Seattle, WA — Food truck permit
Seattle food trucks are permitted by Public Health – Seattle & King County, but the step that trips up almost everyone is Washington's Labor & Industries (L&I) insignia: your unit must pass an L&I electrical/plumbing/propane inspection and get a metal plaque BEFORE the county will approve your plan review. You also juggle two business licenses (state + city), a Seattle Fire permit, and — if you ever park in the public right-of-way — an SDOT street-use vending permit. King County permit years run April 1–March 31 and are prorated, and a signed commissary agreement is one of the first documents an inspector asks for.
Commissary rent ($400–$1,200/mo) and general-liability insurance dominate first-year cost. Excludes the truck build and any equipment fixes the L&I inspection forces.
Licenses
| License | Who needs it | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
Mobile food service business permit | Every mobile food unit operating in King County. Issued by Public Health – Seattle & King County. | $1,260 Risk Category III (full/complex menu) for 2026; simpler menus (Risk I/II) cost less. Permit year runs April 1–March 31 and is prorated if you start mid-year. | 1 year (Apr 1–Mar 31) |
Mobile food plan review | Required before building, remodeling, or buying an existing unit — and before the annual permit is issued. | $504 Base fee covers up to 2 hours of review; +$252 for each additional hour. | Per submission |
L&I mobile-unit insignia inspection | Any truck/trailer with an electrical, water/drain, or propane system — essentially all of them. Must be passed before health plan-review approval. | Varies Varies — roughly $200–$500; extra charges if the unit isn't ready or a re-inspection is needed. | One-time (plus alteration inspections for later changes) |
Seattle Fire Department mobile food vehicle permit | Trucks using cooking equipment or propane while operating in Seattle. SFD inspections run Wednesday mornings. | Varies Varies — roughly $150–$300. Lower 'RGL' rate if a WSAFM checklist inspection was already completed by a partner fire department. | 12 months |
Washington State business license | All businesses operating in Washington. | $90 One-time application via the state Business Licensing Service; add a city endorsement for each city you operate in. | One-time application |
Seattle business license tax certificate | Anyone doing business within Seattle city limits. | Varies $59/year if worldwide gross income is $20,000 or less, otherwise $130/year. You need a separate license for each city you vend in. | 1 year |
Washington Food Worker Card | Everyone who handles food. Get it online at foodworkercard.wa.gov. | $10 | 2 years (first card; 3 years on timely renewal) |
SDOT Street Use Vending permit | Trucks/carts vending from a public street or sidewalk in Seattle. | Varies Varies; only required if you vend from the public right-of-way (street or sidewalk). Vending on private property needs the owner's consent instead. | Varies |
Requirements
- L&I insignia + photo of the plaque
Washington L&I inspects the unit's electrical, plumbing, and propane systems and affixes a metal insignia plaque once it passes. You must submit a photo of that plaque before Public Health will approve your plan review. Units built out of state need an L&I 'alteration' inspection.
Cost: ~$200–$500
- Approved commissary (or a granted exemption)
You must operate out of an approved commissary kitchen in King County or be granted a commissary exemption through the application. Submit a commissary permission letter and a drawing; the signed commissary agreement is among the first documents an inspector asks to see.
- Three-compartment sink + separate handwash sink
A 3-compartment sink (wash/rinse/sanitize) AND a separate, dedicated handwashing sink with hot and cold running water are required. Creative single-sink setups are an automatic fail. The greywater (wastewater) tank must be larger than the freshwater tank.
- Usable restroom within 500 feet
You must be within 500 feet of a usable restroom with soap, paper/hand dryer, and hot water of at least 100°F. Portable toilets do not count. Submit a restroom-use agreement with your plan review.
- Plan review approval before building or buying
Submit the plan-review packet (menu and food-prep flow chart, equipment specs, commissary letter + drawing, restroom agreement, site/itinerary form) and pay before construction, remodeling, or change of ownership. Build only to the approved plan.
- Two business licenses (state + city)
Get a Washington State business license through the Business Licensing Service, then a Seattle business license tax certificate — plus a separate city endorsement/license for every other city you vend in.
Realistic timeline
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-application | Week 1–2 | Register the WA state + Seattle business licenses, get food worker cards, line up an approved commissary, and map out where you can legally vend. Stall: Treating L&I as a later step — it has to clear before health plan review, so plan it first. |
| L&I inspection + insignia | Week 2–6 (2–4 week inspection lead time) | Schedule the L&I inspection, pass the electrical/plumbing/propane review, get the insignia plaque, and photograph it. Stall: Booking the inspection before the unit is actually finished — you get charged and rescheduled. |
| Health plan review | Week 4–8 | Submit the plan-review packet with the L&I plaque photo, commissary agreement, and restroom agreement, plus the $504 fee. Review starts after a complete submission. Stall: Submitting without the L&I plaque photo or the signed commissary agreement — the application stalls. |
| Build / outfit + fire permit | Week 6–10 | Build to the approved plan and apply for the Seattle Fire Department permit — or get a WSAFM checklist inspection from your local fire department first to qualify for the discounted SFD rate. |
| Final inspection + permit | Week 8–14 | Pass the Public Health inspection and the SFD inspection (Wednesday mornings) to be issued the mobile food service permit. Stall: Greywater tank not larger than the freshwater tank, or no usable restroom within 500 ft. |
Common rejection / stall reasons
- The L&I insignia is a hard prerequisite, not a formality
King County won't approve plan review until you submit a photo of the L&I plaque, and out-of-state-built units need an L&I 'alteration' inspection. Operators who treat L&I as optional lose weeks.
- You need two business licenses — and one per city
A WA state license AND a Seattle tax certificate are both required, plus a separate city endorsement for every other city you vend in. The city-by-city part is easy to miss.
- Commissary agreement is non-negotiable without an exemption
King County requires an approved commissary or a granted exemption; the signed agreement is one of the first documents an inspector asks for.
- The permit year is April 1–March 31, not a rolling 12 months
Fees are prorated if you start mid-year, but everyone renews on the same date — so a new operator's first term can be surprisingly short.
- A parking spot is not permission to vend
Vending in the public right-of-way needs an SDOT street-use vending permit; private lots need the owner's written consent. Just pulling into a good spot earns tickets.
- Greywater tank must be larger than the freshwater tank
It's a frequent plan-review and inspection failure, alongside missing the separate dedicated handwash sink.
Official sources
- King County — Mobile food service business permit
- King County — Apply for a mobile food plan review (online)
- King County — Mobile Food Unit Plan Review & Permitting Guide (PDF)
- King County — Food & Facilities Program Fees 2026 (PDF)
- King County — Get a food worker card
- WA L&I — Food Trucks & Trailers (insignia)
- Seattle Fire Department — Permits
- Seattle OED — Mobile Food Vending handbook
- SDOT — Vending Permits in the Public Right-of-Way
- Washington Food Worker Course
Contacts
- Public Health – Seattle & King County (plan review)
- 206-263-7833
- Plan review email
- ehfoodandfacilitiesplan@kingcounty.gov
- Seattle Fire Department inspections
- Scheduled Wednesday mornings when you apply and pay
FAQ
- Why do I need an L&I inspection before the health department will look at my plans?
- Washington requires food trucks and trailers to pass a state Labor & Industries inspection of their electrical, plumbing, and propane systems. L&I then attaches an insignia plaque to the unit, and Public Health – Seattle & King County requires a photo of that plaque before approving your plan review. If your unit was built out of state, L&I does an 'alteration' inspection instead. Budget 2–4 weeks for the L&I step and do it early.
- How much does it cost to permit a Seattle food truck?
- For 2026, the King County mobile food permit is about $1,260/year for a full Risk Category III menu (less for simpler menus), plus a $504 plan-review fee (base, +$252/hr over 2 hours). Add the L&I insignia (~$200–$500), a Seattle Fire permit (~$150–$300), the $90 state business license, a $59–$130 Seattle business license, and a $10 food worker card. Ongoing commissary rent ($400–$1,200/mo) and insurance usually cost far more than the permits.
- Do I really need a commissary?
- Yes — you must operate out of an approved commissary kitchen in King County or be granted a formal commissary exemption through the application. The signed commissary agreement (plus a permission letter and drawing) is one of the first documents an inspector asks for, so line it up before you submit plan review.
- Do I need a separate permit to park and sell on the street?
- If you vend from the public right-of-way (a street or sidewalk), yes — the Seattle Department of Transportation issues a Street Use Vending permit for that. On private property you don't need the SDOT permit, but you do need the property owner's written consent. Just pulling into a good-looking spot without either will get you ticketed.
- When does my King County permit expire?
- King County food permit years run April 1 through March 31. Your first-year fee is prorated if you start mid-year, but everyone renews on the same March 31 date — so a new operator's first term can be short.