Georgia Food Truck Permits by County: Home-County Permit, Base of Operation and Operating in Other Counties
If you plan to sell food from a truck in Georgia, the permit you need comes from a county health department, not from a state agency. Each truck is a Mobile Food Service Unit with its own permit, and the county where the truck is based decides whether it qualifies. Many people search for a food truck license in Georgia, but the document you need is a food truck permit. This guide explains who issues the Georgia mobile food service permit, how the base of operation works, what changes when you sell in another county, and where city rules add a second layer.
This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, forms and processes change, and each county sets parts of its own process. Confirm details with your county health department and your city or county clerk, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA if your situation is complex.
Who Issues the Georgia Food Truck Permit
The food truck permit is issued by the county Board of Health, which acts through the county health department. Under Department of Public Health Rule 511-6-1-.02, the permit is tied to the county where your truck's base of operation is located. That county is your home county, and its permit is your home-county permit. The Department of Agriculture does not issue the food truck permit, so do not start your application there.
Each truck needs its own permit. If you run two trucks, you need two Mobile Food Service Unit permits, even if one owner holds both. The application asks for a schedule of vending locations and times. Keep that schedule accurate, and report changes to the permitting county when they happen.
Your Base of Operation, Explained
A mobile food unit must return daily to its base of operation to restock supplies, fill potable water, clean equipment and dispose of wastewater (Rule 511-6-1-.08; O.C.G.A. 26-2-379(h)). The base is the place where work that a truck cannot do on the street gets done. Three points matter when you choose one:
- A restaurant's fixed food service permit cannot serve as your base. Your truck needs a base that is not already covered by another establishment's permit.
- Counties treat shared kitchens and commissary letters differently. Some accept a commissary or shared kitchen letter, and others set their own requirements for what that letter must contain. Ask your county before you sign a lease or commissary contract.
- Ask whether the county wants a signed base arrangement at the application stage. Some counties review the base with the application, and others take it up later. Get the answer in writing if you can.
When to Apply
Apply about ten business days before your first day of operation. Ask your county for its exact lead time, because plan review and inspection scheduling vary from county to county. An application filed the week before a festival is likely to miss it.
Plan Review and Fees Vary by County
Plan review, annual inspection and related fees are set by each county. The amounts depend on the risk type your county assigns to your menu and on where your base is located. Do not assume one county's fees apply in another.
As one dated example, Fulton County's fee sheet effective April 1, 2022 listed plan review plus annual inspection at $450, $600 or $750 for a unit with its base in Fulton, depending on whether it was risk type I, II or III. For a unit with its base in another county, the same sheet listed a $300 annual inspection. Fulton may have changed its schedule since then, so check the current sheet before you budget. Treat this example as one county's figures, not a statewide rate.
Operating in Other Counties
House Bill 1443, effective January 1, 2023 (O.C.G.A. 26-2-379; Rule 511-6-1-.02(4) and (5)), sets out how a permitted truck can operate outside its home county. The operator submits:
- the home-county permit,
- the permit for the base of operation,
- a list of the counties where the truck will operate, and
- a list of locations, dates and times.
The outside county then checks that your permit is in good standing in the state health database. It may charge an administrative fee limited to its cost. It must recognize your permit unless one of three things applies: the permit comes from a non-Georgia county, the permit is not in good standing, or the county has a written health or safety concern.
Recognition does not exempt you from inspection. The outside county may inspect your truck without notice, and its inspection fee is limited to its administrative cost. Keep your schedule accurate, because the outside county relies on it when it decides whether to inspect.
City Rules Still Apply
Cities and counties can regulate where trucks park and sell. Some restrict mobile food vending by ordinance or zoning, and a home-county permit does not override those rules. A business inside city limits pays the city, not the county, for its local occupation tax certificate, and the city's rules for vending apply.
Atlanta is a clear example. Street vending there requires its own permit under Chapter 30 of the city code, in addition to a health permit. The fees for those permits are not listed in this guide, so confirm them with the City of Atlanta before you apply.
Other Registrations a Food Truck Needs
The food truck permit is only one piece. Georgia has no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and sales tax registration is not a business license. Your other registrations include:
- Local occupation tax certificate. Often called a business license, this certificate is issued under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. A city issues it for businesses inside city limits, and the county issues it for unincorporated areas. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so many operators pay the county. Each of Georgia's 159 counties and about 537 cities sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites.
- E-Verify affidavit. Private employers with more than 10 employees must file an E-Verify affidavit to get the local certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6).
- Sales tax registration. Register through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov. Registration is free. The state rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% depending on county and city (Atlanta is 8.9%). Your Department of Revenue profile is kept at dor.georgia.gov.
- Workers' compensation. Required once you have three or more workers, including part-time workers.
Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption, is the resale instrument you may use when buying goods for resale. It is not a food permit, and Georgia issues no separate resale permit. For entity formation, insurance and concept planning, see the food truck business guide on this site. Those topics are not repeated here.
Quick Reference: Who Issues What
| Registration or permit | Issued by | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Food truck permit (Mobile Food Service Unit) | County Board of Health, home county | Permits the truck to sell food, with a schedule of vending locations and times |
| Base of operation approval | County health department | Confirms where the truck restocks, cleans and disposes of waste |
| Operating in other counties | Outside county health department | Recognition of the home permit, with possible inspection and an administrative fee |
| Local occupation tax certificate | City, or county for unincorporated areas | Local business licensing under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13 |
| Sales tax registration | Georgia Department of Revenue | Collecting sales tax; free; not a business license |
Questions to Ask Your County Before You Apply
- Which fee sheet applies to my risk type, and is it the current version?
- Do you accept a commissary or shared kitchen letter as my base, and what must the letter say?
- How many business days before opening should I file?
- Which local occupation tax certificate applies to my location, and do I need an E-Verify affidavit?
- What must my schedule of vending locations and times include, and how do I report changes?
- Do any city or zoning rules restrict trucks where I plan to park?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Looking for a state food truck permit. The county health department issues it.
- Assuming a restaurant's permit covers your truck. Your truck needs its own permit and its own base.
- Believing that county recognition means no inspection. The outside county may still inspect without notice.
- Treating sales tax registration as a business license. You still need the local occupation tax certificate and any city permits.
- Budgeting from an old fee sheet. Fees change, so get the current figures from the county.
Get Help With Your Filing
The Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia offers business advising at georgiasbdc.org, and the U.S. Small Business Administration lists Georgia resources at sba.gov/district/georgia. For questions about how a permit or tax rule applies to your specific operation, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA before you commit to a lease, a commissary contract or a multi-county route. This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice.