The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) regulates Hot Dog Carts and Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicles (MFDV).

Please visit the DBPR website for more information in obtaining a Mobile Food Service License. 

Once the Hot Dog Carts or Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle has been inspected and licensed by the DBPR,  that license can be presented to the Duval County Tax Collector’s at the Yates office to obtain the required Local Business Tax (LBT). The Duval County Tax Collector’s Office does not issue any permits, licenses, or registrations for Hot Dog Carts or Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle that have an active license with the DBPR. 

THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS MAINTAIN REGULATIONS OF HOT DOG CARTS AND MOBILE FOOD DISPENSING VEHICLES WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION. PLEASE CONTACT THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS DEPENDING ON WHERE AND HOW YOU INTEND TO OPERATE.

Downtown Overlay Area  Downtown Investment Authority (904) 255-5302	All other areas within the City of Jacksonville Office of Consumer Affairs (904) 255-7198
City Parks and Recreational Facilities Department of Recreation and Community Services (904) 255-7907	Ice Cream Truck Vendors Office of Consumer Affairs (904) 255-7198
Designated Special Events Office of Special Events (904) 255-5422

 

Local Business Tax Receipt is required per Ordinance Section 770, 772, 250.103(c).  A Vendor’s Permit may also be required per Section 250.1201, City Ordinance. Please Note: 

• Vending in a public park requires separate permission and application through the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.
• Vending at Special Events requires the Food Truck operator to provide a copy of their Vendor Permit to the event organizer.
• The rules regarding distance, signage, and hours differ for dispensing Downtown and elsewhere in the City.
• Vending without the required permits can result in costly citations. We’re here to help! Check out our contact sheet for help with the process.

• Register your business/entity with the State of Florida at Sunbiz.org
• General Liability and Commercial Auto Insurance
• Business License and completed Risk Review with the State of Florida
  • Instructions 
  • Apply for Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle & Plan Review 

Duval County Food Vendor Permit: Effective July 1, 2020, The Florida Legislature pre-empted local government regulation of Vendor Units (food trucks, food vendors). Mobile Dispensing Vendor Units are no longer required to obtain a City of Jacksonville Street Vendor permit. Vendors must obtain and clearly display all required State of Florida permits and a local business tax receipt. A Jacksonville Fire Prevention Office Inspection is still required.

Use the provided checklist to help you proceed through the steps. You can find citation authority under each step for reference and extra clarity.

Guidelines for Food Truck Operations​

With the passage of 2014-472 new guidelines were put into place for the operation of food trucks in Jacksonville - especially in the Downtown area.

Mobile Food Dispensing Vendors in the Downtown area are not allowed to locate:   

• Within 15 feet of any Sidewalk Vendor as defined in Section 250.301 of the City Ordinance Code.  
• Within 50 feet of a permanent establishment selling food for on‐premises consumption, as measured from a primary entrance of the permanent establishment to the Mobile Food Dispensing Vendor.  
• Within 50 feet of a residential unit, unless that residential unit is development part of a vertically mixed‐use structure with ground floor non‐residential, as measured from the front door of that residential unit to the Mobile Food Dispensing Vendor.  
• On any City Right‐of‐Way or metered parking space.

Except where already designated in the Downtown area and City Parks a Mobile Food Dispensing Vendor is not allowed to locate:

• On any divided road which does not have curbs and sidewalks alongside such road; on or in any median in any road; within any area which would block the view of traffic or traffic signals or traffic signs
• Within 15 feet of any crosswalk; any building entrance or exit or any walk which leads directly from a building entrance or exit;  
• Within 20 feet of any bus stop;
• Within 25 feet of any intersection of a public street, right‐of‐way, driveway or alleyway;
• Within 75 feet of any Sidewalk Vendor who has been granted an assigned location permit pursuant to Section 250.301 of the Ordinance Code;  
• Within 15 feet in all directions of any fire hydrant;
• Within 50 feet from a brick and mortar business or on any property on which is located any established permanent business which sells the same types of products or services as requested to be sold by the Mobile Food Dispensing Vendor, unless the property owner or business owner of the established permanent business provides written consent to allow the Mobile Food Dispensing Vendor to locate and operate on the established permanent business.