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

Mobile Food Unit / Pushcart Plan Review

A food truck or pushcart based in Cabarrus County has its unit reviewed by Cabarrus Health Alliance Environmental Health, which lists the line 'Food Service Plan Review of Mobile Food Unit/Pushcart' at $150.00. The Food & Lodging page links the Mobile Food Unit/Pushcart Application Packet and lists mobile food units and pushcarts among the facilities the Food and Lodging program inspects. The figure is as published on the Cabarrus Health Alliance Environmental Health Fee Schedule page, in effect from July 1, 2026: the page's own revision archive shows a June 23, 2026 revision headed 'New Environmental Health Fees In Red (to change July 1)', and the live page shows only the new amounts. The county's Public Health Authority page states that the Health Alliance 'acts as the local board of health'. The amount is below the $250.00 ceiling G.S. 130A-248(f) sets for local food plan review fees. The state food establishment permit for the unit is carried at the state layer.

Temporary Use Permit — Itinerant Merchants and Food Trucks (unincorporated county)

A food truck or merchandise stand selling at an existing business site in unincorporated Cabarrus County needs a Temporary Use Permit from the Zoning Division, $250.00 '(plus engineering fees when applicable)'. Development Ordinance Chapter 2 defines an 'ITINERANT MERCHANT' as 'Merchants that sell food, fruit, vegetables, beverages, or merchandise from a temporary stand, motor vehicle or food truck at existing business sites.' Chapter 7, section 68 states that 'All temporary uses listed in this Section require a Temporary Use Permit', allows itinerant merchants in the LDR, MDR, HDR, LC and GC zoning districts at existing business sites, and limits the permit 'to a period not to exceed ninety (90) continuous days per calendar year at a given location. The 90 days starts at date of issue and does not exclude days that the vendor is not on site.' The applicant needs the property owner's written approval. G.S. 153A-125 authorizes a county to regulate 'the business activities of itinerant merchants' by ordinance, to require 'that an application be made and a permit issued', and to 'charge a fee for a permit issued pursuant to such an ordinance.' The figures are as published in the Cabarrus County Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule, which states on every page 'Approved by CC BOC on April 22, 2025 with July 1 2025 Effective Date'. The fee-change table in the county's FY 2027 Adopted Budget lists changes only to the landfill tipping fee and two library fees. The Zoning Division page states: 'The Zoning Division is responsible for current zoning activities and ordinance enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Cabarrus County.' Each town or city in the county runs its own zoning.

Shared with other businesses in Cabarrus County

• Food Service Plan Review (new, remodeled or shared-use kitchen) — Cabarrus Health Alliance, Environmental Health, Food Service Plan Review $250.00; Remodel/additions to Existing Facilities $150.00; Shared Use Kitchen Application $150.00 (Cabarrus Health Alliance Environmental Health Fee Schedule page, in effect from July 1, 2026). G.S. 130A-248(f) allows a local health department to charge 'a fee not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00)' for food establishment plan review., one-time, per project. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Temporary Food Establishment / Limited Food Service Permit — Cabarrus Health Alliance, Environmental Health, $75 per permit, set by G.S. 130A-248(d2), per event, per permit. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Certified Food Protection Manager — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, No fee, not stated in North Carolina law — the certifying programme sets its own. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Establishment Permit — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, $120 a year, statewide, the permit does not expire; the fee is reassessed annually. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.