review to the parish State Sanitarian. Minimum 10 days before inspection is scheduled. Stall: Filing the LDH application without a signed commissary letter — it won't be processed. |
| Fire + city permitting | Week 5–9 | Pass the NOFD inspection, then assemble the city stack (occupational license, mayoralty permit, sales tax deposit, ID card) at the One Stop Shop / Bureau of Revenue. |
| Issued + operating | Week 8–10 | Permit issued for the current calendar year. Note it expires Dec 31 and must be renewed by Jan 31 regardless of start date. Stall: Starting late in the year and paying full fees for a permit that expires Dec 31. |
Common rejection / stall reasons
- Assuming you can vend the French Quarter, CBD, or Marigny
These zones are banned to permit-holders entirely. Access requires a City Council franchise — a separate, rarely granted process — not a food truck permit.
- Hitting the 100-permit annual cap
New Orleans caps Mobile Food Truck Permits at 100 per calendar year (since 2014). If the cap is reached you wait for the next year or an opening — apply early.
- Filing the LDH application without a commissary letter
The state health permit can't be processed until a signed commissary agreement is attached. Line up the commissary first.
- Not budgeting for the calendar-year expiration
Every permit expires Dec 31 and renews by Jan 31. A permit pulled in November costs the same as one pulled in February but expires in weeks.
- Operating too close to a school
Trucks may not operate within two blocks of any elementary or secondary school while it is in session.
Official sources
Contacts
- Bureau of Revenue — Sales Tax / Vendor Permits
- (504) 658-1630
- Vendor Permits email
- revenue.vendorpermits@nola.gov
- One Stop Shop address
- 1300 Perdido Street, 1W15, New Orleans, LA 70112
- Louisiana Dept. of Health — Sanitarian Services (Region 1)
- (504) 568-7970
FAQ
- Can I run a food truck in the French Quarter?
- No — not with a standard permit. The French Quarter, the Central Business District, and Faubourg Marigny are prohibition zones for permit-holders. Vending there requires a City Council–approved franchise, which is a separate process and rarely granted. A regular Mobile Food Truck Permit only covers areas outside those zones.
- What does a New Orleans food truck permit actually cost?
- City fees total roughly $655 in year one: a $400.25 mayoralty permit, $150 occupational license, $50 sales tax deposit, $5 ID card, and a one-time $50 application fee. Renewals drop the application fee, landing near $605. On top of that you'll pay the LDH health permit (~$150–$200/year plus plan review), a fire inspection, and — the real cost driver — a commissary at $700–$1,400/month.
- Is there really a limit on how many food trucks New Orleans allows?
- Yes. Since January 1, 2014 the city issues a maximum of 100 Mobile Food Truck Permits per calendar year. If the cap has been reached, you wait for the next year or for an existing permit to lapse. Apply early in the year to secure a slot.
- Do I need a commissary?
- Yes. The Louisiana Department of Health will not process your mobile-unit permit application without a signed commissary letter. The commissary is where you prep, store food, refill potable water, and dump wastewater. Local commissary kitchens generally run $700–$1,400 per month.
- When does the permit expire?
- All food truck permits and licenses expire on December 31 and must be renewed by January 31, regardless of when you were first issued. A permit pulled late in the year still expires at year-end, so factor the calendar into your timing.