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

Catering / Commissary Permit

A caterer, or a commissary that services mobile units and pushcarts, applies on the department's food service establishment application. The fee for "Catering/Commissary" is $200.00, as published in the Health Department's 2026 Food Service Establishment cover letter, for the permit period beginning March 1 and ending February 28 of the following year. The same letter requires the application and fee at least 21 days before the first day of operation and states that permits are not transferable and that all permit and application fees are non-refundable. A food truck operator that runs its own commissary needs this permit for the commissary in addition to the mobile unit permit. Ulster County Sanitary Code §1.12.2 provides that "The Commissioner/Director, subject to approval of the Board, may establish a schedule of, and impose fees for, the consideration of applications for the issuance of any required licenses, approvals, or permits consistent with the cost of examination and field inspections." The Board's approval of the dollar schedule is not published online, and the department's 2026 documents print no adoption or effective date.

Mobile Unit / Pushcart Food Service Permit

A food truck or pushcart operating in Ulster County applies on the department's food service establishment application, and the fee for "Mobile Units/Pushcarts" is $100.00, as published in the Health Department's 2026 Food Service Establishment cover letter. The department's 2026 commissary letter states that it "requires that each mobile unit and pushcart operator select a commissary to service their unit(s) during the operating season", that the commissary must be a facility currently under permit by a regulatory agency such as the Department of Health or the Department of Agriculture and Markets, and that the application must include a commissary letter giving the operator permission to use the facility. Where the commissary is not regulated by the Ulster County Department of Health, a copy of its current permit or license is also required. Ulster County Sanitary Code §1.12.2 provides that "The Commissioner/Director, subject to approval of the Board, may establish a schedule of, and impose fees for, the consideration of applications for the issuance of any required licenses, approvals, or permits consistent with the cost of examination and field inspections." The Board's approval of the dollar schedule is not published online, and the department's 2026 documents print no adoption or effective date.

Food Service Establishment Permit

Delegated, so there is no statewide fee and none is shown here. The permit comes from the county or city health department with jurisdiction; where a county has no health department the state's own regional or district health director issues it instead, and in those cases the state portal lists a band of $75 to $175. New York City is a separate regime under the city health department. The term is unusual and worth planning around: up to two years rather than a fixed annual cycle, with the permit-issuing official setting the length based on your compliance record, the risk your operation presents, and whether you run an acceptable self-inspection programme — so a good record literally buys you a longer permit. One statutory fee does exist statewide and is easy to miss: $25 a year to manufacture frozen desserts for retail sale, collected alongside whatever the local permit costs. Approved day care centres, hospitals and nursing homes need no separate food service permit unless a third party runs the food service.

Shared with other businesses in Ulster County

• Temporary Food Service Establishment Permit — Ulster County Department of Health, Environmental Health Services Division, $50 per application, for profit. Not-for-profit $0.00 with proof of status (such as a copy of the NYS Official Letter of Acceptance). Administrative late fee $25.00 if the application is not received 5 business days before the operation start date; returned check $20.00., one event or celebration at a fixed location of not more than 14 consecutive days (NYS Sanitary Code §14-2.1, as quoted by the county). Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Worker Training — Local Option under 10 NYCRR 14-1.73 (New York) — New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection, No fee, set by the permit-issuing official where one is imposed. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.