Food Truck permits and licenses in Arizona

Forms the legal entity that owns the truck. Forming an LLC is optional, since you can run as a sole proprietor, but most operators choose one for liability protection. A catch unique to Arizona: a new LLC based outside Maricopa or Pima County must publish a Notice of Publication in an approved local newspaper for three consecutive runs within 60 days of approval, under A.R.S. 29-3201(G). That newspaper bill, about $30 to $300, is separate from the Commission filing fee.

Issued by

Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division

Fee

$50 one-time for an LLC or $60 for a for-profit corporation at regular processing. Expedited service adds $35, and same-day, next-day, or 2-hour tiers run $100 to $400.

Renewal

One-time filing. Arizona LLCs file no annual report. Corporations file an annual report each year ($45 for-profit, $10 nonprofit) on the formation anniversary.

Processing

About 15 business days at regular speed, or roughly 3 to 5 business days expedited. Faster paid tiers are available.

Registering a trade name is optional in Arizona, not a legal requirement, under A.R.S. 44-1460 through 44-1460.05. You only need it if the truck operates under a name different from your exact registered entity name. An LLC that does business under its own filed name can skip this step entirely.

Issued by

Arizona Secretary of State

Fee

$10 one-time, with optional expedited service for an added fee

Renewal

Every 5 years ($10 to renew)

Processing

Not published by the Secretary of State. Check your Business One Stop dashboard or contact the office for the current turnaround.

Despite the name, the TPT is a tax on you for the privilege of doing business in Arizona, not a sales tax charged to the customer, though it is normally built into the menu price. One license covers the state, the county, and every city you register for, because ADOR collects all of those layers together. You apply through the Arizona Joint Tax Application (Form JT-1).

Issued by

Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR)

Fee

$12 per location for the state portion, paid once. Each city you sell in can add its own municipal license fee on top, commonly $2 to $50 per location.

Renewal

Annual, due January 1. The state does not usually charge a renewal fee, but cities may charge their own.

Processing

Apply online at AZTaxes.gov and the license number issues the same day, with the paper certificate mailed in 7 to 10 business days. In person at an ADOR office, same day.

Only needed once you hire employees. The single JT-1 registers you with both ADOR for income tax withholding and DES for unemployment insurance, and ADOR forwards the DES portion automatically. DES then mails a separate liability determination with your unemployment tax rate. You must also report every new hire to the Arizona New Hire Reporting Center within 20 days.

Issued by

Arizona Department of Revenue and Arizona Department of Economic Security

Fee

No separate state fee. The registration rides on the same Joint Tax Application (JT-1) used for the TPT license.

Renewal

Ongoing employer account with no renewal fee, but you file payroll withholding and unemployment reports on a quarterly or periodic basis once liable.

Processing

Register online at AZTaxes.gov. Plan on a few weeks for ADOR and DES to process the accounts and mail your numbers.

Arizona has no statewide food handler card. Each of the 15 counties decides on its own whether to require one, so where you are based determines what you need. State law does smooth the edges: under A.R.S. 11-269.12(E), a card from one county that requires it must be honored by any other county that also requires one, until it expires. That is cross-county acceptance, not a true state credential, so plan to get the card for the county your truck works out of.

Issued by

Your county health department (there is no single statewide issuer), under the Arizona food code

Fee

Set by each county and its training provider, commonly $10 to $20 per worker

Renewal

Usually every 3 years, though the term varies by county

Processing

Most accredited online courses issue the certificate the moment you pass

Like the food handler card, this is set and enforced county by county under the Arizona Food Code (Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 8), not by ADHS directly. Counties that require it generally want a certified manager present, in person or reachable, during all hours of food prep and service. A national ANSI-accredited certificate (such as ServSafe) is what most counties accept.

Issued by

Your county health department (roughly 10 of 15 counties require it, including Maricopa, Pima, and Coconino), under the Arizona food code

Fee

Varies by county. The exam fee is usually separate from any county card-issuance fee. Confirm the current amount with your county health department.

Renewal

Every 5 years (you retake the exam)

Processing

Exam based. The certificate usually issues on passing, though some counties add an in-person step for a photo ID card.

This is the core operating license for the truck, and Arizona handles it in an unusual way. There is no license you apply for directly with the state. A.R.S. 36-1761 has ADHS write the statewide health and inspection standards, then hands actual licensing to the county where your commissary is located. The single license that county issues then works in every other Arizona county by operation of law, and any county can enforce the state inspection standards against you no matter who issued the license. A city or county can still add a layer if it runs an owner background check or fingerprinting (A.R.S. 36-1761(D)), and a town can regulate where and when you park (A.R.S. 9-485.01), but those are local add-ons covered on your city page.

Issued by

The county health department where your commissary sits, under statewide standards set by ADHS (A.R.S. 36-1761)

Fee

Set by the issuing county, so it is not a single statewide number. See your city page for the local amount.

Renewal

Annual, required by A.R.S. 36-1761(A)(3)(b)

Processing

Set locally. Plan review and inspection timelines depend on the county.

A.R.S. 36-1761 directs ADHS to require commissary or servicing-area agreements, and the resulting state rule (Title 9, Chapter 8, which adopts the FDA Food Code) is what obligates an Arizona mobile unit to have a servicing agreement with an approved commissary for water fill, wastewater disposal, and food storage. The requirement is statewide, but it is your county that reviews and signs off on the specific agreement when it issues your license. Fully self-contained units may qualify for relief, but the county decides.

Issued by

Required by ADHS rule (Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 8); verified by your county health department at licensing

Fee

No state fee for the requirement itself. You pay whatever you negotiate with the commissary, plus any county plan-review fee tied to your Mobile Food Unit license.

Renewal

Tied to your annual Mobile Food Unit license. Commissary agreements commonly run up to one year.

Processing

Reviewed as part of your county license application