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10 permits · verified 2026-09-08

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

In short

A food truck in Minneapolis, MN 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. City of Minneapolis, Business Licenses & Consumer Services charges $719 a year; $63 for a non-profit vendor for the mobile food vehicle vendor license. 1 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-08 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a food truck in Minneapolis

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor LicenseCity of Minneapolis, Business Licenses & Consumer Services$719 a year; $63 for a non-profit vendorannual2026-09-08
Liquified Petroleum Temporary Tank Permitonly if it applies to youMinneapolis Fire Department, Fire Inspection Services$75.40 per tanknot stated in the published fee schedule2026-09-08
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youMinnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services$45 certification or renewal, plus a $5 technology fee3 years2026-09-03
Food and Beverage Establishment LicenseMinnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services$300 base plus a category fee of $185 low risk, $430 medium or $670 high, plus a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee — or a delegated county's own scheduleannual2026-09-03

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 Minneapolis

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General Business License — Minneapolis Activity-Specific License Listonly if it applies to youCity of Minneapolis, Business Licenses & Consumer ServicesNo feenot applicable2026-09-08

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

MN 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 youOffice of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division$135 one-time filing by post; $155 online or in personperpetual, subject to a free annual renewal every December2026-09-03
General Business License — Minnesota state positiononly if it applies to youOffice of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feeset by the city2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youOffice of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division$135 one-time filing by post; $155 online or in personperpetual, subject to a free annual renewal every December2026-09-03
Annual Renewalonly if it applies to youOffice of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feeannual — due by 31 December every year after the year of formation2026-09-03
Sales and Use Tax AccountMinnesota Department of Revenue, Business RegistrationNo feevalid until cancelled or revoked2026-09-03

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 Minneapolis?

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 Minneapolis, MN, 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.

Of the 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $719.00. That is a floor, not a total. 1 of the 10 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:

Food and Beverage Establishment License: $300 base plus a category fee of $185 low risk, $430 medium or $670 high, plus a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee — or a delegated county's own schedule

Which offices issue these permits in Minneapolis?

Permits for a food truck in Minneapolis, MN come from 5 separate offices: City of Minneapolis, Business Licenses & Consumer Services, Minneapolis Fire Department, Fire Inspection Services, Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services, Minnesota Department of Revenue, Business Registration. 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 Minneapolis that other businesses do not?

2 of the 4 permits particular to a food truck here apply to no other business type we cover in Minneapolis: Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor License and Liquified Petroleum Temporary Tank Permit.

Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor License

The City's 2026 License Fees list prices the Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor (Food Truck) license at $719 and the non-profit food truck license at $63. The same list prices related mobile options separately: Limited Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor $131, Limited Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor for prepackaged perishable food or City parks $226, Mobile Food Store (grocery truck) $609, and a Sidewalk Food Cart Vendor license (a single cart, up to 3 locations) $63.

Liquified Petroleum Temporary Tank Permit

The Fire Inspections License & Permit Fee Schedule lists no dedicated 'food truck fire permit' line item; its Tank Permits section prices 'Liquified Petroleum, Temporary' at $75.40 per tank, which is the applicable fire fee for a propane-equipped mobile food unit. The schedule's Special Event Permits section separately prices Temporary Liquid Petroleum Usage at $75.40 per tank.

Shared with other businesses in Minneapolis

  • Certified Food Protection Manager — Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services, $45 certification or renewal, plus a $5 technology fee, 3 years. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Food and Beverage Establishment License — Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services, $300 base plus a category fee of $185 low risk, $430 medium or $670 high, plus a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee — or a delegated county's own schedule, annual. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.

The other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Minneapolis, MN; what each one involves is set out on the Minneapolis permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across MN and are covered on the MN state page.

How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Minneapolis?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 2 of these permits. A food truck also needs Mobile Food Vehicle Vendor License and Liquified Petroleum Temporary Tank Permit. A coffee shop needs Commercial Hood Cleaning Permit, Commercial Building Registration, Restaurant License and Sign Permit, which a food truck does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Minneapolis, MN, compared with a food truck
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a food truckOnly a food truck needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6224
Restaurants6224
Auto repair shops4044
Childcare centres2042
Contractors and trades4044
Fitness studios2042
Retail stores2042
Salons and barbers5045
Veterinary clinics4044

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. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Minneapolis permits page and the MN state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. City of Minneapolis License Fees 2026City of Minneapolis, Business Licenses & Consumer Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
  2. Fire Inspections License & Permit Fee ScheduleMinneapolis Fire Department, Fire Inspection Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.