Food trucks in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania licenses food trucks, carts, trailers and stick stands as mobile food facilities. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) issues the license in most of the state, while county and local health departments, including those in Allegheny County and Philadelphia, license in their own areas. PDA says there is no reciprocity between it and local health departments, so each one must be contacted separately. PDA puts mobile units into four types based on the riskiest item on the menu.
Read the full guide: how to get a food truck permit in Pennsylvania →
Who issues food truck permits in Pennsylvania
State and local health departments
PDA's operation guide ties the commissary to the unit type and menu. A commissary is always required when opened time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food is date-marked for later use, when food is prepared off the unit, or when cooked and cooled food is stored. A self-contained unit may operate without one if the inspector finds it properly equipped during plan review. A home may be used only to store unopened commercially prepackaged food and single-use items, kept separate from personal space, or to make shelf-stable food under a Limited Food Establishment registration. A commercial commissary used for food storage or preparation needs its own Food Establishment registration. The Allegheny County Health Department says every mobile food facility must report to a commissary and keep a log of those visits. Source ↗
Register for a sales tax license through myPATH. The state rate is 6 percent. An extra 1 percent local tax applies in Allegheny County and 2 percent in Philadelphia, as listed on the Department of Revenue on 2026-10-03. The department lists food that is not ready-to-eat as exempt. Its Retailer's Information Guide covers how specific foods are taxed. Source ↗
PDA's Mobile Food Facility Operation Guide says local rules govern ventilation and fire protection for mobile food facilities, and that approvals from other agencies, such as zoning, building codes and the Fire Marshal, may be needed. Check with the municipality and the local fire officials where you plan to operate. Source ↗
Food truck cities in Pennsylvania
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Questions and answers
Who licenses a food truck in Pennsylvania?
PDA licenses mobile food facilities unless a county or local health department covers the area. PDA's mobile food page names Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Erie, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Use PDA's food safety jurisdiction search to check your address.
Is a PDA mobile food license valid in Philadelphia or Allegheny County?
No. PDA says there is no reciprocity between local health departments and PDA, so contact each local health department separately for licensing.
What are Pennsylvania's mobile food facility types?
PDA uses four types. Type 1 sells only prepackaged shelf-stable food. Type 2 sells only commercially prepackaged refrigerated food. Type 3 handles unpackaged food, including cooking for same-day service or reheating commercially processed food. Type 4 sells food that is cooked and then cooled for later use.
How early should I apply to PDA for a mobile food license?
PDA asks for all plan review material at least 60 days before you prepare or sell food, and it reviews submissions within 15 business days. A new mobile food facility license is $241, as listed on PDA on 2026-10-03.
Sources
Facts checked against official sources on October 3, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the agency before you apply.
- www.pa.gov/agencies/pda/food/food-safety/retail-food
- www.pa.gov/agencies/pda/food/food-safety/retail-food/fairs-and-other-temporary-events
- www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/pda/documents/consumer_protection/foodsafety/retail-food/documents/mobile%20food%20facility%20operation%20guide.pdf
- www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax
- www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/food-businesses/apply-for-a-plan-review-for-a-mobile-food-business/
- www.alleghenycounty.us/Services/Health-Department/Food-Safety/Food-Trucks-Trailers-and-Push-Carts
- eriecountypa.gov/departments/health/services-and-programs/licenses-permits-inspections/