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

Mobile Food License (FCPH)

A food truck, cart or trailer based outside Columbus and Worthington needs a Mobile Food License from Franklin County Public Health before operating: a pre-operation inspection is required, and FCPH's own Food Safety page states the mobile unit 'must move the mobile to a new location every 40 days.' A unit whose commissary or base of operations is inside Columbus or Worthington instead falls under Columbus Public Health, the independent city health department — CPH's own page states its inspections cover 'the cities of Columbus and Worthington' specifically, not the rest of the county. The FY2023 cost-analysis figure above ($157.74) is the calculated maximum for the mobile facility category, the most recent figure FCPH has filed; FY2023 actual collected revenue for this category averaged closer to $85 per unit, so a truck owner should confirm the currently charged amount with the Food Safety Program directly. A food truck also needs the county Vendor's License if it sells goods subject to Ohio sales tax from a fixed base location.

Temporary Food License (FCPH)

A food vendor operating at a single festival, fair or other short-term event outside Columbus and Worthington uses FCPH's Temporary Food License. FCPH's own Food Safety page and Columbus Public Health's page use identical '10 per year' language for this cap, and the reason they match is that both are simply restating the same state statute: ORC 3717.43 provides that 'a licensor may issue not more than ten temporary food service operation licenses per licensing period to the same person or government entity to operate at different events within the licensor's jurisdiction,' with only one license per particular event. The FY2023 cost-analysis filing calculates two possible maximum fee bases for this category — up to $73.98 per day of operation, or up to $123.23 per event — and Franklin County's actual per-event collections in FY2023 ran closer to $67-$112, so a vendor should confirm which basis and amount FCPH is currently charging. An event or vendor inside Columbus or Worthington instead needs Columbus Public Health's equivalent temporary permit, not FCPH's.

Transient Vendor's License

This is the license for selling away from a fixed address — fairs, festivals, markets, travelling to the customer — and unlike the county vendor's license it is valid in all eighty-eight counties on one registration. It is issued by the Department of Taxation only, never by a county auditor. Same $50 as the fixed-location license since House Bill 366 took effect on 9 April 2025.

Shared with other businesses in Franklin County

• Vendor's License (County Vendor's License) — Franklin County Auditor, Licensing Section, $50 one-time, per fixed place of business ($25 to the state Organized Crime Commission Fund, $25 to the Franklin County general fund), standing registration, no renewal required — the Franklin County Auditor's own page states 'There is no annual renewal fee for either license'. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, salons and barbers, auto repair shops and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Manager Certification in Food Protection — Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety Program, No fee, not stated by the Ohio Department of Health. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Service Operation License — Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $28 state fee for a commercial operation ($14 non-commercial, $6 per vending machine location), plus a license fee set independently by the local board of health, 1 March to the last day of February. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.