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10 permits · verified 2026-10-10

What permits do you need to open a food truck in Adams County Co?

In short

A food truck in Adams County Co, CO has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Colorado Secretary of State, Business Division charges $50 one-time filing, online only for the articles of incorporation. 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-10 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a food truck in Adams County Co

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Retail Food Establishment License (annual; fixed and mobile)Adams County Health Department, Environmental HealthAmounts the Adams County Health Department publishes for 2026 under "Fees Set by Colorado Legislature" (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1), as enacted by SB25-285): restaurant or caterer 0-100 seats $481, 101-200 seats $538, over 200 seats $581; limited food service establishment $338; grocery store without deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $244, over 15,000 sq. ft. $441; grocery store with deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $469, over 15,000 sq. ft. $894; mobile unit full service $481, prepackaged food $338. The statutory schedule changes on 1/1/2027; contact ACHD for the amounts it charges from that date.annual, valid January 1 through December 31; mobile licenses expire December 31 regardless of issue date; not prorated and not transferable2026-10-10
Special Event Retail Food Licenseonly if it applies to youAdams County Health Department, Environmental HealthSpecial events license $165 a year per license; special event plan review application $160 per event; late fee $50 per late application; special event inspection $80 per hour per inspector (ACHD 2026 fee page).annual (the license fee is charged annually per license); plan review per event2026-10-10
Retail Food Establishment Plan Review (fixed and mobile)only if it applies to youAdams County Health Department, Environmental Health$155 application fee at submission; plan review and pre-opening inspection billed at an hourly rate and not to exceed $900, due at licensing (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(2)). HACCP plan review at actual cost, not to exceed $620 for a process already conducted at the facility and $100 for a specific written process (25-4-1607(4)). Optional site evaluation of a potential location: $120 or the actual cost, whichever is greater, with $120 billed when requested (25-4-1607(5)).one-time, before a new, extensively remodelled or never-licensed establishment or mobile unit opens2026-10-10
Retail Food Establishment LicenseColorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability$244–$1,063 a year for 2026, banded by establishment type and size; the schedule rises in 2027 and 2028annual2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youColorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and SustainabilityNo feeset by the certifying programme, not by Colorado2026-09-03

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

CO 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
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youColorado Secretary of State, Business Division$50 one-time filing, online onlyperpetual, but a periodic report is due every year2026-09-03
General Business License — Colorado position (issued locally)only if it applies to youColorado Secretary of State, Business DivisionNo feeset by the city or county2026-09-03
Sales Tax LicenseColorado Department of Revenue, Taxation DivisionVaries — formula on the CO page2 years — every license expires on 31 December of an odd-numbered year2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youColorado Secretary of State, Business Division$50 one-time filing, online onlyperpetual, but a periodic report is due every year2026-09-03
Periodic Reportonly if it applies to youColorado Secretary of State, Business Division$25 a year; $50 more if filed lateannual — due in the entity's own periodic report month2026-09-03

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 Adams County Co?

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 Adams County Co, CO, 3 apply to every business of this type and 7 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 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Retail Food Establishment License (annual; fixed and mobile): Amounts the Adams County Health Department publishes for 2026 under "Fees Set by Colorado Legislature" (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1), as enacted by SB25-285): restaurant or caterer 0-100 seats $481, 101-200 seats $538, over 200 seats $581; limited food service establishment $338; grocery store without deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $244, over 15,000 sq. ft. $441; grocery store with deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $469, over 15,000 sq. ft. $894; mobile unit full service $481, prepackaged food $338. The statutory schedule changes on 1/1/2027; contact ACHD for the amounts it charges from that date.

Special Event Retail Food License: Special events license $165 a year per license; special event plan review application $160 per event; late fee $50 per late application; special event inspection $80 per hour per inspector (ACHD 2026 fee page).

Retail Food Establishment Plan Review (fixed and mobile): $155 application fee at submission; plan review and pre-opening inspection billed at an hourly rate and not to exceed $900, due at licensing (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(2)). HACCP plan review at actual cost, not to exceed $620 for a process already conducted at the facility and $100 for a specific written process (25-4-1607(4)). Optional site evaluation of a potential location: $120 or the actual cost, whichever is greater, with $120 billed when requested (25-4-1607(5)).

Retail Food Establishment License: $244–$1,063 a year for 2026, banded by establishment type and size; the schedule rises in 2027 and 2028

The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Adams County Co permits page and the CO state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Adams County Co?

Permits for a food truck in Adams County Co, CO come from 4 separate offices: Adams County Health Department, Environmental Health, Colorado Secretary of State, Business Division, Colorado Department of Revenue, Taxation Division, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability. 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 Adams County Co that other businesses do not?

Certified Food Protection Manager

No state fee, because Colorado runs no certification scheme of its own — it adopts the 2022 federal food code by reference and with it the certified food protection manager requirement, which took effect on 1 March 2025. The certificate comes from an accredited private programme at that programme's price and on its term. Colorado excludes four provisions of that code when adopting it, on patio dogs, preoperational inspections, the permit to operate and inspection follow-up, but the manager provision is not among the exclusions. There is no statewide food handler card — the phrase appears nowhere in the regulations — though an individual local public health agency may expect training of its own.

Shared with other businesses in Adams County Co

  • Retail Food Establishment License (annual; fixed and mobile) — Adams County Health Department, Environmental Health, Amounts the Adams County Health Department publishes for 2026 under "Fees Set by Colorado Legislature" (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1), as enacted by SB25-285): restaurant or caterer 0-100 seats $481, 101-200 seats $538, over 200 seats $581; limited food service establishment $338; grocery store without deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $244, over 15,000 sq. ft. $441; grocery store with deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $469, over 15,000 sq. ft. $894; mobile unit full service $481, prepackaged food $338. The statutory schedule changes on 1/1/2027; contact ACHD for the amounts it charges from that date., annual, valid January 1 through December 31; mobile licenses expire December 31 regardless of issue date; not prorated and not transferable. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Special Event Retail Food License — Adams County Health Department, Environmental Health, Special events license $165 a year per license; special event plan review application $160 per event; late fee $50 per late application; special event inspection $80 per hour per inspector (ACHD 2026 fee page)., annual (the license fee is charged annually per license); plan review per event. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Retail Food Establishment Plan Review (fixed and mobile) — Adams County Health Department, Environmental Health, $155 application fee at submission; plan review and pre-opening inspection billed at an hourly rate and not to exceed $900, due at licensing (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(2)). HACCP plan review at actual cost, not to exceed $620 for a process already conducted at the facility and $100 for a specific written process (25-4-1607(4)). Optional site evaluation of a potential location: $120 or the actual cost, whichever is greater, with $120 billed when requested (25-4-1607(5))., one-time, before a new, extensively remodelled or never-licensed establishment or mobile unit opens. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • Retail Food Establishment License — Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability, $244–$1,063 a year for 2026, banded by establishment type and size; the schedule rises in 2027 and 2028, annual. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.

The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across CO and are covered on the CO state page.

How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Adams County Co?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Liquor or Fermented Malt Beverage License: Adams County approval before state filing (unincorporated county), which a food truck does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Adams County Co, CO, compared with a food truck
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a food truckOnly a food truck needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6501
Restaurants7502
Retail stores3231
Auto repair shops1051
Childcare centres2052
Contractors and trades3053
Fitness studios1051
Salons and barbers1051
Veterinary clinics1051

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 coffee shops page, retail stores page and restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Adams County Co permits page and the CO state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. 6 CCR 1010-2 — Colorado retail food establishment regulations, adopting the 2022 FDA Food Code and the certified food protection manager requirement from 1 March 2025Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment · 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.