Seattle Food Truck Permits & Compliance Checklist

Seattle Food Truck Permits & Licenses Required

Food trucks operating in Seattle must obtain a Mobile Food Vendor Permit from the King County Health Department, plus a City of Seattle Business License and Food Service License. You'll need a Health Permit specific to your food truck's fixed commissary location—the commercial kitchen where you prepare, store, and wash equipment. All permits require proof of insurance (general liability minimum $1 million), a passing health inspection, and an approved commissary facility. The vehicle itself must pass a pre-operational inspection verifying water supply capacity, hot water availability, waste disposal systems, and handwashing sink functionality.

King County Health Inspection Checklist Items

King County inspectors focus on Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods, handwashing compliance, cross-contamination prevention, and equipment sanitation. Your inspection will verify that cold storage maintains 41°F or below, hot holding reaches and maintains 135°F or higher, and thermometers are calibrated and visible. Inspectors verify that single-use gloves are available, handwashing stations have hot water (at least 100°F), soap, and paper towels, and that raw and ready-to-eat foods are stored separately. Common violations include improper cooling procedures, inadequate handwashing facilities, missing or illegible temperature logs, and failure to maintain commissary facility standards.

Common Seattle Food Truck Violations to Avoid

The most frequent violations include operating without a valid Mobile Food Vendor Permit, failing temperature logs for potentially hazardous foods, and inadequate handwashing station setup (insufficient hot water or missing soap). Other violations involve using unapproved commissary facilities, operating from unpermitted locations without proper landowner consent, and lacking pest control measures or documented cleaning schedules. Seattle also enforces strict rules on where food trucks can legally park—generally 600 feet from restaurants and schools, with specific neighborhood restrictions. Avoid selling directly from home-based commissaries (prohibited in Washington State) and ensure your vehicle passes annual safety inspections and maintains proper labeling for all prepared foods.

Monitor Seattle health violations in real-time. Try Panko free.

Real-time food safety alerts from 25+ government sources. AI-scored by urgency. Less than one bad meal a month — $4.99/mo.