17 permits · verified 2026-10-01
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Delaware County Pa?
In short
A food truck in Delaware County Pa, PA has 7 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Delaware County Health Department charges $57 per certificate; duplicate certificate $28 for the certified food manager (cfm) certificate. 9 of the 17 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-01 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a food truck in Delaware County Pa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Facility Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Delaware County Health Department | $47–$380 one-time, before opening/remodeling — standard plan review $237; facility over 10,000 sq ft $380; farmers' market vendor review $47; change of ownership/turn-key operation $47; operating without plan review approval $190; phased opening inspection $142 | one-time, before opening or remodeling | 2026-10-01 |
| Retail Food Facility License & Inspection | Delaware County Health Department | $47–$570 annual, by facility type — under 50 seats $266; 50+ seats $380; over 10,000 sq ft $570; in conjunction with a PA liquor license $380; beverage manufactured on premises with tasting room, no food prep $142; take-out only $261; retail outlet $190; commissary/caterer $266; tax-exempt facility $47; mobile food facility $261; mobile retail outlet $190; school food facility with private/commercial vendor $332; duplicate license $28; late fee $47 ($19 tax-exempt) | annual, not transferable | 2026-10-01 |
| Temporary Food Facility Licenseonly if it applies to you | Delaware County Health Department | $9–$142 per event (max 14 days) — 1–3 day event $57; 4–7 day event $90; 8–14 day event $142; 1–14 day event, tax-exempt $33; late fee (filed under 5 days before the event) $22 ($9 tax-exempt); the Department refuses applications filed within 24 hours of the event | per event, maximum 14 days | 2026-10-01 |
| Certified Food Manager (CFM) Certificate | Delaware County Health Department | $57 per certificate; duplicate certificate $28 | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-10-01 |
| Weights & Measures Commercial Device License | Delaware County Office of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Weights and Measures | $10–$125 fuel dispensers $25 per dispenser hose (or per blend, for a single hose dispensing multiple blends); vehicle tank meters $50 per meter; scales 1–1,000 lbs $25/device, 1,000+ lbs $100/device; PLU devices/scanners, 3 or fewer terminals per location $65, 4 or more $125; timing devices (e.g., car-wash timers) $10/device; every category is capped at $1,000 per location, and a location with mixed device types pays the combined total subject to that cap | annual | 2026-10-01 |
| Retail Food Facility License | Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services | $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership | risk-based — 24, 18, 12 or 6 months, renewed annually | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Employee Certification | Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services | No fee | set by the accredited certifying programme, not by the Commonwealth | 2026-09-03 |
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 Delaware County Pa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Lot Sewage (Septic) System Permitonly if it applies to you | Delaware County Health Department | Varies — formula on the Delaware County Pa page | per permit | 2026-10-01 |
| DCHD Subdivision/Land Development (Act 537) Sewage-Facilities Reviewonly if it applies to you | Delaware County Health Department | Varies — formula on the Delaware County Pa page | per application | 2026-10-01 |
| County Subdivision & Land Development Review Fee (MPC §502) | Delaware County Planning Department | Varies — formula on the Delaware County Pa page | per application/plan; a resubmission on the same tract is charged again, but a refinement within 180 days of Commission review is not (§108) | 2026-10-01 |
| County 2016 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) — Default Reviewonly if it applies to you | Delaware County Planning Department | No fee | no separate term — governed by the MPC §502 Review Fee record recorded separately for Delaware County | 2026-10-01 |
| Well Construction Permitonly if it applies to you | Delaware County Health Department | Varies — formula on the Delaware County Pa page | per well | 2026-10-01 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
PA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | $7 per year for a for-profit entity | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Pennsylvania position | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | No fee | set by the issuing municipality | 2026-09-03 |
| Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax Licenseonly if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of Revenue | No fee — no registration fee | 5 years, renewed automatically subject to compliance | 2026-09-03 |
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 Delaware County Pa?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 17 records listed for a food truck in Delaware County Pa, PA, 7 apply to every business of this type and 10 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 7 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $57.00. That is a floor, not a total. 9 of the 17 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Facility Plan Review: $47–$380 one-time, before opening/remodeling — standard plan review $237; facility over 10,000 sq ft $380; farmers' market vendor review $47; change of ownership/turn-key operation $47; operating without plan review approval $190; phased opening inspection $142
Retail Food Facility License & Inspection: $47–$570 annual, by facility type — under 50 seats $266; 50+ seats $380; over 10,000 sq ft $570; in conjunction with a PA liquor license $380; beverage manufactured on premises with tasting room, no food prep $142; take-out only $261; retail outlet $190; commissary/caterer $266; tax-exempt facility $47; mobile food facility $261; mobile retail outlet $190; school food facility with private/commercial vendor $332; duplicate license $28; late fee $47 ($19 tax-exempt)
Temporary Food Facility License: $9–$142 per event (max 14 days) — 1–3 day event $57; 4–7 day event $90; 8–14 day event $142; 1–14 day event, tax-exempt $33; late fee (filed under 5 days before the event) $22 ($9 tax-exempt); the Department refuses applications filed within 24 hours of the event
Weights & Measures Commercial Device License: $10–$125 fuel dispensers $25 per dispenser hose (or per blend, for a single hose dispensing multiple blends); vehicle tank meters $50 per meter; scales 1–1,000 lbs $25/device, 1,000+ lbs $100/device; PLU devices/scanners, 3 or fewer terminals per location $65, 4 or more $125; timing devices (e.g., car-wash timers) $10/device; every category is capped at $1,000 per location, and a location with mixed device types pays the combined total subject to that cap
Retail Food Facility License: $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Delaware County Pa permits page and the PA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Delaware County Pa?
Permits for a food truck in Delaware County Pa, PA come from 6 separate offices: Delaware County Health Department, Delaware County Office of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Weights and Measures, Delaware County Planning Department, Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Delaware County Health DepartmentIssues 7 permits on this page, including Food Facility Plan Review, Retail Food Facility License & Inspection, Temporary Food Facility LicenseRose Tree 1, 1400 N Providence Rd, Suite 212, Media, PA 19063 · (484) 276-2100www.delcopa.gov/health/license-permits-inspections
- Delaware County Office of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Weights and MeasuresIssues 1 permit on this page: Weights & Measures Commercial Device LicenseGovernment Center Lobby, 201 W. Front St., Media, PA 19063 · 610-891-4865www.delcopa.gov
- Delaware County Planning DepartmentIssues 2 permits on this page: County Subdivision & Land Development Review Fee (MPC §502), County 2016 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) — Default Review2 W. Baltimore Avenue, Suite 202, Media, PA 19063 · 610-891-5200delcopa.gov/planning/pubs/DelawareCountySALDO
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable OrganizationsIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Organization (LLC), Annual Report, General Business License — Pennsylvania positionfile.dos.pa.gov
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: Retail Food Facility License, Food Employee Certificationwww.pa.gov/agencies/pda/food/food-safety/retail-food/retail-food-facilities-and-restaurants
- Pennsylvania Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax Licensemypath.pa.gov
What does a food truck need in Delaware County Pa that other businesses do not?
Temporary Food Facility License
A restaurant, food truck, or retail store selling food at a fair, festival, or other short-term event in Delaware County needs a Temporary Food Facility license from DCHD for each event, priced under the current DCHD Fee Schedule on a sliding per-day scale: $57 for a 1–3 day event, $90 for 4–7 days, and $142 for 8–14 days, with a reduced $33 flat rate for a tax-exempt operator at any length up to 14 days. A late fee of $22 ($9 for a tax-exempt operator) applies when the application is filed fewer than 5 days before the event, and DCHD refuses any application filed within 24 hours of the event.
Certified Food Manager (CFM) Certificate
DCHD's current Fee Schedule states directly, in its caption for this line item, that 'all persons in charge must possess a CFM' — meaning every restaurant, coffee shop, food truck, retail food business, and food-serving childcare facility in Delaware County must have a Certified Food Manager on staff. DCHD issues its own CFM certificate for $57, with a $28 fee for a duplicate certificate. The published fee schedule does not state a validity period for the certificate itself, so no renewal interval is recorded here beyond the per-certificate fee.
Shared with other businesses in Delaware County Pa
- Food Facility Plan Review — Delaware County Health Department, $47–$380 one-time, before opening/remodeling — standard plan review $237; facility over 10,000 sq ft $380; farmers' market vendor review $47; change of ownership/turn-key operation $47; operating without plan review approval $190; phased opening inspection $142, one-time, before opening or remodeling. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Retail Food Facility License & Inspection — Delaware County Health Department, $47–$570 annual, by facility type — under 50 seats $266; 50+ seats $380; over 10,000 sq ft $570; in conjunction with a PA liquor license $380; beverage manufactured on premises with tasting room, no food prep $142; take-out only $261; retail outlet $190; commissary/caterer $266; tax-exempt facility $47; mobile food facility $261; mobile retail outlet $190; school food facility with private/commercial vendor $332; duplicate license $28; late fee $47 ($19 tax-exempt), annual, not transferable. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Weights & Measures Commercial Device License — Delaware County Office of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Weights and Measures, $10–$125 fuel dispensers $25 per dispenser hose (or per blend, for a single hose dispensing multiple blends); vehicle tank meters $50 per meter; scales 1–1,000 lbs $25/device, 1,000+ lbs $100/device; PLU devices/scanners, 3 or fewer terminals per location $65, 4 or more $125; timing devices (e.g., car-wash timers) $10/device; every category is capped at $1,000 per location, and a location with mixed device types pays the combined total subject to that cap, annual. Also required for retail stores, auto repair shops, restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
- Retail Food Facility License — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership, risk-based — 24, 18, 12 or 6 months, renewed annually. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Employee Certification — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, No fee, set by the accredited certifying programme, not by the Commonwealth. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Delaware County Pa, PA; what each one involves is set out on the Delaware County Pa permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across PA and are covered on the PA state page.
How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Delaware County Pa?
A food truck and a restaurant in Delaware County Pa, PA need exactly the same 7 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a food truck | Only a food truck needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
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, retail stores page and auto repair shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Delaware County Pa permits page and the PA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Delaware County Health Department Fee Schedule (current; no printed effective date — fees set by County Council resolution under County Code Chapter 57)Delaware County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.