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What License Do You Need for a Food Truck in Philadelphia?

Every license and form, why a commissary is required, and the documents PDPH will ask for.

April 30license renewal every year
Schedule Awe sign it

PDPH Mobile Plan Review
Schedule A · Support Facility Information

Support facilityCenter City Commissary
Address3000 W Sedgley Ave
Operate from facility dailyYes
Used forFood · Water · Waste
Unit storageIndoor
Signed by facility owner✓
Approved
support
facility
Why a commissary is required

The part most people learn late.

A mobile unit cannot be its own base. The PDPH rule: all vending operations must have an approved support facility and report at least daily to it for food, cleaning supplies, and servicing. You name that facility on Schedule A, we sign it, and the Office of Food Protection verifies the facility is approved. That is the cross check.

The support facility form, Schedule A

One page. Every year.

One page in the PDPH plan review packet. It asks whether you operate from the facility daily, whether you report back each evening for cleaning and waste, what hours you report, and what you use the facility for: food, water, supplies, equipment cleaning, unit storage, waste disposal. We sign as the support facility owner. Your license expires every April 30, so the form and the inspection come around every year, and we sign again.

The licenses you need

Every license and form, in order.

City fees as posted on phila.gov. Check current fees before you apply.

Licenses and forms9In the order you apply
  1. 01Commercial Activity License and BIRT tax accountFrom L and I through eCLIPSE. No fee.
  2. 02City of Philadelphia Food Safety CertificateFrom PDPH, about $30. A certified manager must be on the unit at all hours.
  3. 03Support facility agreement, Schedule ASigned by CCC, with a copy of our food license and latest inspection report.
  4. 04Mobile Food Business Plan ReviewPDPH Office of Food Protection. $150 plan review plus $190 inspection, $380 more to expedite.
  5. 05License Eligibility Report and Operation Eligibility CertificateIssued by PDPH after the inspection. The OEC is posted on the unit.
  6. 06Food Establishment Retail, Non Permanent Location LicenseFrom L and I, $179. Expires April 30 every year.
  7. 07Vendor Motor Vehicle LicenseFor trucks vending on the street. L and I, $341 per vehicle.
  8. 08Sidewalk Sales LicenseFor carts. L and I, $330 per cart. Cart cap 8 by 4 by 8 ft.
  9. 09Special vending district licenseIf you vend in Center City, University City, or Temple.
The document checklist

Everything you need to park at CCC, on one page.

Every document required at intake, in one checklist you can work through before your tour.

Everything you need to park at CCC

A one page checklist of every document required at intake.

Why applications stall

Mostly paperwork.

Most delays come from a few small misses. Check these before you submit.

  1. 1Packet missing a form
  2. 2Unit plan drawn by hand
  3. 3Schedule A not signed
  4. 4Water tanks too small
  5. 5Missed the 30 day reply
How CCC helps

What we do for you.

  • Sign your Schedule A, every year
  • Give you our food license and latest inspection report for your packet
  • Tell you what PDPH checks at the unit inspection

What we don't do: file or expedite permits for you.

Need a commissary for your license?

Book a tour and we will walk you through Schedule A.