11 permits · verified 2026-10-24
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Madison County Il?
In short
A food truck in Madison County Il, IL has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health charges $75 per event; $150 in total, including a $75 late fee, when the completed application and fee are not received 48 hours before the event for the temporary food service establishment permit. 3 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-24 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a food truck in Madison County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Food Establishment Annual Service Permit | Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health | The annual mobile food establishment permit fee is set in Chapter 55 Schedule "A" of the Madison County Code; the county's posted Food Sanitation Ordinance states that fees increase on odd-numbered years. Contact the Madison County Health Department (618-692-8954) for the current amount. | 12 months from the date of issuance (Code §55.17) | 2026-10-24 |
| Temporary Food Service Establishment Permitonly if it applies to you | Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health | $75 per event; $150 in total, including a $75 late fee, when the completed application and fee are not received 48 hours before the event | no longer than 14 days, in conjunction with a single event or celebration (Code §55.17) | 2026-10-24 |
| Food Business Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health | $200 per plan review application | per project; the application is void if construction has not commenced within one year after the date of issuance | 2026-10-24 |
| Retail Food Establishment Permit | Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies | No state fee — the permit and its price are set by the local health department | set by the local health department | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Handler Training | Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies | No fee | 3 years | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Protection Manager | Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies | No fee | 5 years | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
IL registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | $150 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | $175 one-time — $150 filing fee plus $25 minimum initial franchise tax | no expiry, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | Varies — formula on the IL page | annual — an LLC files before the first day of its anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1) | Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division | No fee | continuous — no renewal | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state) | Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity | No fee | set by the issuing municipality | 2026-09-03 |
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 Madison County Il?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a food truck in Madison County Il, IL, 6 apply to every business of this type and 5 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
3 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 4 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Mobile Food Establishment Annual Service Permit: The annual mobile food establishment permit fee is set in Chapter 55 Schedule "A" of the Madison County Code; the county's posted Food Sanitation Ordinance states that fees increase on odd-numbered years. Contact the Madison County Health Department (618-692-8954) for the current amount.
Retail Food Establishment Permit: No state fee — the permit and its price are set by the local health department
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Madison County Il permits page and the IL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Madison County Il?
Permits for a food truck in Madison County Il, IL come from 5 separate offices: Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health, Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies, Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Madison County Health Department, Environmental HealthIssues 3 permits on this page: Mobile Food Establishment Annual Service Permit, Temporary Food Service Establishment Permit, Food Business Plan Review101 E. Edwardsville Road, Wood River, IL 62095 · (618) 692-8954www.madisoncountyil.gov/departments/health/food_sanitation_program.php
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and DairiesIssues 3 permits on this page: Retail Food Establishment Permit, Food Handler Training, Certified Food Protection Manager525-535 West Jefferson Street, Springfield, IL 62761 · (217) 782-4977dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/food-safety/retail-food.html
- Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business ServicesIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report501 South Second Street, Room 351, Springfield, IL 62756 · (217) 524-8008www.ilsos.gov/departments/business_services
- Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1)Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Revenue, PO Box 19030, Springfield, IL 62794-9030 · (217) 785-3707mytax.illinois.gov
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state)(800) 252-2923dceo.illinois.gov/smallbizassistance/beginhere/stepbystepguide.html
What does a food truck need in Madison County Il that other businesses do not?
1 of the 6 permits particular to a food truck here applies to no other business type we cover in Madison County Il: Mobile Food Establishment Annual Service Permit.
Mobile Food Establishment Annual Service Permit
Code §55.15(A) requires a Health Department permit for any mobile food establishment operating within Madison County, in cities and villages as well as unincorporated areas, and the permit must be posted so it is clearly visible to customers. The Health Department's Plan Review page states that the operator of a mobile food establishment must have a base of operation from a permitted facility, and that the Use of Commissary Agreement "is required before a permit will be provided." The fee is set in Chapter 55 Schedule "A"; the county's posted Food Sanitation Ordinance states that fees increase 5% on odd-numbered years, and the current amount is not published on a county page or form, so contact the Health Department at 618-692-8954. The permit runs 12 months from issuance (§55.17).
Certified Food Protection Manager
No state fee, because the state does not run the certification — an accredited body does, and its course and exam fees are what you actually pay. Illinois food establishments must be under the supervision of a certified manager, which is a higher bar than food handler training: it needs an accredited course and a passed exam, and it lasts five years rather than three. Chicago runs its own parallel certification, so an operator inside the city must check city rules and not only state ones. The older name, food service sanitation manager certificate, still appears on some guidance.
Shared with other businesses in Madison County Il
- Temporary Food Service Establishment Permit — Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health, $75 per event; $150 in total, including a $75 late fee, when the completed application and fee are not received 48 hours before the event, no longer than 14 days, in conjunction with a single event or celebration (Code §55.17). Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Food Business Plan Review — Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health, $200 per plan review application, per project; the application is void if construction has not commenced within one year after the date of issuance. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
- Retail Food Establishment Permit — Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies, No state fee — the permit and its price are set by the local health department, set by the local health department. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Food Handler Training — Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies, No fee, 3 years. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across IL and are covered on the IL state page.
How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Madison County Il?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A food truck also needs Mobile Food Establishment Annual Service Permit. A coffee shop needs Food Establishment Permit (Annual), 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 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Restaurants | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
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, childcare centres page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Madison County Il permits page and the IL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Madison County Code Chapter 55, Schedule "A" Food Permit FeesMadison County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Madison County Code §55.15 (permit required)Madison County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Madison County Code §55.17 (permit length)Madison County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Plan ReviewMadison County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Use of Commissary Agreement — Base of OperationsMadison County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Food Sanitation Ordinance (Sanitation Ordinance & Fees)Madison County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Illinois Department of Public Health — certified food protection manager certificationIllinois Department of Public Health · 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.