Food trucks in Alabama
Alabama regulates food trucks under the state's Food Establishment Sanitation rules (Ala. Admin. Code 420-3-22), but approval is county by county: a mobile food unit must be approved by the Health Officer of each county before it operates there, and approval in one county does not carry over to another. Permits come from county health departments; Jefferson County (Birmingham) and Mobile County run their own health department websites and permit programs. In 2026 the Legislature passed SB197: from January 1, 2027, a unit holding a valid health inspection certificate from the county health department where its commissary is located and a valid fire inspection certificate is exempt from further local health and fire inspections.
Who issues food truck permits in Alabama
Licensed by county or city health departments
Rule 420-3-22-.09 says mobile food units and pushcarts must operate from a commissary and report to it at least daily for supplies, cleaning and servicing. The commissary's name, address and phone number must be shown on at least two sides of the unit, and Jefferson County requires the commissary to be a licensed commercial kitchen or approved facility in the county where the unit is permitted. Source ↗
ALDOR says to register an in-state retail business through the My Alabama Taxes (MAT) portal to get a Sales Tax License, which is mailed after you register. Cities such as Birmingham also require a business license, so check local requirements where you sell. Source ↗
SB197, passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2026, directs the State Fire Marshal to set up a uniform statewide fire inspection for mobile food units based on the International Fire Code provisions for mobile food preparation vehicles, carried out by local fire departments the State Fire Marshal authorizes. The inspection checks that hoods and hood suppression systems meet NFPA 96, that suppression systems are serviced and hoods cleaned and tagged at least every six months, that LP-gas systems meet NFPA 58 with an annual pressure test by a gas fitter certified by the Alabama Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board, and that electrical appliances meet NFPA 70. Fire certificates are valid for six months. The exemption from local inspections applies from January 1, 2027; Birmingham currently requires its own fire inspection ($100, as listed by the City on 2026-10-03), even if you passed one in another city. Source ↗
Food truck cities in Alabama
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Questions and answers
Does an Alabama food truck permit from one county let me operate in another county?
Not under the current rule. Rule 420-3-22-.09 says approval to operate in one county does not authorize operation in any other county, so each county's Health Officer must approve the unit first. SB197, passed in 2026, exempts units holding a valid health inspection certificate (issued by the county health department where the commissary is located) and a valid fire inspection certificate from further local health and fire inspections from January 1, 2027, though county health departments and certifying fire officials can still inspect a unit while it operates. Check with your county health department on how this is being applied.
Do I need a commissary to run a food truck in Alabama?
Yes. Under Rule 420-3-22-.09, mobile food units and pushcarts must operate from a commissary and return to it at least daily for supplies, cleaning and servicing. The commissary permit holder is also responsible for the unit following its approved plan of operations.
What permits does a food truck need in Birmingham?
The City lists these steps: a Birmingham fire inspection ($100), a health permit from the Jefferson County Department of Health, a mobile food vendor permit from the Department of Transportation ($200), and a City of Birmingham business license. Fees are as listed by the City on 2026-10-03.
Does my Alabama food truck need restroom access?
If you plan to stay at one location for two hours or more, Rule 420-3-22-.09 says your plan of operations must provide toilet facilities for the operator in a permanent building that is not a private residence, within about 200 feet of the unit unless the Health Officer approves otherwise.
Sources
Facts checked against official sources on October 3, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the agency before you apply.
- www.alabamapublichealth.gov/foodsafety/food-and-lodging.html
- www.alabamapublichealth.gov/foodsafety/
- www.alabamapublichealth.gov/about/locations.html
- admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/rule/420-3-22-.09
- alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB197-enr.pdf
- www.revenue.alabama.gov/faq-categories/sales-tax-license/
- jcdh.org/SitePages/Misc/MobileFoodUnits.aspx
- www.birminghamal.gov/government/city-departments/department-transportation/stay-date-latest-food-truck-news-birmingham
- www.alabamapublichealth.gov/madison/environmental-services.html
- mchd.org/environmental-health/
- mchd.org/mchd-is-117-permit-application/
- www.alabamapublichealth.gov/montgomery/food-establishment-sanitation.html