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18 permits · verified 2026-09-28

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

In short

A food truck in Oakland County, MI has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Oakland County Clerk / Register of Deeds, Vital Records charges $10 one-time filing fee for the assumed name (dba) certificate. 8 of the 18 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a food truck in Oakland County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Mobile Food Establishment LicenseOakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services Unit$131.20–$181.80 a year per unit, by truck type: cold truck/pushcart $131.20, steam table truck $156.50, hot truck $181.80annual, on the same April 30 license-year cycle as fixed establishments2026-09-28
Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) LicenseOakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services UnitOakland County's own posted fee for the STFU license is $171.65 (annual license) plus a separate paid STFU inspection fee of $103.50; effective July 1, 2025, two paid inspections are required per license year, at least one month apart. A state statute addressing the same license category, MCL 289.3119, states that a local health department 'shall impose a fee of $150.00, which includes the additional state license fee' for Special Transitory Food Unit licensing, and a companion statute, MCL 289.4111, lists a fee escalator table of $150.00 for 2016, $153.00 for 2017, and $156.00 for any subsequent year. MDARD's own published fee schedule states a third figure, $135.00, describing it as the STFU license fee 'whether obtained from a local health department or MDARD.' All three figures are recorded here exactly as each issuing source currently publishes them.annual; two paid inspections required per license year, at least one month apart, effective July 1, 20252026-09-28
Certified Food Manager (CFM) RequirementOakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services UnitNo feeongoing while the food establishment operates; recertification is required every 5 years, with an allergen-awareness component required since January 14, 2017, and a 90-day grace period to replace a lost or departed certified manager2026-09-28
Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) LicenseOakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services Unit$78–$106.75 per event, by advance notice given: at least 2 working days' notice $78.00, less than 2 working days' notice $91.80, fee collected in the field/at the event $106.75one-time, per event2026-09-28
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.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Oakland County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General Business License — Oakland County Positiononly if it applies to youOakland County Government — Business Development and Facilities ManagementNo feenot applicable — the county's Business Development page states that Oakland County does not require a business license2026-09-28
Zoning Approval — City, Village or Township Issues (Oakland County)only if it applies to youOakland County Government — Business Development and Facilities ManagementNo feenot applicable2026-09-28
Assumed Name (DBA) Certificateonly if it applies to youOakland County Clerk / Register of Deeds, Vital Records$10 one-time filing fee5 years, renewable2026-09-28
On-Site Sewage Disposal (Septic) Permitonly if it applies to youOakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services UnitVaries — formula on the Oakland County pageper project, for new construction, repair/replacement or alteration of an on-site sewage disposal system; the installer license itself renews annually2026-09-28
Water Well Permitonly if it applies to youOakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services UnitVaries — formula on the Oakland County pageper well, for the specific construction, replacement, augmentation, irrigation, geothermal or abandonment project applied for2026-09-28
Building/Construction Permit — Local Community Issues (Oakland County)only if it applies to youOakland County Government — Business Development and Facilities ManagementNo feenot applicable2026-09-28

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 Oakland County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 18 records listed for a food truck in Oakland County, MI, 6 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

8 of the 18 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 7 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Mobile Food Establishment License: $131.20–$181.80 a year per unit, by truck type: cold truck/pushcart $131.20, steam table truck $156.50, hot truck $181.80

Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License: Oakland County's own posted fee for the STFU license is $171.65 (annual license) plus a separate paid STFU inspection fee of $103.50; effective July 1, 2025, two paid inspections are required per license year, at least one month apart. A state statute addressing the same license category, MCL 289.3119, states that a local health department 'shall impose a fee of $150.00, which includes the additional state license fee' for Special Transitory Food Unit licensing, and a companion statute, MCL 289.4111, lists a fee escalator table of $150.00 for 2016, $153.00 for 2017, and $156.00 for any subsequent year. MDARD's own published fee schedule states a third figure, $135.00, describing it as the STFU license fee 'whether obtained from a local health department or MDARD.' All three figures are recorded here exactly as each issuing source currently publishes them.

Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) License: $78–$106.75 per event, by advance notice given: at least 2 working days' notice $78.00, less than 2 working days' notice $91.80, fee collected in the field/at the event $106.75

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 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Oakland County permits page and the MI state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Oakland County?

Permits for a food truck in Oakland County, MI come from 6 separate offices: Oakland County Government — Business Development and Facilities Management, Oakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services Unit, Oakland County Clerk / Register of Deeds, Vital Records, 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 Oakland County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 7 permits particular to a food truck here apply to no other business type we cover in Oakland County: Mobile Food Establishment License, Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License and Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) License.

Mobile Food Establishment License

A food truck, cart or trailer operating on an ongoing route anywhere in Oakland County needs its own annual Mobile Food Establishment License from OCHD, priced by unit type: $131.20 for a cold truck or pushcart with no cooking, $156.50 for a steam table truck, and $181.80 for a hot truck with active cooking equipment. This covers a unit operating on a route rather than at one semi-fixed location or a one-off event — the Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License and the Temporary Food Establishment License, both recorded separately, cover those two other operating patterns instead, and a mobile unit's commissary must also be verified before licensing. The license runs on the same annual cycle, through April 30, as fixed food service establishments.

Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License

A Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) — a food unit operating at a single semi-fixed location, distinct from a full mobile route — must be licensed either through OCHD or through MDARD directly, an applicant's choice under state law. Two figures exist in the source material for what this license actually costs: Oakland County's own Food Safety fee page prices the license at $171.65 a year plus a separate $103.50 paid STFU inspection fee (with two paid inspections required per license year, at least one month apart, effective July 1, 2025), while MCL 289.3119 states that a local health department 'shall impose a fee of $150.00, which includes the additional state license fee' for this same license category, and MDARD's own published fee schedule states the fee is $135.00 'whether obtained from a local health department or MDARD.' A companion statute, MCL 289.4111, lists a fee escalator reaching $156.00 for any year after 2017. An applicant should confirm the amount actually being charged with OCHD, 248-424-7191 or OCHDPlanReview@oaklandcountymi.gov, before paying. This license category is distinct from the Mobile Food Establishment License, which covers a unit on a moving route, and the Temporary Food Establishment License, which covers a one-off event.

Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) License

A food unit vending at a one-off event — a festival, fair or similar temporary gathering, rather than an ongoing route or a semi-fixed single location — needs a Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) permit from OCHD for that specific event. The fee depends on how much notice is given before the event: $78.00 for an application filed at least two working days in advance, $91.80 for less than two working days' notice, and $106.75 if the fee is instead collected in the field at the event itself. This permit is distinct from the Special Transitory Food Unit license, which covers a semi-fixed single location rather than a one-off event, and from the Mobile Food Establishment License, which covers a unit operating on an ongoing route.

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 Oakland County

  • Certified Food Manager (CFM) Requirement — Oakland County Health Division (OCHD), Environmental Health Services Unit, No fee, ongoing while the food establishment operates; recertification is required every 5 years, with an allergen-awareness component required since January 14, 2017, and a 90-day grace period to replace a lost or departed certified manager. 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 other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Oakland County, MI; what each one involves is set out on the Oakland County permits 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 Oakland County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A food truck also needs Mobile Food Establishment License, Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU) License and Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) License. A coffee shop needs Food Service License (fixed establishment, annual) and Alcohol License — Michigan Liquor Control Commission (Oakland County), which a food truck does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Oakland County, MI, compared with a food truck
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a food truckOnly a food truck needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6432
Restaurants5342
Retail stores2161
Auto repair shops3073
Childcare centres2072
Contractors and trades3073
Fitness studios2072
Salons and barbers5075
Veterinary clinics5075

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

  1. Food Safety — fee schedule for the Food Service License (fixed, by seat tier), Mobile Food Establishment License (by truck type), STFU license and inspection fee, and Temporary Food Establishment LicenseOakland County Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  2. MCL 289.1101, Michigan Food Law, 2000 PA 92Michigan Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  3. MCL 289.3119, Michigan Food Law — states a local health department 'shall impose a fee of $150.00, which includes the additional state license fee' for Special Transitory Food Unit licensingMichigan Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  4. MCL 289.4111, Michigan Food Law — STFU license fee escalator table: $150.00 for 2016, $153.00 for 2017, $156.00 for any subsequent yearMichigan Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  5. 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.