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10 permits · verified 2026-09-29

What permits do you need to open a food truck in Marshall County Al?

In short

A food truck in Marshall County Al, AL has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services charges $200 one-time filing for the certificate of formation (llc). 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-29 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a food truck in Marshall County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Alcohol License — Food or Beverage Truck (Unincorporated Area Only)only if it applies to youMarshall County Commission (County Administrator)The Commission's May 13, 2026 fee resolution lists a food or beverage truck license (type 310) at a $1,000 annual county license fee plus a $100 non-refundable filing fee.annual; license year runs October 1 through September 30; renewals accepted from August 1; a license issued April 1 or later pays one-half of the license fee2026-09-29
County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area)only if it applies to youMarshall County Commission (County Administrator)The Commission's May 13, 2026 resolution levies a county tax of 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold by the bottle and 8% of gross proceeds on liquor served on the premises.paid monthly on liquor sales while the county alcohol license is held2026-09-29
Food Establishment PermitAlabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging$50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the stateannual — expiring when the privilege licenses expire, or on a date the health officer sets2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and LodgingNo fee5 years for a certification; 12 months for attendance without certification2026-09-03

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

AL registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
State and County Business Privilege Licenseonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the AL pageannual — 1 October to 30 September, delinquent 1 November2026-09-03
Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business Services$200 one-time filingperpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 20242026-09-03
Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business Services$200 one-time filingperpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 20242026-09-03
Corporation Annual Report (abolished)only if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business ServicesNo feenot applicable — the filing no longer exists2026-09-03
Business Privilege Taxonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the AL pageannual — due when the matching federal return is due2026-09-03
Sales Tax LicenseAlabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionNo feeannual — renew online between 1 November and 31 December2026-09-03

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

How much does it actually cost to permit a food truck in Marshall County Al?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a food truck in Marshall County Al, AL, 2 apply to every business of this type and 8 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

5 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

County Alcohol License — Food or Beverage Truck (Unincorporated Area Only): The Commission's May 13, 2026 fee resolution lists a food or beverage truck license (type 310) at a $1,000 annual county license fee plus a $100 non-refundable filing fee.

County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area): The Commission's May 13, 2026 resolution levies a county tax of 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold by the bottle and 8% of gross proceeds on liquor served on the premises.

Food Establishment Permit: $50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the state

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Marshall County Al permits page and the AL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Marshall County Al?

Permits for a food truck in Marshall County Al, AL come from 5 separate offices: Marshall County Commission (County Administrator), Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division, Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services, Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division, Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a food truck need in Marshall County Al that other businesses do not?

1 of the 4 permits particular to a food truck here applies to no other business type we cover in Marshall County Al: County Alcohol License — Food or Beverage Truck (Unincorporated Area Only).

County Alcohol License — Food or Beverage Truck (Unincorporated Area Only)

A food truck needs this license only if it sells alcohol, and only when it operates in the unincorporated area of Marshall County. Albertville, Arab, Boaz, Guntersville and Grant license alcohol themselves, so a truck selling in one of those cities deals with that city. Type 310 is the fee table's line for a food or beverage truck. The application goes to the County Administrator at 424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, after the Alabama ABC Board application, and the Commission acts after a published public hearing where one is required. A health permit is required if food is served. The $1,000 annual fee and $100 filing fee are from the Commission's May 13, 2026 fee resolution.

Food Establishment Permit

There is no state food permit fee at all — the health department's own rule listing every fee it collects at state level covers lead contractors, milk plants and cluster wastewater, and the word food does not appear in it. The permit comes from the county health officer and the price is the county's. That split is fiscal rather than regulatory: all sixty-seven counties enforce the same state rule, but the state runs sixty-five of the county health departments while Jefferson and Mobile elect their own health officers, hire their own staff and set their own fees, which run several times higher. Russell County charges $75 to $350 by priority category, with a mobile unit at $50 and a temporary at $10 a day; Chilton charges $50 to $100 by seats or floor area; Jefferson charges $250 to $650 by level; Mobile charges $410 or $615 by square footage. Ask your own county rather than working from a statewide figure, because none exists. A restaurant must also produce the health certificate before the county will issue its privilege license.

Shared with other businesses in Marshall County Al

  • County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area) — Marshall County Commission (County Administrator), The Commission's May 13, 2026 resolution levies a county tax of 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold by the bottle and 8% of gross proceeds on liquor served on the premises., paid monthly on liquor sales while the county alcohol license is held. Also required for restaurants and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Certified Food Protection Manager — Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging, No fee, 5 years for a certification; 12 months for attendance without certification. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.

The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AL and are covered on the AL state page.

How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Marshall County Al?

The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 3 of these permits. A food truck also needs County Alcohol License — Food or Beverage Truck (Unincorporated Area Only). A restaurant needs County Alcohol License — Restaurant Retail Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only), County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only), Alabama State and County Business Privilege License and Probate Mail-Renewal Fee for Business Licenses, which a food truck does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Marshall County Al, AL, compared with a food truck
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a food truckOnly a food truck needsOnly it needs
Restaurants7314
Coffee shops5223
Retail stores5134
Auto repair shops4044
Contractors and trades4044
Salons and barbers3043

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Marshall County Al permits page and the AL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Marshall County Commission resolution assessing licensing fees and levying sales and/or use taxes on alcoholic beverages in the unincorporated areas (adopted May 13, 2026)Marshall County Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  2. Marshall County Commission alcohol regulation resolution, revised September 10, 2025 — permitted business types, application, public hearing, licence yearMarshall County Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  3. Marshall County alcohol licensing pageMarshall County Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  4. HB262 (Act 2024-254), enrolled — Marshall County alcohol amendment authorizing regulation and licensing in the unincorporated areaAlabama Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  5. Alabama Administrative Code chapter 420-1-5 — the exhaustive list of fees the health department collects at state level, which contains no food establishment feeAlabama Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  6. Alabama Administrative Code chapter 420-3-22 — food establishment sanitation, permits issued by the county health officerAlabama Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  7. Russell County Health Department — environmental fee schedule, revised 27 March 2025, an example of a state-run county's food permit feesAlabama Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  8. Mobile County Health Department — board of health fee schedule, 5 December 2025, an independent county department's food permit feesMobile County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

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