Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

San Jose

San José Police Department, Permits Unit

In short

San José Police Department, Permits Unit issues 4 permits we publish for San Jose, last verified 2026-10-09. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Ice Cream Truck Business Permit, Employee License and Truck Inspectiononly if it applies to youSan José Police Department, Permits UnitIce cream truck business permit $315 a year (new or renewal) plus fingerprint fees; employee license $315 a year (new or renewal) plus fingerprint fees for each driver or rider other than the permittee; ice cream truck inspection $249 per truck every 2 years. No fee for a trainee license (SJMC §6.39.320.B).annual (business permit and employee license); truck inspection and certification biennial (SJMC §6.39.280)2026-10-09
Peddler Business Permit and Peddler Employee License (street and sidewalk vending, including food trucks)only if it applies to youSan José Police Department, Permits UnitPeddler Mobile Permit $229 per 2-year permit (new or renewal; includes the initial inspection), $95 per re-inspection; Peddler Employee License $296 per 2 years for each person other than the permittee who peddles; Identification Card $66 per 2 years. The SJPD fee page adds that County fingerprinting and PD ID card fees may be added. Veterans qualifying under California Business and Professions Code §§16001 and 16001.5 are exempt from these fees (SJMC §6.54.310).two years — each peddler permit and license expires two years after issuance (SJMC §6.54.320)2026-10-09
Peddler Approved Location Permit (fixed cart or stand on a public sidewalk)only if it applies to youSan José Police Department, Permits Unit$344 per 2-year permit (new or renewal; includes inspection of one proposed location), plus $86 per re-inspection; additional location inspections are billed at top salary step plus fringe and overheadtwo years (SJMC §6.54.320)2026-10-09
Closing-Out Business Sale Permitonly if it applies to youSan José Police Department, Permits Unit$200 per 60-day permit, plus $200 for each 30-day renewalup to 60 calendar days, renewable once for up to 30 days (SJMC §6.18.050)2026-10-09

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Ice Cream Truck Business Permit, Employee License and Truck Inspection

Applies only to ice cream trucks as defined in SJMC §6.39.030: a DMV-licensed motor vehicle used to sell prepackaged or soft-serve frozen dairy or water-based products. Under §6.39.080 an ice cream truck business needs a business permit, §6.39.090 requires an employee or trainee license from the chief of police for anyone else who drives or rides on the truck, and §6.39.280 requires each truck to be inspected and certified by the chief of police every two years. Such trucks may sell only prepackaged food (§6.39.260) and are exempt from the Chapter 6.54 peddler permit (§6.39.340). Figures are from the 2026-2027 Fees and Charges Police section, unchanged by the August 4, 2026 adopted-fees memorandum, and match SJPD's permit fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.

Peddler Business Permit and Peddler Employee License (street and sidewalk vending, including food trucks)

Under SJMC §6.54.110 no one may operate a peddler business in the city without a peddler business permit issued by the chief of police; §6.54.070 defines peddling as selling goods or food from place to place by foot, motor vehicle or mobile unit on any street, sidewalk, right-of-way, park or other public place, and §6.54.130 requires every peddler other than the permittee to hold a peddler employee license. The City's Outdoor Vending page lists 'Mobile Vendors (Food Trucks, Pushcarts, etc. That Are in Motion)' as needing a permit from SJPD, and SJPD's Permits Unit page lists a single 'Peddler Application - Mobile and Fixed Peddler'. Figures are the 2026-2027 adopted fees: the 2026-2027 Fees and Charges Police section (unchanged by the August 4, 2026 Adopted Fees and Charges memorandum) and SJPD's permit fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 show the same amounts. Operating rules include a 15-minute limit per stop for vehicles and no stops within 500 feet of a school (§6.54.240). Food peddlers must also hold and display a Santa Clara County DEH permit (§6.54.215.D). Ice cream trucks are permitted under Chapter 6.39 instead (§6.39.340).

Peddler Approved Location Permit (fixed cart or stand on a public sidewalk)

Under SJMC §6.54.140 no one may peddle from a fixed location on a public street, sidewalk or right-of-way without an approved location permit from the chief of police. Under §6.54.260 these permits cover only the sidewalk portion of a public street, are issued with a site plan, are not issued to a peddler peddling from a motor vehicle (§6.54.260.J), and are not issued in exclusively residential zones. The $344 permit, $86 re-inspection and the note on additional locations are from the 2026-2027 Fees and Charges Police section, unchanged by the August 4, 2026 adopted-fees memorandum, and match SJPD's permit fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. This is in addition to the peddler business permit and any Santa Clara County DEH permit for food.

Closing-Out Business Sale Permit

Under SJMC §6.18.020 no one may advertise or conduct a closing-out sale of the kinds Chapter 6.18 defines (for example liquidation, bankruptcy, fire or close-out sales) without a permit from the chief of police; §6.18.030 exempts court-ordered and public-officer sales, licensed auctioneers and bulk dealers in distressed stock. The permit covers the one sale, place and stock list in the application. The $200 60-day permit and $200 30-day renewal are from the 2026-2027 Fees and Charges Police section, unchanged by the August 4, 2026 adopted-fees memorandum, and match SJPD's permit fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.

Contact

Jurisdiction
San Jose
Phone
(408) 277-4452

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. City of San José — 2026-2027 Adopted Fees and Charges memorandum (August 4, 2026), which with the 2026-2027 Proposed Fees and Charges document comprises the adopted 2026-2027 feesCity of San José City Manager's Budget Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  2. City of San José — 2026-2027 Fees and Charges, Police Department section (Public Safety Permits)City of San José City Manager's Budget Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  3. City of San José — Outdoor Vending (summary of City and County vending rules on private and public property)City of San José Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  4. San José Municipal Code Chapter 6.18 — Business Sales (closing-out sales) (Supp. 5 Update 3)City of San José (via Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  5. San José Municipal Code Chapter 6.39 — Ice Cream Truck Permits (Supp. 5 Update 3)City of San José (via Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  6. San José Municipal Code Chapter 6.54 — Peddler Permit Ordinance (Supp. 5 Update 3)City of San José (via Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  7. San José Police Department — Permit Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027San José Police Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09

Other offices serving San Jose

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

California jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.