9 permits · verified 2026-10-12
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Kent County De?
In short
A food truck in Kent County De, DE has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations charges $110 one-time filing for the certificate of formation (llc). 2 of the 9 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a food truck in Kent County De
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand)only if it applies to you | Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement | Kent County Code §205-17D: "The fee for this use shall be as set from time to time by ordinance of the Levy Court." The amount is not stated in §205-17; contact the Division of Inspections and Enforcement, (302) 744-2451, for the current amount. | for the temporary activity, which may not run more than seven consecutive days or 14 days in a calendar year (§205-17A); the county closes out the permit 10 days after it expires (§205-17F) | 2026-10-12 |
| Certified Food Protection Manager | Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Food Protection | No fee | set by the accrediting program rather than by state regulation | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Establishment Permit | Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Food Protection | $100 a year for a public eating place; ice manufacturers, food processors and vending machine locations pay $30 | annual, non-refundable | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
DE registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $110 one-time filing | perpetual, but a flat $300 tax is owed every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $109 minimum one-time filing; rises with a larger authorized-share structure | perpetual, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| LLC Annual Taxonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $300 a year, flat | annual — due every June 1 | 2026-09-04 |
| Business License | Delaware Division of Revenue | $75 a year for most classifications, $90 for general retailers; each additional location adds $25 or $40 | annual, expiring December 31 — a 3-year license may be bought after the first year at exactly three times the annual fee | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Report and Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | Varies — formula on the DE page | annual — due every March 1 | 2026-09-04 |
| Sales Tax Permit — Delaware position (gross receipts tax instead)only if it applies to you | Delaware Division of Revenue | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
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 Kent County De?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 9 records listed for a food truck in Kent County De, DE, 3 apply to every business of this type and 6 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 3 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $175.00. That is a floor, not a total. 2 of the 9 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:
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand): Kent County Code §205-17D: "The fee for this use shall be as set from time to time by ordinance of the Levy Court." The amount is not stated in §205-17; contact the Division of Inspections and Enforcement, (302) 744-2451, for the current amount.
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Kent County De permits page and the DE state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Kent County De?
Permits for a food truck in Kent County De, DE come from 4 separate offices: Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement, Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations, Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Food Protection, Delaware Division of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and EnforcementIssues 1 permit on this page: Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand)Kent County Levy Court Administrative Complex, 555 Bay Rd., Dover, DE 19901 · (302) 744-2451www.kentcountyde.gov/My-Government/Departments/Planning
- Delaware Department of State, Division of CorporationsIssues 4 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation (LLC), Certificate of Incorporation, LLC Annual Tax, Annual Report and Franchise TaxPO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903 · (302) 739-3073corp.delaware.gov
- Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Food ProtectionIssues 2 permits on this page: Certified Food Protection Manager, Food Establishment Permit417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901 · (302) 744-4546dhss.delaware.gov/dph/homepage/about/sections/hsp/licenses-and-permits/food-protection
- Delaware Division of RevenueIssues 2 permits on this page: Business License, Sales Tax Permit — Delaware position (gross receipts tax instead)820 North French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 · (302) 577-8200revenue.delaware.gov
What does a food truck need in Kent County De that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Kent County De
- Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand) — Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement, Kent County Code §205-17D: "The fee for this use shall be as set from time to time by ordinance of the Levy Court." The amount is not stated in §205-17; contact the Division of Inspections and Enforcement, (302) 744-2451, for the current amount., for the temporary activity, which may not run more than seven consecutive days or 14 days in a calendar year (§205-17A); the county closes out the permit 10 days after it expires (§205-17F). Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Certified Food Protection Manager — Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Food Protection, No fee, set by the accrediting program rather than by state regulation. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Establishment Permit — Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Food Protection, $100 a year for a public eating place; ice manufacturers, food processors and vending machine locations pay $30, annual, non-refundable. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across DE and are covered on the DE state page.
How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Kent County De?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 2 of these permits. A food truck also needs Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand). A coffee shop needs Food Service Facility FOG Interceptor and Trap Permit, which a food truck does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a food truck | Only a food truck needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Kent County De permits page and the DE state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.