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11 permits · verified 2026-10-27

What permits do you need to open a food truck in Jackson County Mi?

In short

A food truck in Jackson County Mi, MI has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau charges $50 one-time filing, non-refundable for the articles of organization (llc). 6 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-27 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a food truck in Jackson County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Mobile Food Establishment and Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) LicenseJackson County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionThe county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. The mobile and STFU license amounts for the current license year are not published; contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current amount.license year May 1 through April 302026-10-27
Temporary Food Establishment Licenseonly if it applies to youJackson County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionThe Temporary Food Establishments page states "(Fees vary)". The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. Contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current amount.up to two weeks at a fixed location2026-10-27
Food Service Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youJackson County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionThe county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. Contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current plan review amount.one-time, before licensing and the pre-opening inspection2026-10-27
Food Service Establishment LicenseMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development$338–$1,333 a year, set by the local health department; the state's embedded share is $30annual — expires 30 April2026-09-03
Retail Food Establishment Licenseonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development$73–$471 a year, by establishment typeannual — the license year runs 1 May to 30 April2026-09-03
Certified Food Safety Manageronly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNo feecertificates are typically valid five years, set by the certifying provider2026-09-03

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

MI 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 Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau$50 one-time filing, non-refundableno expiry, but an annual statement is due every 15 February2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau$60 one-time minimum — a $10 fee plus an organization fee from $50, banded by authorised sharesno expiry, but an annual report is due every 15 May2026-09-03
General Business License — Michigan state positiononly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNo feenot applicable at state level2026-09-03
Sales Tax LicenseMichigan Department of TreasuryNo feeissued yearly, valid January to December2026-09-03
Annual Report or Annual Statementonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing BureauVaries — formula on the MI pageannual — 15 February for an LLC, 15 May for a corporation2026-09-03

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 Jackson County Mi?

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 Jackson County Mi, MI, 3 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.

6 of the 11 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:

Mobile Food Establishment and Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License: The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. The mobile and STFU license amounts for the current license year are not published; contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current amount.

Temporary Food Establishment License: The Temporary Food Establishments page states "(Fees vary)". The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. Contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current amount.

Food Service Plan Review: The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. Contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current plan review amount.

Food Service Establishment License: $338–$1,333 a year, set by the local health department; the state's embedded share is $30

Retail Food Establishment License: $73–$471 a year, by establishment type

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

Which offices issue these permits in Jackson County Mi?

Permits for a food truck in Jackson County Mi, MI come from 4 separate offices: Jackson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Department of Treasury. 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 Jackson County Mi 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 Jackson County Mi: Mobile Food Establishment and Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License.

Mobile Food Establishment and Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License

The Jackson County Health Department's Food Program page states: "Food Service Establishments, Special Transitory Food Units (STFU), and Mobile Food Establishments must be licensed through our office." A license runs from May 1 through the following April 30. The Plan Review/Licensing page provides the STFU plan submittal instructions, an STFU SOP worksheet and the STFU & Mobile plan review application, and states that "All STFUs must submit their intent to serve at least 5 days prior to serving", using the county's Notification of Intent to Operate a STFU form. The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. The Environmental Health page states: "Before making an online payment, please call Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 to confirm the correct payment amount."

Retail Food Establishment License

This is the state license that does exist, and it is not the restaurant one. A retail food establishment, a limited wholesale processor or a food warehouse pays $186; an extended retail food establishment — a shop serving unpackaged food with seating — pays $471; a mobile food establishment or its commissary pays $192; a temporary establishment $73; a transitory food unit $159 plus a first-year $197 plan review and a $90 inspection. Widely republished figures of $135 are out of date. One oddity is recorded rather than explained: every published amount runs exactly $3 above the figure in the statute, and while the law permits a convenience fee, no source confirms that is what the $3 is. Licenses do not transfer to a new owner or a new location.

Shared with other businesses in Jackson County Mi

  • Temporary Food Establishment License — Jackson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, The Temporary Food Establishments page states "(Fees vary)". The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. Contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current amount., up to two weeks at a fixed location. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Food Service Plan Review — Jackson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, The county's published Environmental Health fee schedule is the FY2026 schedule, in effect October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; no FY2027 schedule is published on the county website. Contact Jackson County Environmental Health at (517) 788-4433 or ehealth@mijackson.org for the current plan review amount., one-time, before licensing and the pre-opening inspection. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Food Service Establishment License — Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, $338–$1,333 a year, set by the local health department; the state's embedded share is $30, annual — expires 30 April. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Certified Food Safety Manager — Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, No fee, certificates are typically valid five years, set by the certifying provider. 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 MI and are covered on the MI state page.

How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Jackson County Mi?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A food truck also needs Mobile Food Establishment and Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License. A coffee shop needs Food Service Establishment License (Risk Category Type X, Y or Z), which a food truck does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Jackson County Mi, MI, compared with a food truck
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a food truckOnly a food truck needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6511
Restaurants5421
Retail stores1150
Auto repair shops2062
Childcare centres2062
Contractors and trades1061
Fitness studios1061
Salons and barbers3063
Veterinary clinics1061

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 and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Jackson County Mi permits page and the MI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Environmental HealthJackson County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  2. Food ProgramJackson County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  3. Plan Review/Licensing for Restaurants & STFUsJackson County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  4. Michigan MDARD — food establishment license fees and scheduleMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · 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.