Seattle food truck launch checklist

Follow the Seattle / King County permit path

Use this as an ordered planning checklist for a Seattle and King County operation. Your exact requirements depend on the menu, vehicle, equipment and locations. Confirm current rules with the linked agencies before spending or operating.

1. Set your menu, vehicle and intended locations; start with Seattle’s permit coaching. Write down what you will prepare, how the unit is equipped, and where you hope to vend. Seattle’s mobile-food checklist lists free 20-minute coaching with a land-use or permit specialist for location questions; use the City’s vending guide to prepare questions about your proposed setup. Official sources: Seattle Mobile Food Vending guide · Seattle Mobile Food Vending Checklist · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
2. Get a Seattle business license if you will do business in Seattle. Check the City’s current licensing page for application steps and whether an exception applies to your business. Official sources: Seattle business licenses · Seattle Mobile Food Vending guide · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
3. Choose the location-permit branch that matches each Seattle site.
   • Public right-of-way: Street, sidewalk, curb space or public plaza vending requires the applicable SDOT Street Use permit. In designated Food-Vehicle Zones, annual operation is available in 4-hour weekly increments. Vendors may propose locations not on SDOT’s Vendor’s Bulletin, subject to the applicable permit rules. Seattle describes the approval timeline as about 8 weeks from submission; this is an estimate, not a guarantee. Public right-of-way vending is for food and flowers, except Stadium and Event Center vending, which also allows merchandise, services and nonalcoholic beverages.
   • Private property: SDCI oversees private-property vending. Ask SDCI and the property owner which land-use or site approvals apply before committing to a location.
   Needs human review Private-property permit details vary by site and are not fully resolved here. Official sources: Seattle Mobile Food Vending guide · Seattle Mobile Food Vending Checklist · SDOT vending permits · Current SDOT fee information · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
4. Confirm whether Washington L&I approval applies to your unit, and complete it before King County’s permit and pre-operational approval. Seattle’s guide says L&I approval is required for food trucks and trailers before King County approves the pre-operational inspection and permit application; it says unenclosed food carts do not need L&I approval. L&I’s vehicle criteria also distinguish other units, so do not assume a cart, kiosk or unusual vehicle is covered or exempt. King County says a plan-review application may be submitted before L&I approval; ask both agencies how that applies to your vehicle before choosing the exact filing order. Needs human review Confirm covered vehicle types and the L&I / King County sequence for your unit. This checklist places the L&I check before King County review as a conservative planning order, while the agencies’ application sequence may differ. Official sources: Washington L&I Food Trucks & Trailers · Seattle Mobile Food Vending guide · King County mobile food business permit · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
5. Submit King County mobile plan review and receive approval before construction, remodeling or a change of ownership. Prepare the proposed unit, equipment, menu and food-preparation flow, commissary information, site/route details and restroom agreement for the application. Wait for stamped plan approval before building or changing the operation. Official sources: King County mobile food plan review · King County mobile food business permit · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
6. Arrange an approved King County commissary or apply for an exemption. Seattle’s guide summarizes the King County requirement: mobile food businesses must use an approved commissary kitchen in King County or apply for an exemption through the County’s process. Do not assume an exemption is approved just because you applied. Needs human review The exemption’s eligibility, application steps and timing need confirmation with King County. Official sources: King County mobile food business permit · King County mobile food plan review · Seattle Mobile Food Vending guide · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
7. Document a usable restroom for your operating locations. Seattle’s mobile-vending guidance says food vendors must be within 500 feet of a usable restroom with soap, paper towels or a hand dryer, and hot water at least 100°F; portable toilets are not allowed. King County’s plan-review materials include a restroom-use agreement, so confirm how the requirement applies to each stop and schedule. Needs human review Restroom verification and enforcement details need confirmation with Public Health and the applicable location authority. Official sources: Seattle Mobile Food Vending guide · King County mobile food plan review · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
8. After plan approval, apply for the King County Mobile Food Service Business permit. Submit the operating-permit application using the approved plan information, then follow the County’s invoice and payment instructions. Fee amounts are not reproduced here; check the current County fee information when applying. Official sources: King County mobile food business permit · Current King County food permit and plan-review fees · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
9. Complete King County’s pre-operational inspection before opening. Contact your plan reviewer to schedule it at least one week before opening, submit the completed inspection checklist and pass the inspection. King County issues the operating permit after a successful inspection; do not begin operating before the required inspection and permit are complete. Official source: King County mobile food business permit · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
10. Check Seattle Fire requirements for your fuel and cooking equipment. Seattle requires Fire Department review/permit for food vending with LPG, solid fuel, open flame and/or charcoal. The Seattle Fire Code limits the combined LP-gas capacity used only for cooking appliances to 200 pounds. When using a deep-fat fryer or solid fuel, provide a Class K extinguisher along the egress path as specified by the food-truck inspection checklist. Official sources: Seattle Fire permits · Seattle Fire Code, Chapter 3 · Food Truck Inspection Checklist · Last verified: 2026-11-01.
11. If you will vend at an event, check whether King County’s Fire Special Event Permit applies. The County’s fire-permit page includes temporary cooking facilities and food trucks, and says a complete application must be submitted 30 calendar days before the event starts. This deadline is for that event-related application only. Do not treat it as a substitute for the separate Seattle Fire review that may apply to your operating equipment. Needs human review The relationship between Seattle Fire operating permits and the King County event permit is not established here; ask both authorities which approvals your event requires. Official source: King County Fire and Special Event permits · Last verified: 2026-11-01.

Needs human review: fire-permit overlap; commissary-exemption eligibility and timing; restroom verification/enforcement; private-property approvals; and L&I vehicle coverage and exact sequencing. Verify these details with the agencies before relying on them. No exact permit fees are stated here; use the current fee links above.