Food Truck permits in Atlanta, Georgia

The city and county permits, taxes, and inspections a food truck needs in Atlanta (Fulton and DeKalb counties), on top of the statewide Georgia and federal credentials covered on their own pages.

Local feesRoughly $1,365 to $1,715 in first-year local fees for a Fulton-based truck on the public right-of-way: county plan review and permit ($450 to $750), the Atlanta occupational tax certificate ($191 plus tax), and the Street Eats bundle ($495). DeKalb-based trucks pay less on the health side.CountyFulton and DeKalb counties

This page covers only the Atlanta city and county permits for food trucks. The statewide Georgia credentials and the federal credentials every food truck needs are on their own pages.

All Georgia requirementsFood Trucks in Georgia Federal requirementsEvery food truck nationwide

What you need to run a food truck in Atlanta

Credential	Level	Fee	Renewal
Fulton County Mobile Food Service Establishment Permit (County of Origin)	County	$450 a year for Risk Type I (no-cook or packaged food), $600 for Risk Type II (cook and serve), or $750 for Risk Type III (complex or HACCP). One fee covers both the base of operations and the unit when both sit in Fulton County. The published schedule dates to April 2022, so confirm the current amount with the Fulton County Board of Health at 770-520-7500 before you apply.	Annual, on the anniversary of issuance
Fulton County Mobile Food Service Establishment Plan Review	County	Matches the annual permit by risk type: $450 (Type I), $600 (Type II), or $750 (Type III), charged on the initial application for a new establishment and covering the base and unit together. A plan resubmission costs $250 after the first free resubmittal.	One-time per new application, or when major changes force a re-review
Fulton County Authorization to Operate (Out-of-County Mobile Unit)	County	$300 a year for the inspection of a unit based in another county. Fulton's separate administrative verification fee under HB 1443 was reported at $75 when the county adopted its 2023 resolution but is not on the published schedule, so confirm it with FCBOH.	Annual
DeKalb County Mobile Food Service Permit	County	$240 a year for Category 1 (no cook), $245 for Category 2 (cook and serve), or $250 for Category 3 (complex), with the same category rates charged separately for the base of operations. Amounts are from the DeKalb Public Health fee schedule effective January 1, 2024.	Annual
DeKalb County Mobile Food Service Plan Review	County	$300 for Category 1 (no cook), $350 for Category 2 (cook and serve), or $500 for Category 3 (complex), as a one-time charge on the initial application. Fee schedule effective January 1, 2024.	One-time per new application, or on major changes
DeKalb County Authorization to Operate (Out-of-County Mobile Unit)	County	$50 per authorization, under the DeKalb fee schedule effective January 1, 2024.	Annual
City of Atlanta Business Occupational Tax Certificate	City	A $191 annual registration beginning with the 2026 tax year (up from $75), plus a $50 flat tax on the first $10,000 of Georgia gross receipts, plus a gross-receipts rate above that set by your assigned NAICS tax class (Atlanta Code Section 30-62), plus $25 per employee after the first. New applications also pay a one-time $50 zoning review. Estimate your total on the ATLBIZ portal or call the Office of Revenue at 404-546-0311.	Annual; renew by February 15, with payment due April 1
Street Eats Atlanta Public Vending Food Truck Permit	City	A $75 annual permit application fee, a $350 annual Street Food Finder reservation fee (the platform you book designated spots through), a $50 annual background check, and a one-time $20 fingerprinting fee, for $495 in the first year. All fees are non-refundable.	Annual
City of Atlanta Private Property Food Truck Vending Permit	City	$50 application plus a $75 food vending fee plus $20 fingerprinting, so $145 for a food-only vendor. A combined food and merchandise vendor pays $50 plus a $125 combination fee plus $20, or $195. Confirm current amounts with the APD License and Permit Unit at 404-546-4470.	Annual
Mayor's Office of Special Events Outdoor Event Permit	City	MOSE permits go to the event organizer, not individual vendors, so as a vendor you work through the organizer. If you are organizing: an assembly permit application is $50 (under 10,000 people) to $100 (10,000 or more); outdoor festival commercial permits run $500 (Class E, 250 to 1,999 attendees) up to $15,000 (Class A, 50,000 or more), with $100 to $150 application fees; a large gathering application is $50; and there is a refundable $100 sanitation bond.	Per event
Atlanta Fire Rescue Mobile Food Vehicle Inspection	Operational	Atlanta Fire Rescue does not publish a standalone mobile food vehicle inspection fee. Atlanta Code Section 78-57 sets a general existing-occupancy inspection fee of $200 for spaces up to 3,000 square feet plus a $25 processing fee. Confirm whether and how it applies to a truck with the AFRD Inspections Section at 404-546-7000.	Existing occupancies are inspected annually; confirm the cycle for mobile units with AFRD.
City of Atlanta Zoning and Location Rules for Food Truck Vending	Operational	No separate fee for the rules themselves; a $50 zoning review is built into the new occupational tax certificate application.	Not applicable; the rules stand until amended

A typical food truck in Atlanta, Georgia needs 22 separate credentials to operate legally, and that is for one location. Federal, statewide, and local Atlanta requirements all stack on the same food truck, each with its own renewal date, fee, and issuing agency.

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Each food truck credential in Atlanta, explained

Grouped by the level of government that issues it, county then city. Every credential here is specific to operating a food truck in Atlanta, Georgia.

County level

6 credentials

Fulton County Mobile Food Service Establishment Permit (County of Origin)

This is Fulton County's own issue of the state Mobile Food Service Establishment permit, and a single annual fee covers both your base of operations and the truck. The county assigns a risk type (I, II, or III) from how complex your menu and cooking are, and the fee climbs with it. The permit is not transferable, and it does not let you work outside Fulton County on its own; an outside county still wants its own HB 1443 authorization.

Issued by: Fulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health Services
Fee: $450 a year for Risk Type I (no-cook or packaged food), $600 for Risk Type II (cook and serve), or $750 for Risk Type III (complex or HACCP). One fee covers both the base of operations and the unit when both sit in Fulton County. The published schedule dates to April 2022, so confirm the current amount with the Fulton County Board of Health at 770-520-7500 before you apply.
Renewal: Annual, on the anniversary of issuance
Processing: Plan review comes first, so allow about 4 to 8 weeks for a new applicant. Confirm current timing with FCBOH.

Fulton County Mobile Food Service Establishment Plan Review

Fulton County reviews your plans before it will issue a new mobile permit. You submit the application, a scaled drawing of the unit and base layout, equipment specification sheets, the menu, and interior and exterior photos of the truck.

Issued by: Fulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health Services
Fee: Matches the annual permit by risk type: $450 (Type I), $600 (Type II), or $750 (Type III), charged on the initial application for a new establishment and covering the base and unit together. A plan resubmission costs $250 after the first free resubmittal.
Renewal: One-time per new application, or when major changes force a re-review
Processing: Confirm current timing with FCBOH at 770-520-7500.

Fulton County Authorization to Operate (Out-of-County Mobile Unit)

If your truck is permitted in another county, HB 1443 lets you work Fulton County on an authorization instead of a second full permit. Fulton charges a reduced $300 annual inspection fee for these units, and you apply on the Mobile Food Service Unit Application for Additional Counties form on the FCBOH site.

Issued by: Fulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health Services
Fee: $300 a year for the inspection of a unit based in another county. Fulton's separate administrative verification fee under HB 1443 was reported at $75 when the county adopted its 2023 resolution but is not on the published schedule, so confirm it with FCBOH.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: Confirm current timing with FCBOH.

DeKalb County Mobile Food Service Permit

For a truck based in the DeKalb slice of Atlanta, DeKalb Public Health issues the mobile permit, and its fees run well below Fulton's. DeKalb charges the unit and the base of operations separately and asks for a Mobile Food Service Application, a Base of Operation Application (for DeKalb-based trucks), a location listing, a property use agreement, and a toilet use agreement.

Issued by: DeKalb Public Health, Division of Environmental Health
Fee: $240 a year for Category 1 (no cook), $245 for Category 2 (cook and serve), or $250 for Category 3 (complex), with the same category rates charged separately for the base of operations. Amounts are from the DeKalb Public Health fee schedule effective January 1, 2024.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: File at least 30 days before you intend to open; confirm timing with DeKalb Public Health at 404-508-7900.

DeKalb County Mobile Food Service Plan Review

DeKalb Public Health reviews plans before issuing a new mobile permit. You turn in the completed application with your menu, plans, and supporting documents along with the fee. DeKalb's plan review, like its annual permit, costs less than Fulton's.

Issued by: DeKalb Public Health, Division of Environmental Health
Fee: $300 for Category 1 (no cook), $350 for Category 2 (cook and serve), or $500 for Category 3 (complex), as a one-time charge on the initial application. Fee schedule effective January 1, 2024.
Renewal: One-time per new application, or on major changes
Processing: Submit at least 30 days before opening.

DeKalb County Authorization to Operate (Out-of-County Mobile Unit)

A truck permitted in another county that wants to work the DeKalb portion of Atlanta applies on DeKalb Public Health's Expedited Authorization Permitting Application. DeKalb charges $50 to verify your home permit is in good standing, well below Fulton's comparable fee.

Issued by: DeKalb Public Health, Division of Environmental Health
Fee: $50 per authorization, under the DeKalb fee schedule effective January 1, 2024.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: Confirm current timing with DeKalb Public Health.

City level

4 credentials

City of Atlanta Business Occupational Tax Certificate

Every business operating inside Atlanta city limits needs this, food trucks included, and holding it also makes you eligible to apply for the city's public vending permit. The tax is built mostly on Georgia gross receipts and headcount rather than a flat fee. Late filing runs a $500 penalty, and late payment adds 1.5 percent monthly interest plus a further 10 percent penalty after June 30.

Issued by: City of Atlanta, Department of Finance, Office of Revenue
Fee: A $191 annual registration beginning with the 2026 tax year (up from $75), plus a $50 flat tax on the first $10,000 of Georgia gross receipts, plus a gross-receipts rate above that set by your assigned NAICS tax class (Atlanta Code Section 30-62), plus $25 per employee after the first. New applications also pay a one-time $50 zoning review. Estimate your total on the ATLBIZ portal or call the Office of Revenue at 404-546-0311.
Renewal: Annual; renew by February 15, with payment due April 1
Processing: Filed online through the ATLBIZ portal at atlbiz.atlantaga.gov. Confirm current processing time with the Office of Revenue.

Street Eats Atlanta Public Vending Food Truck Permit

This permit lets you vend from the city's designated on-street food truck spots, currently six locations including Armour Yards, both Atlanta City Hall sites (Mitchell Street and Trinity Avenue), Peachtree at 16th Street, Peachtree Place at Cypress, and West Peachtree at North Avenue. You reserve specific spots and time slots ahead through Street Food Finder. It is entirely separate from the private property permit, and you must carry a valid Atlanta or home-municipality business license alongside it.

Issued by: City of Atlanta, Department of City Planning, Economic Development, with the Atlanta Police Department License and Permit Unit
Fee: A $75 annual permit application fee, a $350 annual Street Food Finder reservation fee (the platform you book designated spots through), a $50 annual background check, and a one-time $20 fingerprinting fee, for $495 in the first year. All fees are non-refundable.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: Apply through the ATLBIZ portal. The background check must clear within 30 calendar days of filing or the application is void.

City of Atlanta Private Property Food Truck Vending Permit

Required to vend on private property in Atlanta, such as a parking lot or private venue. Before you apply to APD you need written zoning approval from the Atlanta Zoning Enforcement Division (404-330-6175) and a notarized permission letter from the property owner. Vending longer than 90 days at a site adds a Special Use Permit from the Office of Zoning; under 90 days may instead need a Special Activity Permit.

Issued by: Atlanta Police Department, License and Permit Unit
Fee: $50 application plus a $75 food vending fee plus $20 fingerprinting, so $145 for a food-only vendor. A combined food and merchandise vendor pays $50 plus a $125 combination fee plus $20, or $195. Confirm current amounts with the APD License and Permit Unit at 404-546-4470.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: Fingerprinting and the background check are done in person at the APD License and Permit Unit, 3493 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy NW, weekdays 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Mayor's Office of Special Events Outdoor Event Permit

MOSE permits outdoor public events in Atlanta where vending happens, 75 or more people are expected, or city services are needed. When you vend at someone else's event you go through the organizer, who coordinates the vendor list and confirms each vendor's health and city permits beforehand. Park events with vending also need a Park Facility Permit Application through MOSE.

Issued by: City of Atlanta, Mayor's Office of Special Events (MOSE)
Fee: MOSE permits go to the event organizer, not individual vendors, so as a vendor you work through the organizer. If you are organizing: an assembly permit application is $50 (under 10,000 people) to $100 (10,000 or more); outdoor festival commercial permits run $500 (Class E, 250 to 1,999 attendees) up to $15,000 (Class A, 50,000 or more), with $100 to $150 application fees; a large gathering application is $50; and there is a refundable $100 sanitation bond.
Renewal: Per event
Processing: Outdoor festival applications are due 90 days out; assembly and large gathering applications 30 days out. Late applications are denied.

Operational level

2 credentials

Atlanta Fire Rescue Mobile Food Vehicle Inspection

Atlanta Fire Rescue inspects any truck with cooking equipment. Confirmed requirements include an NFPA 96, UL 300 listed hood suppression system, a Class K extinguisher, proper exhaust ventilation, and compliance with the LP gas rules in Section 78-57 (no separate LP gas permit under 120 gallons water capacity; a permit between 120 and 200 gallons; a permit plus plan submittal above 200). Practically, fire sign-off comes first, since the county health application requires proof of fire compliance before it issues the permit.

Issued by: Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Office of the Fire Marshal, Inspections Section
Fee: Atlanta Fire Rescue does not publish a standalone mobile food vehicle inspection fee. Atlanta Code Section 78-57 sets a general existing-occupancy inspection fee of $200 for spaces up to 3,000 square feet plus a $25 processing fee. Confirm whether and how it applies to a truck with the AFRD Inspections Section at 404-546-7000.
Renewal: Existing occupancies are inspected annually; confirm the cycle for mobile units with AFRD.
Processing: Register for an inspection through the AFRD online form. Confirm timing with the Inspections Section.

City of Atlanta Zoning and Location Rules for Food Truck Vending

Under Atlanta Code Chapter 30, Article XXIII, designated right-of-way food truck spots are allowed in every zoning class except single-family and two-family residential, and must sit at least 200 feet from those districts; right-of-way next to parks and MARTA stations qualifies regardless of zoning. You have to leave at least five feet of pedestrian clearance on the sidewalk. Private property vending under Article XXIV needs zoning verification and, by duration, either a Special Activity Permit (under 90 days) or a Special Use Permit (over 90 days). Vending on BeltLine parks and trails is currently barred.

Issued by: City of Atlanta, Department of City Planning, Office of Zoning and Development
Fee: No separate fee for the rules themselves; a $50 zoning review is built into the new occupational tax certificate application.
Renewal: Not applicable; the rules stand until amended
Processing: Not applicable

See how other food trucks in Atlanta are managing every permit, license, and renewal in one place with CredentiAlert.

Atlanta-specific things to watch for

1The county line runs through Atlanta. Most of the city is in Fulton County, but a portion on the east side, including parts of Kirkwood and East Atlanta, sits in DeKalb. Which board of health permits you depends on where your base of operations physically sits, not where you sell, and a Fulton-based truck that wants to work the DeKalb side still has to buy DeKalb's $50 HB 1443 authorization. Plenty of operators never realize the line splits the city.

2The public-curb permit and the private-lot permit are two different animals. A Street Eats Atlanta right-of-way permit does not cover a private parking lot, and the Atlanta Police private property permit does not cover a designated street zone. Both also sit on top of a county health permit, so the health permit has to come first no matter which one you are after.

3The Atlanta occupational tax certificate registration jumped from $75 to $191 starting with the 2026 tax year, so budgets built on older guides undercount it. The tax itself is gross-receipts based rather than a flat fee, calculated with a four-part formula, so a truck clearing several hundred thousand a year in Georgia revenue owes well more than the registration line alone.

4The Atlanta BeltLine is off limits. It is managed jointly by the city Parks and Recreation department and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., and the city vending program page states outright that vending is prohibited on its parks and trails. The heavy foot traffic makes operators assume it is fair game when it is not.

5Fulton County's posted fee schedule dates to April 2022 and is not on the main FCBOH site, so it is the only confirmed published version and may have been adjusted since. Anyone relying on these numbers without calling FCBOH at 770-520-7500 risks underpaying and getting an application bounced or a permit delayed.

How long does it take?

Plan on about 10 to 16 weeks start to operating. Building out the truck, lining up a commissary base, and drafting the plan-review drawings eats 2 to 4 weeks before you can file anything. The county health plan review and pre-opening inspection add roughly 4 to 6 weeks, and the Atlanta occupational tax certificate filed through ATLBIZ usually clears in 1 to 3 weeks alongside it. The Street Eats or private-property vending permit adds another 1 to 2 weeks after the health permit is in hand, since each needs a copy of it, and you want the fire inspection scheduled early because the health application asks for proof of fire compliance up front.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a permit to operate a food truck in Atlanta, Georgia?

Yes, and more than one. At a minimum you need a county mobile food permit from either the Fulton County or DeKalb County board of health (whichever county your base of operations sits in), a City of Atlanta business occupational tax certificate, and a city vending permit: Street Eats Atlanta for public curb zones, the Atlanta Police private property permit for private lots, or both if you do both. Any truck that cooks also gets an Atlanta Fire Rescue inspection.

How much is a food truck permit in Atlanta?

There is no single fee because the permits stack. A typical Fulton County-based truck working the public right-of-way pays the county plan review plus annual permit ($450 to $750 by risk type), the Atlanta occupational tax certificate ($191 registration plus a variable gross-receipts tax), and the Street Eats Atlanta bundle ($495 covering the permit, the Street Food Finder fee, the background check, and fingerprinting). A DeKalb-based truck pays lower county fees ($300 to $500 plan review and $240 to $250 a year) but the same city fees. Fire inspection fees are not published, so confirm them with Atlanta Fire Rescue.

Where can you park a food truck in Atlanta?

On the public right-of-way you can only set up in one of the city's designated food truck zones, currently six spots booked through the Street Eats Atlanta program and the Street Food Finder system. Those zones are allowed in every zoning class except single-family and two-family residential and must be at least 200 feet from such districts. On private property you need the owner's written permission, a zoning clearance, and an Atlanta Police private property vending permit. Vending on the Atlanta BeltLine is prohibited.

Which health department issues the permit if my base of operations is in Atlanta?

It depends on the county your base physically sits in. Most of Atlanta is in Fulton County, so most Atlanta trucks are permitted by the Fulton County Board of Health (10 Park Place SE, 770-520-7500). If your commissary is in the DeKalb portion of the city, DeKalb Public Health permits you instead (445 Winn Way, Decatur, 404-508-7900). Under HB 1443 your home-county permit is recognized statewide, so for any other county you pull a lower-cost authorization rather than a second full permit.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-06-28. Requirements change. Always confirm with the issuing department before applying.